The provision of UMTS security features for an ever-increasing number of services and users is the general issue addressed by ASPeCT. The main objective of the project is to study the feasibility and acceptability of such new and advanced security features for new services in existing and future personal communication networks, based on trials and demonstrations. The issues of performance, ease of integration and compatibility of new security systems in UMTS are dealt with by investigating, implementing and testing solutions in the following areas:
· Migration of security features from existing mobile systems to UMTS: This migration is investigated firstly by assessing the validity of a joint protocol and, secondly, by investigating the implementation of a migratory UIM (User Identity Module), which will be compatible with both networks.
· Fraud detection and management in UMTS: Both rule-based and neural network-based approaches are being investigated. In each case user profiles, based on previous behaviour, can be built up so that unusual behaviour can be detected and automatically labelled as suspicious.
· Trusted Third Parties (TTPs) for end-to-end security services in UMTS: Verification that the TTP concept is viable and can be introduced safely and effectively. The TTP will be used to support secure billing and escrowed key establishment between a user and a value added service provider.
· Capabilities of future User Identity Modules (UIMs): Investigation of user-to-UIM verification using biometric techniques.
· Security and integrity of billing in UMTS.
Trials and demonstrations to perform these investigations are conducted in three strands:
· Authentication Trial
· Secure Billing and TTP Trial
· Fraud Detection TrialSome trials are carried out in conjunction with the AC013 EXODUS project, enhancing the UMTS platform also used by EXODUS.ASPeCT is providing valuable input to the standardisation of UMTS security by ETSI.Swisscom has been asked by the ASPeCT consortium to join the project for the trial phase. Swisscom's main tasks were: preparation of the trials, setting up the required infrastructure in Basel, organising trials and demonstrations with the participants, and finally run the entire trial. A number of difficulties had to be solved in the preparatory work, allowing the trial to be run smoothly. Detailed results of the trial are documented in the trial report: D19 - Report on final trial and demonstration (
ftp://ftp.cs.rhbnc.ac.uk/pub/aspect/asp_d19.pdf ). For further information refer to the ASPeCT homepage: http://www.esat.kuleuven.ac.be/cosic/aspect/
