Cybersecurity
Outsmarting the PIN code
Research
ETH Zurich
A PIN code is usually required at the checkout when paying large sums by credit card. Researchers from ETH Zurich have now discovered a flaw in the security system of some credit cards.
Spectacular success for ETH students
Teaching
ETH Zurich
Twenty international teams competed in the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge 2020, including five teams from ETH Zurich. In an unprecedented winning streak, the ETH Zurich teams not only took the top five places, but also won all the special prizes. The thorough preparation by the student organisation Cyber Group was one of the reasons for their success.
A secure, decentralized search engine for journalists
TechTransfer
EPFL
An EPFL laboratory has developed DataShare Network, a decentralized search engine paired with a secure messaging system that allows investigative journalists to exchange information securely and anonymously. A scientific article on this subject will be presented during the Usenix Security Symposium which will be held online from August 12 to 14.
USB software security tool catches 26 bugs across operating systems
Research
EPFL
EPFL researchers have developed a new tool called USBFuzz, which they have already used to detect 26 vulnerabilities in the USB driver stacks of widely used operating systems including Linux, Windows, and macOS.
EPFL researchers put proximity tracing app to the test
TechTransfer
EPFL
Over the past two weeks, EPFL computer scientists have been testing and refining the smartphone-based system developed by the international Decentralized Privacy-Preserving Proximity Tracing project (DP3T), with the help of the Swiss Army. Their goal: to optimize the app’s ability to alert users after they’ve been in contact with someone contagious with COVID-19, while building trust around the open system. 
The biggest threat in cyber security is ourselves
Politics
ETH Board
Michael Hengartner is President of the ETH Board - and thus something like the Chief Researcher of Switzerland. In his column he speaks about interesting facts from the world of science. This week: How we must learn to move more carefully in the digital world.
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