| Basically, we are working on the problem of protecting private or sensitive data, in the new networked world, and in particular, on how to design flexible access control mechanisms for distributed heterogeneous systems. It is hard to reconcile confidentiality and availability using conventional protection mechanisms. In settings where confidentiality is a prerequisite, a burden is placed on the users, who struggle to use the protected systems. In other settings, where availability is more important, users are inclined to bypass protection mechanisms, in order to get the work done. We propose more flexible protection mechanisms to address settings where both confidentiality and availability are important (e.g. medical environments, collaborative work environments). |
