CT Research Initiative aims for trust through transparency

Trust in modern systems and technologies has become an increasingly important issue. As systems become more ubiquitous and pervasive, users lose track of which applications or ‘things’ are connected to the Internet (IoT – ‘Internet of Things’), how they are connected, what information is transmitted and who is receiving the information that is sent. The EU project uTRUSTit – Usable Trust in the Internet of Things –, which started with a kick-off meeting in September in Vienna, aims to provide users with tools that present this information and allow them to make informed trust-decisions.

The Internet of Things will connect a large number of communication and information systems. These systems will be part of everyday life in the same way mobile phones have become part of our lives. The information security properties of the IoT are often difficult to understand for its users, because they are hidden in pervasive systems and small devices manufactured by a large number of vendors. Trustworthiness, security functions and privacy implications are vast, and must be assessable to users and consumers.

Integrating the user in the trust chain

The main focus of the uTRUSTit project lies in its objective to integrate the user directly in the trust chain, guaranteeing transparency in the underlying security and reliability properties of the IoT. The results of uTRUSTit will enable system manufacturers and system integrators to express the underlying security concepts to users in a comprehensible way, allowing them to make valid judgements on the trustworthiness of such systems. In addition, uTRUSTit’s design guidelines on trust will help the industry to implement the trust-feedback toolkit developed by uTRUSTit in a secure, usable and accessible way.

Manfred Tscheligi, director at CURE (Center for Usability Research & Engineering) and coordinator of the project highlights the benefit of the expected results, ‘As we move closer to the concept of the Internet of Things, trust issues will be a large concern. The uTRUSTit project will provide people with the information they need in order to make an informed decision without having to be a security expert or reverting to the extremes of being paranoid.’

Multidisciplinary Research

The uTRUSTit consortium is composed of experienced security researchers, practitioners, and simulation and usability laboratories from different parts of Europe. It provides the expertise and experience needed to successfully solve the challenges of trust in the IoT.

The Norwegian Computing Center together with CURE will analyse the requirements and user needs. The consortium includes Sweden Connectivity, experts in the design and development of hard- and software for reliable connectivity solutions in mobile wireless devices. The Hungarian based SEARCH -LAB will ensure that the security aspects of the designs are tackled appropriately and, in particular, that the security feedback provided by the uTRUSTit-modules are correct. The Chemnitz University of Technology will lead the development and preparation of Virtual Reality simulations. These simulations ensure that user feedback flows into the design process as soon as possible and influences the final designs. In addition, the field of law provides expertise on new challenges in IoT, which will be addressed by Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.