Project ideas

Smaj

RawR!
Staff member
Jan 7, 2013
4,243
As most of you know, I've gone back to uni to do a doctorate..... it's not a typical one for many reasons but I won't get into that. For the coming spring (ignore that it's miles away), I'll have to do two 'mini-projects', each about 7-8weeks long and about at least 2 taken for adminny stuff like writing it all up and presentations.

The subject area is 'cyber-security', and it can be as far ranged as dealing with privacy concerns of medical data, looking at hacking military drones to government/international politics and polices. Just programming a bit of software is not an option though.

What I am after is basically a relevant and interesting research question/topic that can easily fit in that time. I'm just looking for something interesting to grab my attention, as the ideas I have are rather.... dull!

Plox halp!
 

Ribena

Member
Jan 19, 2006
410
Maybe look into how cloud computing can be made more secure for medical (or pretty much any) applications? Loads of security risks, could look in to addressing concerns regarding shared technology or search pattern leakage?
 

Bani

Member
Apr 13, 2007
1,238
Berlin
- Solve how to transfer files between 2 computers securely in a corporate environment. Some of the retarded companies I work with have a "sorry no USB sticks because hax and max 10MB emails" rule that's just fantastic!

- how is the "delete my history" working out for the EU and Google so far? Lessons learned?

- Why are the TOR guys now being identified and jailed even though it's like totally impossible? What does that mean for criminals in the future, and law enforcement? Who has the upper hand?

- What's a good balance between being obsessively secretive about your baking recipe search history, and having your entire life on facebook? What would be a good metric for that?
 

Atermors

Member
Dec 2, 2010
496
In the area of TOR you might want to write about the rise and fall of SR2. You can look into the limits of IT security and privacy especially in the area of law enforcement.

http://www.reddit.com/r/DarkNetMarkets
is an interesting resource.
The FBI documentation to these cases is quite good (arrest warrant etc)

- Solve how to transfer files between 2 computers securely in a corporate environment. Some of the retarded companies I work with have a "sorry no USB sticks because hax and max 10MB emails" rule that's just fantastic!
SCP?
Encrypted storage like seafile?
There are enough resources in that area.
 
OP
Smaj

Smaj

RawR!
Staff member
Jan 7, 2013
4,243
Jotting them all down, great so far, thank you! Please keep them comming. And yes, I'm like a kid in a candyshop.... :D
 
OP
Smaj

Smaj

RawR!
Staff member
Jan 7, 2013
4,243
Right, the final sign-off/acceptance of the two projects is next week, but I don't forsee any probs *touches wood*. I just figured I'd let you know what I've ended up with.

1) cyberwar vs clausewitz, in short addressing the shortfall of academics using two century old definitions of war etc to frame the debate around attacks, espionage and 'war'

2) an approach to quantifying attribution (after an attack) to try not only include digital evidence but include physical as well as economic, political etc and create a metric (or well, attempt to). too much hand-waving, wishywashy stuff going on there currently

So that's what I'll be doing over the summer, just one week holiday for me *sulks*


As for the suggestions:

- my potential supervisor for medical related stuff bailed, so that didn't happen; one on the course managed to get something regarding privacy and security concerns in the newer pace-make models that can be accessed (even adjusted I think) without having to perform surgery

- eu/google 'right to forget' was covered to death during the course, so it was a no go

- tor/darknet had a bit too much redtape that I didnt fancy working around for a project of just 6-8weeks
 
OP
Smaj

Smaj

RawR!
Staff member
Jan 7, 2013
4,243
Can any of you, esp the Germans, get a copy of Bekenntnissdenkschrift (1812) by Clausewitz? Maybe uni libraries etc?