Andreas Papalambrou

Security and Privacy in Distributed Smart Cameras

Distributed smart camera systems are becoming increasingly important in a wide range of applications. As they are often deployed in public space and/or our personal environment, they increasingly access and manipulate sensitive or private information. Their architectures need to address security and privacy issues appropriately, considering them from the inception of the overall system structure. In this paper, we present security and privacy issues of distributed smart camera systems. We describe security requirements, possible attacks, and common risks, analyzing issues at the node and at the network level and presenting available solutions. Although security issues of distributed smart cameras are analogous to networked embedded systems and sensor networks, emphasis is given to special requirements of smart camera networks, including privacy and continuous real-time operation.

Monitoring of a DTN2 network

In this paper we point out the necessity for monitoring the status of a Delay-Tolerant Network (DTN) and present the network monitoring functionalities we implemented in a small network comprising of three nodes based on the DTN2 implementation of the DTN Bundle protocol. The methods used to gather the appropriate statistics are described and the key parameters needed to describe the DTN network status are analyzed and assessed regarding their efficiency to monitor networks performance.

A versatile scalable smart waste-bin system based on resource-limited embedded devices

This work presents the architecture, modelling, simulation, and physical implementation of a versatile, scalable system for use in common-type waste-bins that can perform and transmit accurate fill-level estimates while consuming minimal power and consisting of low-cost embedded components. The sensing units are based on ultrasonic sensors that provide ranging information which is translated to fill-level estimations based on extensive simulations in MATLAB and physical experiments. At the heart of the proposed implementation lies RFID technology with active RFID tags retrieving information and controlling the sensors and RFID readers receiving and interpreting information. Statistical processing of the simulation in combination with physical experiments and field tests verified that the system works accurately and efficiently with a tiny data-load fingerprint.

A secure DTN-based smart camera surveillance system

A smart camera surveillance system operating over a DTN network is presented. Low power embedded systems with connected smart cameras are used to detect and record events using motion and other triggers. Smart camera nodes can cooperate by means of a wireless personal area network. Images of events chosen by smart cameras are saved locally and transmitted via a base station node by means of a secure Delay Tolerant Network based on the Bundle protocol with implemented monitoring mechanisms. This network architecture is appropriate for surveillance of remote areas where connectivity is intermittent or frequently disrupted and events are relatively few. In this work, we evaluate the performance of the system, focusing on the communication over the DTN network in order to assess how such a network performs in various scenarios of events and availability, with or without security, and in comparison to existing communication methods.

An integrated node for Smart-City applications based on active RFID tags; Use case on waste-bins

This work presents the concept and methodology as well as the architecture and physical implementation of an integrated node for smart-city applications. The presented integrated node lies on active RFID technology whereas the use case illustrated, with results from a small-scale verification of the presented node, refers to common-type waste-bins. The sensing units deployed for the use case are ultrasonic sensors that provide ranging information which is translated to fill-level estimations; however the use of a versatile active RFID tag within the node is able to afford multiple sensors for a variety of smart-city applications. The most important benefits of the presented node are power minimization, utilization of low-cost components and accurate fill-level estimation with a tiny data-load fingerprint, regarding the specific use case on waste-bins, whereas the node has to be deployed on public means of transportation or similar standard route vehicles within an urban or suburban context.

Detection, traceback and filtering of denial of service attacks in networked embedded systems

This work presents a composite scheme for detection, traceback and filtering of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks in networked embedded systems. A method based on algorithmic analysis of various node and network parameters is used to detect attacks while a packet marking method is used to mitigate the effects of the attack by filtering the incoming traffic that is part of this attack and trace back to the origin of the attack. The combination of the detection and mitigation methods provide an increased level of security in comparison to approaches based on a single method. Furthermore, the scheme is developed in a way to comply with the novel SHIELD secure architecture being developed, which aims at providing interoperability with other secure components as well as metrics to quantify their security properties.

Increasing security in wireless e-health systems

In this paper, we identify the security and privacy issues specific to wireless health monitoring devices and describe solutions for protecting wireless communications against side channel attacks and in particular traffic analysis attacks. This process takes place by means of data obfuscation and modifications of communication protocol architectures in order to limit exposed information of system architecture to potential attackers. Initial network simulations of the proposed methods show the feasibility of these methods.