Data Privacy and Security Research at the National Research Council by Scott Buffett

NRC's Research in Cyber Security and Cryptography: A Summary

Key Concepts:

• National Research Council (NRC): Canada's primary research arm.
• Research Centers: Divisions within NRC organized by topic (e.g., Digital Technologies).
• Digital Technologies (DT): An NRC Research Center focusing on digital technologies, including cyber security and cryptography.
• Cyber Security Research Team: Focuses on prevention, protection, and detection of cyber threats.
• Cryptography and Privacy Preservation Team: Focuses on securing information from beginning to end, including at rest, in transit, and during computation.
• Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP): An NRC program that provides support, including financial assistance, to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for innovation and R&D.
• Behavior Analysis: Analyzing patterns in data to understand behavior, used for attack detection and anomaly detection.
• Domain Knowledge Infusion: Integrating domain-specific knowledge into machine learning models to improve training and performance.
• Secure AI: Ensuring the security and reliability of AI and machine learning systems.
• Post-Quantum Cryptography: Developing cryptographic systems that are resistant to attacks from quantum computers.
• Secure Computing: Performing computations on encrypted data without decrypting it.

1. Introduction to NRC and its Mandate

The National Research Council (NRC) is Canada's primary research arm, supporting government policy objectives, working with industry, and advancing scientific knowledge. NRC addresses Canadian national priorities, the needs of government departments, and the R&D needs of Canadian industry and academia. NRC has 14 research centers, which are divisions organized by topic and distributed over multiple locations.

2. NRC's Cyber Security Research Team

The cyber security research team within NRC's Digital Technologies (DT) Research Center is located in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The team was established in 2019 and collaborates closely with the Cyber Security Innovation Center (CIC). The team covers the entire spectrum of cyber security research, from prevention to protection to detection.

• Prevention: Focuses on humancentric cyber security, addressing the human as the weakest link.
• Protection: Involves protecting devices and developing robust machine learning techniques.
• Detection: Uses AI and machine learning for attack detection and anomaly detection.

The team's work is rooted in behavior analysis, analyzing data from various sources (e.g., intelligent tutors, event logs) to identify patterns indicative of malicious activity.

Example: Analyzing data from an intelligent tutor to identify positive learning behaviors that lead to better grades. This approach can be applied to analyzing system behavior to detect attacks.

Methods Used:

• Pattern analysis
• Anomaly analysis
• Providence graphs
• Knowledge graphs
• CP Nets
• Task trees

3. Specific Cyber Security Research Projects

• Domain Knowledge Infusion for Machine Learning: Collaborating with DRDC to infuse domain knowledge into machine learning models to improve training and performance, especially when data is limited.
• Alert Triage and Actionable Reports: Working with CSSE to improve the triaging of alerts and the creation of actionable reports.
• Secure AI: Addressing the security of AI and machine learning systems, particularly in applications like autonomous vehicles.
• Aging in Place: Researching how to help people age in place safely, including securing smart devices and preventing fraud.
• Digital Legacy: Exploring the management of digital assets and online presence after death.

4. NRC's Cryptography and Privacy Preservation Team

This team focuses on securing information from beginning to end, ensuring data is protected at rest, in transit, and during computation. The goal is to enable analysis while maintaining privacy.

Focus Areas:

• Secure Computing
• Post-Quantum Cryptography
• Quantum Information and Computing

Research Topics:

• Authentication and key exchange protocols
• Post-quantum cryptography and security

Example: Using encryption techniques to recognize faces without revealing the underlying data. Even though the encrypted images appear random, the system can still identify the person.

5. Engaging and Working with NRC

There are several ways to engage and work with NRC:

• Internal Funding Programs: Funding academic research with universities.
• Research Programs: Supporting projects with industry and external clients.
• Participation in Funding Programs: Participating in programs like CSSP, Horizon Europe, NSERC, and SSHRC.
• IRAP: Providing financial and research support to SMEs.
• R&D Collaborations and Licensing: Engaging in regular R&D collaborations and licensing agreements.

6. Conclusion

NRC's Digital Technologies Research Center, with its cyber security and cryptography teams, is actively involved in cutting-edge research to address critical challenges in these fields. The NRC offers various avenues for collaboration and support, making it a valuable resource for industry, academia, and government. The presentation aimed to inform the audience about NRC's capabilities and encourage further engagement.