Advanced Information Processing and Analysis

At CSIT, we are looking for advanced information processing and analysis technologies to help our customers manage with a variety of challenges posed by high volume of data in the infocomm environment such as the following:

(1)     False Positives in Content Retrieval for Conversational Telephony Speech

We are seeking for techniques to greatly reduce false positives in content-based information processing and retrieval for conversational telephony speech.

(2)     Navigating Complex Information Environments

We are seeking for techniques to aid a user in managing and navigating complex information environments (e.g. automatically offering relevant info, summarizing query returns or making recommendations to users). This could take the form of an Electronic Personal Assistant.

(3)     Relation and Event Extraction from Informal Text

We are seeking for techniques to automatically understand and extract relationships and events from informal text (e.g. blogs, forums, emails, etc).

(4)     Text Categorisation

Various strategies to categorise massive amounts of text have been proposed but most are not robust enough. Some of these strategies also fail to provide sufficient context to the categorised content. Research into technologies that can provide fine-grained/multi-level information categorization, and/or language independent processing of documents and images would greatly assist us in managing information overload.

General areas of interest in this technology track include:

Natural Language Processing - Information Extraction - Question & Answering - Ontology-Driven Knowledge Representation & Management of Text Image/Video Analysis - Object Detection and Recognition - Face Detection and Recognition - Real-Time Activity and Event Detection from Video Speech Processing - Speech Recognition and Keyword Spotting - Speaker Identification Data Analytics - Data Mining - Visual Analytics Cognitive Processing - Expert Systems - Cognitive Architecture

Signal Processing

To meet our customers’ requirements in high performance communications systems which ensure secure and effective communications in challenging signal environments, we are interested in overcoming the following challenges:

(1)     Adaptive Vocoder Classification and Selection

We are seeking to explore novel techniques that can intelligently detect the different types of speech encoder used.

(2)     Blind Interference Detection and Classification

We are seeking to explore techniques to identify and locate the interfering signal in satellite and microwave frequency bands.

(3)     Bitstream Categorization

We are seeking to explore a suite of efficient and generic algorithms understand the transformation processes that are applied on the data streams transmitted via the network communication channel.

We are also interested in these signal processing technologies:

Interference Detection and Mitigation

Signal enhancement - Identification of co-channel interfering signal - Novel noise floor suppression techniques - Array signal processing and echo cancellation Blind Source Separation - Separation of interfering signal from intended signal Geo-location - Localising interfering signals

Channel Mitigation and Synchronisation

Blind equalisation and fast synchronisation techniques - Systems with short burst transmission time requirement e.g. DAMA, TDMA Carrier timing recovery for TDMA/CDMA based systems Real-time multi-channel burst extraction and demodulation High sensitivity receiver algorithms for low S/N signal

Channel and Source Coding

Channel Coding - Robust advanced error correction techniques - Robustness-enhancement techniques such as interleaving and scrambling Compression - High performance data protocol compression techniques - High performance data acceleration and optimisation techniques - Audio compression Techniques

Communications System Engineering

CSIT puts emphasis on the design of RF platforms and data networks, recognising that they constitute one of the most expensive yet critical components of any communications infrastructure. Some R&D challenges in this track that we are seeking fresh ideas in are listed below:

(1)     Geo-location of WiFi devices

We are seeking for solutions to perform geo-location of WiFi devices (access points / clients) in a Non Line-of-Sight (NLOS) environment.

(2)     Tracking Anonymous Network Intruders

We are seeking for proposals to explore techniques to identify anonymous users behind NAT and proxy servers in internet environments.

(3)     Internet Auditing System

We welcome ideas to explore radically new automated approaches to track the changes in protocol or templates of different Internet applications (i.e. Webmails and IMs).

(4)     Network Traffic Control Manager

We are seeking to explore advanced protocol and applications detection techniques based on flow-based and behavioural analysis to detect compressed and encrypted applications (e.g. newer P2P application).

In addition, the following areas are of interest to us generally:

RF engineering

Antenna Design - Smart high-gain multi-beam antennae - Array processing and beam forming - Novel antenna materials and technologies - Smart antenna for motion compensation, i.e., fixed footprint - Paint-on antenna Ad-hoc RF environment modelling - Cellular and wireless communication services - Indoor-Outdoor penetration analysis - Fast fading and path loss modelling DF and path tracing in urban environments - Array processing for direction finding - Wireless geo-location sensor/system Multi-mode Software Defined Radio (SDR)

Data communication and network

Embedded/High Performance platform development - Embedded/Real-Time network and content processing systems - Media processing systems - High performance traffic switching and routing - Scalable software and hardware architecture for Real-Time traffic evaluation - High Performance and High Availability database technologies High-speed network management - Traffic characterisation (e.g. advanced DPI and behavioural analysis) and network topology detection - Traffic sampling, processing and management - Peer-to-peer traffic measurement - Data-stream modelling, clustering, feature selection and anomaly detection

Info-communications Security

We make use of different types of security mechanisms to protect communications systems and assess their robustness for our customers. Our challenges in this aspect include:

(1)     Grobner Bases

We are seeking proposals for the construction of Gröbner bases in Characteristic 2 to solve high degree algebraic systems.

(2)     Analysis of Binary Executable Codes

The existing methodology of analysis of unknown binary executables is the laborious process of disassembly, code/data flow analysis and debugging. We are seeking novel techniques and tools that are faster and more accurate to facilitate the functionality analysis of binary executables.

