topic Research

IT Security

At the latest when people begin to manage their money by means of online banking, it's time to seriously think about the security of computers and communication on the Internet. Unauthorized readers should not have access to monetary transactions - and nor should computer viruses.

The security and reliability of computer applications may even be vital. Computers in medical equipment at intensive care units must work as reliably and accurately as computers for the control of aircraft. Correctly and reliably working computer applications are also a decisive precondition for the running of complex industrial production and steering processes. In safety-critical applications software bugs may lead to failure of technical equipment with catastrophic consequences for people, assets and the environment.

IT security has different aspects:

• computer applications must not disclose data to unauthorized persons - Requirement no. 1: confidentiality,
• computers are to work flawlessly and possible manipulations must be ruled out - Requirement no. 2: integrity, and 
• computers are to run reliably whenever they are needed - Requirement no. 3: availability.

It is still difficult to find computer systems which meet these requirements. Most systems disclose data to unauthorized persons, do not work flawlessly and fail when they are needed most.

The only remedy are solutions at different levels. To improve security on the Internet, the BMBF is supporting projects which protect data communication independent of hardware and operating system and recognize break-ins into the system at the first attempt.

Many security gaps result from faults in the software, but also in the design of the hardware. There has so far been a shortage of funds to check whether entire computer systems are working correctly. Here, the BMBF is primarily funding basic mathematical work for the verification of computer systems. From the results, demonstration systems for the control of computer systems are being developed, which control chip cards, telecommunication and automotive electronics from hardware to application software and check their correct operation. Safe and reliable software becomes a quality criterion of products "Made in Germany" and increases sales opportunities.

In the future, the BMBF will set the following priorities in this area:

• Correctness, security and reliability of software systems
  • Integration of methods of formal programme development (formal specification, transformation and verification, consistent reference model),
  • Development of verifiable application software components,
  • System and software requirement analysis (requirements engineering), and 
  • Development of software systems which can operate in real-time.
• IT Security
  • Innovative integrated IT security systems for the secure design, installation, configuration and operation of IT systems, for personal protection and trustworthiness of systems, and 
  • Security of new IT methods and techniques, such as ubiquitous computing.