Computer networks and security are fast-moving targets. Research and teaching at the Institute of Networks and Security therefore includes the full range from theoretical to highly practical issues. Current key areas of research are:

Digital Identities 

Secure Code

Long Range Communication

The Institute of Networks and Security (INS, opens an external URL in a new window) is part of the Department of Computer Science, opens an external URL in a new window in the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences (TNF, opens an external URL in a new window) at Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria (JKU, opens an external URL in a new window). We strive to improve security and network connectivity of computer systems both in world-wide and in local networks through research, education, and specific project work. In addition to academic research and teaching, we firmly believe that it is our shared responsibility to improve the practical security of everyday computer systems and infrastructure that our current society is increasingly dependent upon.
 

Towards this mission, we work in three areas of advancing the state-of-the-art:

• In research, we look at the full spectrum between fundamental research issues (with a horizon of up to 20 years until practical applicability) and applied research (with time-to-market of 1-2 years) and act as a bridge between academic research results and their practical applicability industry-driven projects.
   
• In teaching, we interpret and organize textbook knowledge and new research results primarily in the form of courses for university students, including significant parts of the Master curriculum with the Major in Networks and Security. Additionally, we offer special courses on secure coding practices and cryptography to companies and other organizations on request.
   
• As a publicly funded institute, we offer free community services in the form of documentation and open-source software for the general public with the intent of informing and enabling the general public to improve the security of their own devices and services and profit from new research on networking technologies.

In our research, we are regularly dealing with technologies and techniques that could potentially be misused to cause harm in all sorts of ways. We also demonstrate the application of those techniques and the necessary tools in class, in order to raise awareness and prepare our students for situations where they might be affected by said misuse. When doing so, we always stress that it is of paramount importance to only apply this knowledge in a responsible and sanctioned way.