Research Projects

Zero-client systems, such as Google ChromeBooks, are expected to become popular in the future due to their minimalistic operating system and low-end hardware. These systems only support a web browser, providing a fully featured environment for users. However, these systems have not reached the masses in developing countries due to internet connectivity issues. As countries focus on 5G-based technologies, they expect high-quality internet in rural and semi-urban areas, allowing them to run affordable applications. To ensure the security of the 5G stack, it is necessary to verify each layer, including software and hardware. Work Package 1 (WP1) aims to address vulnerabilities in the lowest layer of the stack, which means that the entire stack is susceptible to attacks. Existing EDA-based solutions are slow and expensive due to proprietary software support requirements. The main aim is to augment the open source testing ecosystem to ensure reliable and trustworthy 5G hardware. Work Package 2 aims to reduce cost and ensure protocols can seamlessly run on off-the-shelf IoT devices. This requires radical protocol redesign and detailed performance and power studies to find suitable designs. Work Package 3 focuses on designing a secure browser-based framework to identify security vulnerabilities in websites and certify the correctness of certain websites based on propagating "taint information." A custom, standalone taint propagation engine is designed, which is mostly browser independent and allows users to dynamically add sinks and sources. The combination of these work packages will ensure reliable silicon, protocols running on silicon, and a browser-based ecosystem that provides a seamless and secure experience for end-users.