Creating a new security for tomorrow’s communication networks and information systems

The article provides a global overview of modem security issues in the future communication networks. It presents a prospective viewpoint of Internet and mobile security, and gives many starting points to research on. The author describes the limitations of current communication security in the rising multimedia communication age, the need for more complex/subtle security mechanisms and policies. This article starts with a review of the new threats and vulnerabilities created by the emergence of digital technology, multimedia, mobility, heterogeneity and the characteristic, openness and interconnectability of systems. Emphasis is made on the distinction between the content of the users’ information and the content of the systems (container), meaning the basic network hardware and software infrastructure. With the trend toward configurable, mobile infrastructures, threats arising from this dynamism are emerging. The solution to these vulnerabilities lies in designing new intermediation services to manage the interfaces between telecom operators, users and service providers, offering security protocols yet to be invented. Finally, the author gives an overview of possible future developments and research areas that need to be explored to provide security in the future communication networks. This includes (i) Specification of policies compatible with the Content and the Container, (ii) Set up of a context- oriented, plural, configurable policy, (iii) Design of new encryption protocols, (iv) Placing cryptology and steganography in perspective and (v) Introducing security in an open world.