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My Research Project Presented at CTS 2010

Posted by Martin Roukala, né Peres on , In categories research, security, studies .

Introduction

I’ve been working on a research project since April 2009 for the security researchers of my school. This project was about creating a “Mandatory access control for GUI-oriented software”.

The goal was to get data from the applicative layer of the OS (user programs) in order to be able to switch between different pre-existing domains. A domain is a system-wide security state which allows a certain set of actions/interaction between the user and the OS. It is enforced by the use of security components like firewalls or other mandatory access control systems.
The final result being an operating system which would always grant the user with the minimal set of rights needed for the current task the user is doing (web browsing, e-shopping, watching movies, etc…).

Implementation

This project has been implemented and is named PIGA-Systrans. It is used by PIGA-OS, the winning secure operating system presented to the SecSI(fr) contest made by the French research agency.

CTS 2010

In January 2010, I co-wrote an article on this project with the two teachers who were supervising me. This paper has been accepted, published and presented at The 2010 International Symposium on Collaborative Technologies and Systems (CTS 2010) in Chicago.
Here is the submited paper, before corrections.

Presentation @ Chicago, May 17-21, 2010

As for the presentation, I’ve been asked to do the talk. It lead to some problems like “I have no passport” or “We need to postpone some exams just because of me” but everything went fine in the end.

  • Flight over France and its crops
  • Over Montreal
  • And now, the Michigan Lake and Chicago!
  • What used to be the world s busiest airport, Chicago O'Hare
  • The conference Hotel
  • The conference Hotel
  • The conference Hotel's ducks
  • My hotel's neighbourhood ;)
  • My hotel
  • The conference Hotel by night
  • The conference Hotel

I just loved being with all these researchers, I also met a bunch of really nice MSc & PhD students.

The talk in itself was 20 minutes long, it went smoothly even though it clearly was too short for a proper explanation of PIGA-Systrans integrated in PIGA-OS. The questions clearly showed I went too fast on the integration and the final goals.

Then, I jumped into a taxi, headed to the airport, took a plane to Munchen(Germany) and then, took another one towards Paris.

Conclusion

This project has been the first research project I have carried from the beginning to the end (ie, from the initial problem to the scientific paper and its presentation at an international conference).

Also, it was my first transatlantic flight and my first experience of the jetlag (how rude it is!).

I would like to thanks my supervising teachers, Prof. Christian Toinard and Mr Jeremy Briffaut for giving me the opportunity to work with them and for trusting me enough to send me to CTS 2010 on my own.

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