Carleton University will host a new Canadian network on computer security called the Internetworked Systems Security Network (ISSNet), which is meant to enhance Canada’s Internet security, usability and stability.
The network is made up of specialists from across Canada and is meant to look into security issues that endanger businesses and government.
It will involve three Carleton professors and 10-15 students, as well as participants from eight other universities, government and industry.
The national network will be funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), which will provide ISSNet with $1 million a year for five years.
Robert Biddle, Carleton professor of human/computer interaction, is one of the researchers.
“The idea is to build collaboration between ourselves and with industry and to improve understanding of the principles of computer security, and knowledge of how to apply those principles,” Biddle said.
ISSNet is organized in three themes that deal with the security issues. The first theme is on the security of the network connections, the second is on security on individual computers and the third theme is on human factors. “The overall research approach is hands-on and experimentally based, driven by real world problems using real network data and software,” said Shirley McKey, the administrator and director of operations.
All businesses that rely on the Internet or computers are in danger of security breaches, but Biddle points out that for businesses that are especially dependent on networked computer systems, the dangers of poor computer security are more important.
“I think the main idea is that we have to learn how these all relate and how they evolve,” Biddle said.
According to Paul Van Oorschot, the Canada Research Chair in Network and Software Security and the scientific director of the network, Carleton “spear-headed the application and was the driving force behind the network.”
In addition to Carleton, ISSNet will include Dalhousie University, École Polytechnique de Montréal, Royal Military College of Canada, University of British Columbia, University of Calgary, University of Regina, University of Toronto and the University of Victoria.
The network will provide an opportunity for the professors involved to collaborate on specific projects, learn from each other during the research and host workshops to report on progress.
The professors will also hold annual summer schools for graduate students, giving them the opportunity to learn the key background knowledge and skills needed for this kind of research, Biddle said.
The summer schools will be open to ISSNet students from across Canada whose majors range from psychology to engineering, with the first one held this July in Montreal.
Industry and government partners who are looking to promote Canadian-based research and personnel development will provide additional funding for the network.
ISSNet has important implications for the future of Internet security.
Van Oorschot explained that the network will help Canada stay abreast of emerging problems and produce students who are trained with skills in handling future Internet security problems.
“Internet security is an arms race and standing still means falling behind,” van Oorschot said.