DHS, DARPA to Support Mobile Security Tool Devt Based on Continuous Authentication; Vincent Sritapan Comments

The Department of Homeland Security and the Defense Advance Research Project Agency have teamed up to fund a Kryptowire-led project that aims to develop a user authentication tool for mobile devices.

Researchers at Kryptowire have created a continuous authentication algorithm that works to validate mobile device users through their behavioral patterns that include applied touch, phone movements and power usage, DHS said Wednesday.

“Smartphones provide new challenges for authenticating users and devices, but the number of onboard sensors and the computational power of these devices also present new opportunities,” said Vincent Sritapan, program manager for mobile device security at DHS S&T directorate.

“Since passwords often are lost, stolen, and offered for sale in bulk, continuous authentication is a new line of defense that can support new trust-based access control models.”

DHS said the new platform has been tested in at least 100 Android devices and will be supported by a Google-built application program interface.

DARPA supports Kryptowire researchers through its Active Authentication Program in partnership with the cybersecurity division under DHS’ science and technology directorate.