Securing Ambient Agents Groups by Using Verification, Judgment and Surveillance

Abstract

Ubiquitous computing and ambient intelligence (or AmI) models raise the need for secured systems, due to increased heterogeneity, intelligence and dynamism. Information in such environments is managed by systems formed mostly of devices with limited capabilities. Indeed, AmI characteristics, difficult to handle by traditional computing concepts, are making the agent paradigm to gain impetus and increasing the interest of researchers and industry in this concept. However, the inherent complexity of information security is bigger in agent-based AmI systems built by gathering distributed information and services that are not under the control of a single entity, and introduce new security and privacy concerns. In fact, securing these systems requires protecting any element from every other. This paper proposes a mechanism for enhancing security and privacy while using agents in AmI environments, based on three main building blocks: verification, judgment and surveillance. Furthermore, the key idea is based on cooperation and collective decision.