Fujitsu and Ben-Gurion University published a white paper on the innovation challenges of "Robust Localization" which enables reliable verification of the geographical location of cyber entities
March 20, 2023
Japanese
Robust Localization makes it possible to reliably verify, the geographical location of data and entities deployed on the Internet while protecting against a variety of location spoofing attacks. Fujitsu and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) have published a white paper on the technical challenges of Robust Localization.
Robust Localization is one of the promising technologies for realizing the concept of "Trust-Enhanced Networking" [1] proposed by Fujitsu. Trust in partners and data in cyber activities can be strengthened by verifying physical information in the real world, especially the geographical location of devices, such as PCs/smartphones used by partners and servers storing critical data. To do this, it is necessary to estimate the location of the target device or the node that handles the data by using information obtained from the network. However, under the current technology, there are cases where the estimated geolocation is incorrect. In addition to the problem of estimation accuracy, we consider the threat of information falsification made by malicious users or attackers in estimation results or even in estimation processes.
Fujitsu and BGU were among the first to focus on this point of view and have been conducting joint research. In this whitepaper, we present the direction of our research by categorizing existing technologies related to location estimation and clarifying issues to be addressed in the future. We will work to develop Robust Localization technology and implement it in society by participating in related standardization organizations and conducting experiments with partners.
Background
The Internet connects people and things around the world. In these days, various activities and services are being provided in cyberspace, but there are cases where the geographical locations of customers, users and data are wanted. In a familiar example, geographical location is used for services, such as targeted advertising, location-based applications, local Internet TV channels, etc. In addition, if we can identify the countries and regions where our business partners are positioned in the real world, we can increase the stakeholders' perception of credibility of our cyber transactions. Traditionally, GPS information from the device is obtained or the location is estimated based on the IP address of the device. However, misrepresentation and estimation errors of location information often cause unauthorized use of services. There have also been many studies on delay-based location estimation methods that use networks to estimate distance by probing [2] a target and measuring communication delay. However, such studies have not been sufficient with respect to trust due to their limiting assumptions about threats and attackers. Fujitsu is currently collaborating with BGU on Robust Localization technology for trust-enhanced location estimation. This white paper clarifies the technological challenges based on the survey of existing technologies.
About Robust Localization
Location estimation technologies are classified into passive and active ones. Passive geolocation requires the preparation of a database in which IP addresses and corresponding geographical location information are recorded from methods such as probing. Unfortunately, maintaining the freshness and accuracy of the location information is a challenge. On the other hand, active geolocation, on which Fujitsu and BGU are focusing, estimates the location in real-time by performing dynamic probing. Many estimation methods based on active measurements have been proposed to improve the estimation accuracy, however we should also consider the robustness: we should assume that the results of active measurements are not always correct due to the Internet noise, e.g., jitter and route dispersion, or intentional manipulation. Robust Localization verifies the true location of a target by dealing with the assumptions that the target's IP address is spoofed, that the target is hidden behind a VPN or Proxy server, or that the target intentionally inserts delay for probing. Also it attempts to locate and prove the location of data, for data transfers in a cloud data center.
Future Initiatives
Fujitsu has been working with BGU to develop Robust Localization technology to solve the research problems. In the future, we will also work with a variety of stakeholders, including from within telecommunications community, standardization organizations, Internet measurement platforms and cloud service providers, to advance technology development and experiments to realize the concept of "Trust-Enhanced Networking"
[1] Trust-Enhanced Networking:
As a new role played by networks, the concept of bringing trust to cyber through means such as the verification of physical information in real world.
[2] Probing:
To transmit a packet for the purpose of confirming connectivity to a target host and measuring communication delay.
Inquiries about this article
Fujitsu Limited
Data & Security Research Laboratory
contact-nwt@cs.jp.fujitsu.com
Share
Recommend
Connect with Fujitsu Research
