Boosting Cyber Security Innovation and Culture through Public-Private Research Projects

Observation suggests that currently almost all the aspects of human live are infused with a cyber component. In the context of fast-paced implementation of smart mobile terminals, new cyber security solutions, tools and mechanisms must be created in order to protect personal and organizations information assets. Trend analysis points out toward an increase in number and complexity of malware attacks launched against the expanding mobile communication networks and terminals. Mobile devices are vulnerable to cyber-attacks, mostly in relation with their insecure access to different digital resources, and consequently taxonomies for cyber attacks would improve the analysis and assessment of malware impact over the functionality of mobile terminals and networks. Malevolent actors can disseminate mobile malware through various techniques and subsequently the infected devices can be used as a launch pad for further cyber attacks. Since the smart mobile terminal store a great amount of private data the malware attacks against this type of device are inherently complex. In order to distinguish between the behaviour of legitimate and malevolent, there are sustained efforts within the cyber security community to analyse the modus-operandi of relevant malware. In this general operational context, the "Integrated Software Platform for Malware Analysis on Mobile Terminals" project, funded by UEFISCDI / Romanian Ministry of National Education, provides an innovative solution for an emergent cyber threat vector. This paper summarizes some of the project team's findings.