Privacy and Security in Ubiquitous Computing: Service Delivery and Identity in Intelligent Environments

Abstract

Ubiquitous computing describes computing technologies that are designed to be embedded in tools and in our environment, providing computational support for user interaction and service delivery. Intelligent environments are context-aware computing environments that deliver services using ubiquitous computing technologies. These environments provide users with services tailored to the users’ preferences and the current state of the environment. The development and implementation of these environments is challenging due to their potential ability to gather information on the environment’s occupants and context. The information collection, when combined with advanced data-mining techniques, has unprecedented potential to invade users’ privacy. The invasion of privacy is a significant concern to users, and must be addressed before intelligent environments can gain widespread acceptance. The use of ubiquitous computing technologies also poses unique challenges for service delivery and network security. By definition, ubiquitous computing describes computing that has faded into the background, allowing users to use the services and technologies as easily as they would more tangible physical objects. This integration into our world raises the question that if a service is inconspicuous enough to blend into the background, how can we allow users to identify previously unused services? Information security within intelligent environments is complicated by the physical availability of much of the environment’s hardware (which leaves it vulnerable to being tampered with). These privacy and security concerns raise the need for a ubiquitous computing infrastructure that will allow private interaction and the effective delivery of personalised and identity-restricted services. Owing to the large variety of services they could provide, it has been suggested that intelligent environments will one day cover most of our daily lives (for example our homes, offices, public transport networks or shopping centres). This requires a common approach be taken to users’ interaction with intelligent environments, and suggests a shared infrastructure will be required to support users’ interactions with different environments. User privacy requirements necessitate that this infrastructure be independently operated from the intelligent environments (and its service providers). Further privacy and interaction requirements highlight the need for user-controlled identity management structures and anonymous environmental interaction.