(3)     Remote Management of Customized Mobile Services by Enterprises

We are seeking for solutions to remotely manage (include launching of new applications, removal of applications, installation of new updates, etc) customised applications/services of the mobile phone for a closed group of cellular users.

(4)     Remote Management of (U)SIM cards by Enterprises

We are seeking for techniques to remotely administer customised software applications on the USIM for a closed group of cellular users.

(5)     Analysis of System and Application Logs (Data-Mining)

Existing technologies to mitigate the insider threat in enterprise IT systems through analysis of system and application logs suffer from limitations. Currently available commercial solutions are heavily dependant on user-defined rules which may not correspond well to human behaviour. We are interested in data mining techniques for anomaly/outlier detection in enterprise IT systems, which may be incorporated into an analysis engine to study and categorise behaviours in order to flag out potentially malicious activities.

(6)     Virtualisation security

The adoption of virtualisation technology is becoming more prevalent due to the benefits in improving service efficiency, achieving better infrastructure ROI, and reducing the cost of ownership for enterprise IT systems. However, virtualisation also brings about new security issues which have to be addressed. Technology for secure operation of virtualised enterprise IT systems is hence of great interest to us. We are also interested in the identification of potential vulnerabilities and associated countermeasures.

The following are research areas in which we are looking to partner external collaborators:

Cryptography

- Analysis of cryptographic algorithms and protocols        - Evaluation of encryption systems for implementation rigor

Steganography

- Analysis of steganography algorithms        - Blind detection techniques for known steganography algorithms        - Recovery of hidden data

Embedded Systems

- Embedded system failure analysis and prevention        - Security verification and validation of embedded system hardware designs        - Vulnerability analysis of device firmware and protocols

Communication protocols

- Protocol and applications study        - Detection and prevention of exploitation        - Technologies of interest include WiFi, WiMAX, 3G

IT security

Network security threats and countermeasures - Network Forensic/Monitoring (NIBS/NIPS) Virtualisation security - Protection of a virtualised infrastructure Web security - Protecting against web application vulnerabilities

Computing

Computing is a key enabler for all other technology tracks. In particular, CSIT recognises the value of high performance computing, computational algorithms and theory as applied to information and signal processing, and communication system and security design. The following is a specific instance of our interest:

(1)     General Purpose Graphic Processing Units

We are seeking proposals for smarter tools and compilers to solve scientific computations using GPGPUs.

We would also like to conduct further research into these areas:

High performance computing

Heterogeneous/hybrid/shared-memory clusters - Development methods, tools and environment - Rapid development capabilities on specialised platforms High density low power computers - Development methods, tools and environment - Rapid development capabilities on specialised platforms Grid computing - Robust and secure implementation of grid computing for collaborative research Unconventional Computing - Research beyond current standard computing models, for instance, optical computing, quantum computing and biological computing

Computer Security

CSIT is committed to securing the computer systems used by our customers from threats such as malware and vulnerabilities. While off-the-shelf products and processes provide good baseline security, we seek to provide a higher-level of security and confidence for our customers. We are looking for partners to come alongside with us to conduct cutting-edge research to address the following challenges:

(1)     Ensuring Security of Software

Current standard anti-exploitation mechanisms in modern operating systems include DEP, ASLR, GS Cookies, etc. We are seeking research into additional non-standard proposed mechanisms to prevent exploitation of software vulnerabilities.

(2)     Analysing Mobile Phones

The tools available for analysis of mobile applications today are fairly limited in functionality. We are seeking research into new capabilities and techniques to overcome mobile platform restrictions to better analyse mobile applications for vulnerabilities.

(3)     Securing Web Applications

More data is moving onto the web, with highly interactive and content rich web applications being deployed. We are seeking possible solutions to remediate any vulnerabilities or design flaws exposed as a result of increased use of web technologies.

(4)     Malware detection and protection

Commercial security products may not be sufficient in protecting our systems especially against unknown Malware. We welcome proposals for novel Malware detection and protection mechanisms to complement commercial security products.

(5)     Malware classification

We are seeking for behavioural-based malware classification techniques to accurately classify Malware according to their variants of families.

(6)     Malware analysis

Currently, the automated tools available in the market for malware analysis are disparate. We are looking for novel Malware analysis framework and techniques to facilitate accurate and fast development of unique signature or behavioural pattern to combat unknown malware.

We are also interested in following areas:

Malware Research

Malware analysis - Sandbox and analysis technologies - Understanding malware behaviour Protection against malware - Research into personal firewalls, anti-virus/anti-malware - Research into IDS/IPS systems Secure surfing - Analysis of web based attacks, such as phishing and cross site scripting - Protection against web based attacks and emerging/unknown threats Network protection - Threats to network security from malware - Detection mechanisms and countermeasures

Software Security

Vulnerability research on software - Binary and source code analysis tools to discover vulnerabilities - Security auditing of applications in Windows and Linux Protection against 0-day attacks - Analysis of exploits - Protection against new attacks Binary code protection - Ways of protecting proprietary code - Protection against reverse engineering

Mobile Security

Protecting mobile phones from attack - Protection of OS and applications against malware - Research into security of Windows Mobile, Symbian, and Blackberry OS Mobile phone vulnerabilities - Security of mobile communication protocols - Detection and prevention of exploitation