New Cyberagentur research program on digital authentication
The Agentur für Innovation in der Cybersicherheit GmbH (Cyberagentur) has launched a research program to explore new ways of biometric authentication. Bundesdruckerei GmbH is on board as a research partner and contractor together with the University of Potsdam and the software developer neXenio. The aim is to protect the digital self from misuse using new biometric methods.
Digital identity is omnipresent. Whether it’s a music service, social media or digital administration – almost every online activity creates a digital profile. This digital self needs to be better protected in future. This is precisely the aim of the new research program “Digital authentication through novel biometric methods” (AuBi), which the Cyberagentur has now launched. Together with Bundesdruckerei, the University of Potsdam and the Berlin IT company neXenio, the aim is to research methods based on individual reactions, behavior and universal patterns. These could increase the security and trustworthiness of digital identities in the future – and make passwords superfluous.
“We want to effectively prevent the misuse of the digital ‘I’ in the future and decisively strengthen the privacy of users,” explains Kristin Biegner, research officer at the Cyberagentur and deputy project manager of AuBi. The research program is part of the “Secure Society” department and starts in the “Universal Patterns” research area.
Patterns that are universal – but cannot be copied. This field of research, “universal patterns”, is particularly visionary. These universal patterns are based on the assumption that certain biometric signals occur in the same way in all people – but can only be triggered by the person themselves. Initial experimental evidence already exists. Research within the framework of AuBi could produce fundamental findings here – with high relevance for governmental, medical or economic applications.
Among other things, Bundesdruckerei GmbH is contributing its “Self-ID” technology to the project. An initial research prototype of this approach was implemented in the “SENSIBLE-KI” funding project of the – former – Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection. Hendrik Graupner, Innovation Developer and Project Manager at Bundesdruckerei, explains: “With Self-ID, we have developed an approach in which unconscious reactions to one’s own face are recorded via eye movements. Together with our partners, we are looking forward to transforming this concept for an innovative biometric authentication technology into a secure and application-oriented solution.”
Research for a safe society. The AuBi research program aims to lay the foundations for new biometric authentication methods that could effectively protect digital identities and at the same time be practical to use in everyday life. It also pursues the overarching aim of digital sovereignty: users should retain control over their digital identity – while at the same time being highly protected against misuse.
“AuBi opens the door to a new era of digital security that is not only efficient but also user-friendly,” summarizes Kristin Biegner. lAs a driving force for disruptive cybersecurity research, the program could become a milestone in the development of trusted digital identities.
AuBi in the podcast. The new episode of the podcast “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Cyberspace” has taken up the topic of research. Presenter Marcel Roth talks to Kristin Biegner and Hendrik Graupner about the vision of the new research program. Available online on all podcast platforms since May 8.
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