Defending against Sybil Devices in Crowdsourced Mapping Services

Real-time crowdsourced maps such as Waze provide timely updates on traffic, congestion, accidents and points of interest. In this paper, we demonstrate how lack of strong location authentication allows creation of software-based {\em Sybil devices} that expose crowdsourced map systems to a variety of security and privacy attacks. Our experiments show that a single Sybil device with limited resources can cause havoc on Waze, reporting false congestion and accidents and automatically rerouting user traffic. More importantly, we describe techniques to generate Sybil devices at scale, creating armies of virtual vehicles capable of remotely tracking precise movements for large user populations while avoiding detection. We propose a new approach to defend against Sybil devices based on {\em co-location edges}, authenticated records that attest to the one-time physical co-location of a pair of devices. Over time, co-location edges combine to form large {\em proximity graphs} that attest to physical interactions between devices, allowing scalable detection of virtual vehicles. We demonstrate the efficacy of this approach using large-scale simulations, and discuss how they can be used to dramatically reduce the impact of attacks against crowdsourced mapping services.Comment: Measure and integratio

When School Is Online, The Digital Divide Is Greater

As COVID continues to rise, students will not be going back to school anytime soon. The uncertainty is making students and teachers anxious about distance learning. Nearly six million public school children are currently enrolled in distance education (Freedberg, 2020). The focus of this capstone project is on obtaining a better understanding of the issues students and teachers are facing due to distance learning. This is important to me because many students do not have the proper technology devices, which is resulting in students falling behind academically. An evidence based argument is offered that distance learning is putting students under toxic stress and the absence from school is leading students to lose skills in reading and writing. The three primary stakeholders perspectives analyzed were an elementary school teacher, students, and parents. After interviewing the stakeholders three actions emerged as ways to help students with the digital divide. Based on this evidence an action option is to contact the school district to voice the concern of digital divide

Alternative Internet Networks: History and Legacy of a "Crazy Idea"

International audienc

A Tale of Tech City: The Future of Inner East London’s Digital Economy

This report maps the development of ‘Silicon Roundabout’, and provides a detailed account of the firms and jobs that make up the cluster. All over the world governments dream of creating centres of digital innovation to rival Silicon Valley. The British government is no exception. Over the last two years it has led a high profile drive to support ‘Silicon Roundabout’ – the high tech cluster that has emerged in Inner East London – and turn it into something bigger: Tech City. But policy makers haven’t known as much about the cluster as they need to. Based on fresh qualitative and quantitative research, including in-depth interviews with digital entrepreneurs in the cluster and beyond, A Tale of Tech City maps the development of ‘Silicon Roundabout’ from its emergence in the late 1990s, and provides the most detailed account yet of the firms and jobs that make up the cluster. Despite this, future growth is not guaranteed. A Tale of Tech City puts forward possible scenarios for how the cluster could develop and makes recommendations on skills, access to finance, workspace, connectivity, mentoring and business development to help ‘grow our own’ high-value digital firms of the future

Meeting Europe’s Connectivity Challenge. The Role for Community Networks. CEPS Special Report, 4 July 2018

More than 3.5 billion people use the internet today, up from a mere 738 million in 2000, according to a new report from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). That’s about half the world’s population. But what about the other half? While the ITU says that most of the world’s other internet-less users will be connected by traditional internet service providers (ISPs), many remote and rural regions risk remaining without access – unless they connect themselves. This digital divide exists even in developed Europe, where governments are pouring billions of euros into high-speed internet networks. Community networks can help fill the gap. Built and operated by people from within the community working together and combining their efforts, these networks complement traditional access networks. They provide local access in areas where commercial operators do not find it economically viable to operate. Given the challenges with economic viability in underserved areas, it is crucial to build a sound business model to ensure the sustainability of these projects. Community Networks must overcome serious regulatory, political and commercial hurdles. Regulation is often inadequate – or inappropriate. Needed spectrum remains expensive or unavailable. In response, the European Commission has given its support for these bottom-up projects, recognising Community Networks as one of the four main investment models for bringing internet coverage throughout the continent This paper looks at the challenges and opportunities involved in setting up, maintaining and expanding operations of Community Networks within the European Union and elsewhere in Europe. Based on personal interviews with officials in Brussels as well as telephone conversations with leaders of Community Networks throughout Europe, it draws lessons learned from a selection of projects ranging from Spain in the West to the Republic of Georgia in the East