DEMO: Venom: a Visual and Experimental Bluetooth Low Energy Tracking System

International audienceThe Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol is being included in mobile devices such as smartphones, headphones and smartwatches. As part of the BLE service discovery mechanism, devices announce their presences by broadcasting radio signals called advertisement packets that can be collected with off-the-shelf hardware and software. To avoid the risk of tracking based on those messages, BLE features an address randomization mechanism substituting the device MAC address with random temporary pseudonyms. However, the payload of advertisement packets still contains fields that can negate the randomization mechanism by exposing static identifiers. In this paper, we present Venom (Visual and ExperimeNtal BluetOoth Low Energy tracking systeM), an experimental tracking platform aiming to raise public awareness about physical tracking technologies and experiment privacy-preserving mechanisms. Venom tracks users by collecting advertisement packets broadcasted by their BLE-enabled devices, and displays related information

Novel insights into the aetiology of granulomatosis with polyangiitis—a case–control study using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink

Objectives We aimed to provide insights into the aetiology of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), by conducting a large case–control study using a general population-based, prospectively collected database of healthcare records. Methods We compared all incident cases of GPA in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink 1990–2014, with up to 10 age-, sex- and general practice-matched controls. We identified potential risk factors, recorded numbers of cases and controls exposed to each, and calculated odds ratios (ORs) using conditional logistic regression. Our main analysis excluded data recorded during 1 year before diagnosis, to prevent early symptoms being mistaken for risk factors. Results We identified 757 people with GPA and matched 7546 controls. People with GPA were five times more likely to have a previous diagnosis of bronchiectasis (OR = 5.1, 95% CI: 2.7, 9.4; P 5 years prior to diagnosis. People with GPA were two to three times more likely than controls to have previous diagnoses of autoimmune diseases or chronic renal impairment, and these effects also remained stable >5 years prior to diagnosis. People with GPA were more likely to have a diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis (OR = 5.7, 95% CI: 1.7, 19.5; P = 0.01) and sinus infections (OR = 2.7, 95% CI: 1.8, 4.2; P < 0.0001) recorded in the 3 years before diagnosis, but not before this. We also found former smoking, some medications and higher socio-economic status significantly, but less strongly, associated. Conclusion We found novel long-term associations between GPA and pre-existing bronchiectasis and autoimmune diseases

Physical Tracking : menaces, performances et applications.

The recent rise of smart-phones and connected objects has a deep impact its users lifestyle. In 2017, more than a billion and a half smart-phones were sold around the world. These ubiquitous devices, equipped with several wireless communication interfaces, have quickly become essential in the daily life of users with an intensive use. The wireless interfaces of these connected objects periodically transmit information on the network, some of which are user-specific and allow to identify and track their mobility. Tracking users by collecting the information generated by their wireless devices is called Wireless Physical Tracking. The opportunities offered by the Wireless Physical Tracking raised a lot of interest. Several applications have been developed and have brought innovation in several areas. Marketing companies use it to offer to their customers targeted advertising based on their movements in their area of activity. On a larger scale, Smart Cities or smart-cities analyse the movement of users in order to provide services for their inhabitants. Finally, in the field of research in mobile Ad-Hoc networks and DTNs, users mobility is a key element which need to be collected and analysed. However, the collection of this information without the consent of the users or without being properly protected induce a real risk to their privacy. It is around this context that this thesis is focused on. It’s divided into two parts. The first presents the PAN and WAN technologies, the state of the art of Wireless Physical Tracking methods and the adopted counter measures. The second part presents the contributions of the thesis which aims at developing new methods for Physical Tracking and analysing their performances compared to the existing methods. We first present an evaluate BPM, a bluetooth passive monitoring that allows to track the users of Classic Bluetooth device with a detection delay significantly lower than the methods previously used. We then focus on Bluetooth Low Energy and propose the use of a BLEB, a botnet of users tracking BLE objects with their smart-phones. Finally, we also focus on preserving users privacy through the proposal of PPCL, a privacy preserving crowdlocalisation method which allow to track users assets without being trackable.La récente émergence des smartphones et des objets connectés a révolutionné le mode de vie des utilisateurs. Ces dispositifs ubiquitaires et équipés de plusieurs interfaces sans fil de communication, sont rapidement devenus indispensables dans la vie quotidienne des utilisateurs avec une utilisation intensive. Les interfaces sans fil de ces objets connectés émettent périodiquement des informations, certaines sont spécifiques aux utilisateurs et permettent par effet de bord d’identifier et de suivre leur déplacements. Le suivi des utilisateurs via les informations fortuitement émises par leurs périphériques sans fil se nomme le Wireless Physical Tracking. Les possibilités offertes par le Wireless Physical Tracking ont suscité un fort intérêt. Plusieurs applications se sont développés et ont permis d’apporter de l’innovation dans plusieurs domaines. Des sociétés de marketing l’utilisent afin de proposer à leurs clients de la publicité ciblée en fonction de leurs parcours dans leur zone d’activité. À une échelle plus grande, les villes intelligentes, ou smart-cities analysent le mouvement des utilisateurs afin d’apporter des services pour le confort des habitants. Enfin, dans le domaine de la recherche, les réseaux Ad-Hoc mobiles et autres DTN nécessitent de s’intéresser à cette pratique car l’étude de la mobilité des utilisateurs représentent un élément clé pour améliorer les performances de ce type de réseau. Cependant, la collecte de ces informations sans le consentement des utilisateurs ou sans qu’elles soient correctement protégées représentent un risque réel pour leur vie privée. C’est autour de ce contexte que s’articule cette thèse divisée en deux parties. La première présente les technologies PAN et WAN, l’état de l’art des méthodes de Wireless Physical Tracking et les contre mesures adoptés. La deuxième partie présentent les contributions de la thèse qui visent à proposer de nouvelles méthodes de suivi, analyser les performances de celles-ci face aux méthodes existantes et dans le cas particulier de l’application de crowd-localisation, à proposer des méthodes de suivi respectueuse de la vie privée

