News
ATHENE researchers analyse Apple's Emergency SOS
ATHENE researchers, in collaboration with the Hasso Plattner Institute, have conducted the first comprehensive security analysis of Apple's Emergency SOS via Satellite service. Despite the multi-layered encryption architecture, the analysis revealed significant security vulnerabilities that could allow attackers to circumvent geographical restrictions and send unauthorised messages.
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Prof. Mira Mezini elected as a member of the Leopoldina
ATHENE Directorate member Prof. Mira Mezini from TU Darmstadt has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences by the Presidium of the Leopoldina. This is one of the highest scientific honours that a German institution can bestow. The Leopoldina is the oldest natural sciences academy in the world, and only brings together researchers with outstanding scientific achievements. With around 1.600 members, it provides independent, science-based policy advice on future social issues and represents German science abroad. New members undergo a rigorous, multi-stage selection process.
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New at ATHENE: Dr. Alina Stöver
Dr. Alina Stöver has also been working in ATHENE since the beginning of the year with the project "AddressIng Detective Designs with a tech-assisted citizen science Approach (AIDA)", which she is coordinating. Her research focuses on the human factor in the context of privacy and security. She is a member of the Industrial and Engineering Psychology research group at the Institute of Psychology at TU Darmstadt. She is also co-director of the PIPS - Psychological Insights into Privacy and Security Labs. Together with her colleagues Dr. Nina Gerber and Dr. Ephraim Zimmer - also from TU Darmstadt - she is working on the ATHENE project on detective designs, i.e. manipulative design patterns that often lead users to perform undesirable actions. We spoke to her about her research in general and ATHENE in particular.
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ATHENE and GSI cooperate on high-performance AI infrastructure for secure data analysis
ATHENE and the GSI Helmholtzzenturm für Schwerionenforschung have initiated a strategic cooperation in the field of scientific data processing and cyber security. The common goal is to establish a real-world laboratory with high-performance AI computers in the Green IT Cube, one of the most energy-efficient data centres in the world.
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ATHENE-Paper accepted at the NDSS Symposium
ATHENE researchers, led by Prof Matthias Hollick's team, have conducted a comprehensive security analysis of Apple's satellite protocol and uncovered several vulnerabilities. Their findings are summarised in their paper 'Starshields for iOS: Navigating the Security Cosmos in Satellite Communication'. In a few days, they will present it at the prestigious Network and Distributed System Security (NDSS) Symposium 2025.
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