Secure and usable P2P VoIP for mobile devices

ABSTRACT

The use of Voice over IP (VoIP) applications involves a number of security threats and usability issues, leading to possible breaches of security and privacy. With the adoption of future peer-to-peer communication systems, the challenges grow even more as we rely on untrusted peers to access the service. We are developing a peer-to-peer VoIP system which features techniques for improving the security and privacy of users in future networks. However, as the threats are seldom well understood, presenting them in a usable manner is problematic. Implemented on a mobile device, the small user interface provides additional challenges for the end user. Via interviews, a questionnaire and usability testing, we seek to improve both the usability of managing and understanding the additional security, as well as the overall user experience of the emerging application.

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Index Terms

• Human-centered computing

  • Human computer interaction (HCI)

    • HCI design and evaluation methods