No English title available

La récente émergence des smartphones et des objets connectés a révolutionné le mode de vie des utilisateurs. Ces dispositifs ubiquitaires et équipés de plusieurs interfaces sans fil de communication, sont rapidement devenus indispensables dans la vie quotidienne des utilisateurs avec une utilisation intensive. Les interfaces sans fil de ces objets connectés émettent périodiquement des informations, certaines sont spécifiques aux utilisateurs et permettent par effet de bord d’identifier et de suivre leur déplacements. Le suivi des utilisateurs via les informations fortuitement émises par leurs périphériques sans fil se nomme le Wireless Physical Tracking. Les possibilités offertes par le Wireless Physical Tracking ont suscité un fort intérêt. Plusieurs applications se sont développés et ont permis d’apporter de l’innovation dans plusieurs domaines. Des sociétés de marketing l’utilisent afin de proposer à leurs clients de la publicité ciblée en fonction de leurs parcours dans leur zone d’activité. À une échelle plus grande, les villes intelligentes, ou smart-cities analysent le mouvement des utilisateurs afin d’apporter des services pour le confort des habitants. Enfin, dans le domaine de la recherche, les réseaux Ad-Hoc mobiles et autres DTN nécessitent de s’intéresser à cette pratique car l’étude de la mobilité des utilisateurs représentent un élément clé pour améliorer les performances de ce type de réseau. Cependant, la collecte de ces informations sans le consentement des utilisateurs ou sans qu’elles soient correctement protégées représentent un risque réel pour leur vie privée. C’est autour de ce contexte que s’articule cette thèse divisée en deux parties. La première présente les technologies PAN et WAN, l’état de l’art des méthodes de Wireless Physical Tracking et les contre mesures adoptés. La deuxième partie présentent les contributions de la thèse qui visent à proposer de nouvelles méthodes de suivi, analyser les performances de celles-ci face aux méthodes existantes et dans le cas particulier de l’application de crowd-localisation, à proposer des méthodes de suivi respectueuse de la vie privée.The recent rise of smart-phones and connected objects has a deep impact its users lifestyle. In 2017, more than a billion and a half smart-phones were sold around the world. These ubiquitous devices, equipped with several wireless communication interfaces, have quickly become essential in the daily life of users with an intensive use. The wireless interfaces of these connected objects periodically transmit information on the network, some of which are user-specific and allow to identify and track their mobility. Tracking users by collecting the information generated by their wireless devices is called Wireless Physical Tracking. The opportunities offered by the Wireless Physical Tracking raised a lot of interest. Several applications have been developed and have brought innovation in several areas. Marketing companies use it to offer to their customers targeted advertising based on their movements in their area of activity. On a larger scale, Smart Cities or smart-cities analyse the movement of users in order to provide services for their inhabitants. Finally, in the field of research in mobile Ad-Hoc networks and DTNs, users mobility is a key element which need to be collected and analysed. However, the collection of this information without the consent of the users or without being properly protected induce a real risk to their privacy. It is around this context that this thesis is focused on. It’s divided into two parts. The first presents the PAN and WAN technologies, the state of the art of Wireless Physical Tracking methods and the adopted counter measures. The second part presents the contributions of the thesis which aims at developing new methods for Physical Tracking and analysing their performances compared to the existing methods. We first present an evaluate BPM, a bluetooth passive monitoring that allows to track the users of Classic Bluetooth device with a detection delay significantly lower than the methods previously used. We then focus on Bluetooth Low Energy and propose the use of a BLEB, a botnet of users tracking BLE objects with their smart-phones. Finally, we also focus on preserving users privacy through the proposal of PPCL, a privacy preserving crowdlocalisation method which allow to track users assets without being trackable

Crowd localization: Threats and solutions

International audienc

BLEB: Bluetooth Low Energy Botnet for large scale individual tracking

International audienc

Nicotine patches in patients on mechanical ventilation for severe COVID-19: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial

International audienceEpidemiologic studies have documented lower rates of active smokers compared to former or non-smokers in symptomatic patients affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We assessed the efficacy and safety of nicotine administered by a transdermal patch in critically ill patients with COVID-19 pneumonia