PhD on the protection of communication operator channels against digital frauds - F/M

about the role

Your mission is to conduct a PhD thesis work on the protection of operator communication channels against fraud.

 Digital fraud against users is on the rise across all digital media and platforms. It particularly exploits the channels of telecommunications operators: phone calls, SMS or MMS messages, and RCS (Rich Communication Suite) instant messaging.

 A classic example is "the fake advisor," where a scammer impersonates a representative of an organization, often a bank, to convince their victim to perform online transactions. The scammer exploits personal data often obtained through previous phishing, as well as inherent weaknesses in the telephone network that allow them to impersonate the bank, typically using a phone number presented to the victim.

 Currently, there are many approaches aimed at limiting fraud on operator channels, which operate on different levels depending on the nature of the targeted fraud and are more or less dictated by regulatory constraints. These approaches only partially address the issue of fraud on operator channels and exhibit intrinsic limitations, whether technical, regulatory, or generalization issues.

 The field of electronic identification has recently led to the proposal of the eIDAS regulation (electronic Identification, Authentication and trust Services) in Europe, which defines a digital wallet. Intended to store authentic digital documents, it allows for the issuance of certificates and identity attributes, relying on a reliable cryptographic architecture.

 Currently, the use of identity wallets has not been considered in the context of securing communications over operator channels.

The objective of the thesis is to study and uncover new principles for protecting communications that can leverage the features offered by identity wallets, providing a suitable user experience.

 The study will focus on interactions that may be useful between identity wallets and the underlying network mechanisms of operator channels. It may identify the necessary adaptations in standardized digital identity mechanisms to secure operator channels. Conversely, it may also identify developments in existing network components or protocols that would facilitate reliance on identity wallets. The approach can be tailored to use cases, depending on the communication situation, the channel used, and the nature of the anticipated fraud.

 The study should aim to define protection principles compatible with a satisfactory user experience. It will explore the robustness of the approach in relation to known fraud schemes and their evolution, as well as the suitability of the approach concerning the implementation constraints specific to the telecom world, in terms of interoperability and ease of operational deployment.