The Young Researchers' Forum

The Young Researchers' Forum
Presents the fourth edition of their Virtual Seminar Series dubbed Research Café 4

Topic: Am I being tracked? Achieving Location-based Privacy with Deniable Authentication

With the increase in the use of smartphones and smart devices, there has been a rise in the use of location-based service (LBS) apps. These apps are used by many people
for various purposes like finding directions, tracking pets or children, and more. While these apps are helpful in our daily lives, they raise concerns about privacy because they continuously track users' locations. This lack of control over our data creates vulnerabilities. For example, a service provider could collaborate with others to misuse data on your frequently visited locations and the common questions you ask on the app to determine what you like/dislike, your routines to the hospital and bank or to bombard you with unwanted ads and so on. In this presentation, we will explore a concept called deniable authentication that allows users to access services from these apps while protecting their location privacy. Deniable authentication aims to unbind the identity of a user from their messages or data, preventing service providers from misusing location data for malicious purposes.