David Choffnes Associate Professor of Computer and Information Science choffnes@northeastern.edu 617.373.4239 Expertise crowdsourcing effectiveness, cybersecurity, mobile systems, networking and distributed systems David Choffnes in the Press El Pais ‘People have no idea’: How smart devices spy on us and reveal information about our homes “One of the biggest problems is the invasion of privacy,” says David Choffnes, professor at Northeastern University in Boston and one of the co-authors of the work. The True Cost of a Free TV “No one—not even Telly—can tell consumers what harms might befall them for the benefit of the company,” says David Choffnes, executive director of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute at Northeastern University. Special Report: Tesla workers shared sensitive images recorded by customer cars David Choffnes, executive director of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute at Northeastern University in Boston, called sharing of sensitive videos and images by Tesla employees “morally reprehensible.” Metro Tesla staff shared and joked about sensitive videos recorded by vehicles David Choffnes, executive director of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute at Northeastern University in Boston, called sharing of sensitive videos and images by Tesla employees ‘morally reprehensible’. Boston.com Is there really such a thing as a private Google search? But even then, by tracing a search back to an IP address, log-in activity, or browser history— known as browser fingerprinting — Google can likely tie the search back to the user, says David Choffnes, associate professor of computer science at Northeastern University and executive director of the school’s Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute. Amazon wages secret war on Americans’ privacy, documents show Most consumers don’t understand how much personal information they cede to technology firms, said David Choffnes, a privacy researcher at Boston’s Northeastern University. “When’s the last time you let a stranger into your house and let them listen to your conversations, watch your TV, look at the comings and goings on your video cameras?” he […] FCC May Be Hamstrung Under GOP Majority as Nominations Lag “It’s just horribly frustrating to me that we can’t make progress on anything the Republicans don’t support,” David Choffnes, executive director of Northeastern University’s Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute, said in an interview. “Every day we don’t have a commission that gets us a majority, it’s a day we don’t have to restore the net neutrality rules.” NBC Boston Why This Privacy Advocate Doesn’t Have Any Amazon Devices in His Home Amazon plans to enable this feature by default, requiring users to opt out if they don’t want the service. “I’m not going to tell someone that this has no value. But I certainly have a lot of concerns,” says David Choffnes of Northeastern University. Vox Your Echo is about to share your internet with your neighbors. Here’s how to opt out. “If this service is not providing you additional functionality you need, it certainly seems like this should be off,” Northeastern University associate professor of computer science David Choffnes told Recode. “Because there is only the potential for information to be shared above and beyond what there is today.” CNET News Why WhatsApp users are pushing family members to Signal David Choffnes, an associate computer science professor at Northeastern University, said WhatsApp’s policy updates could’ve rekindled concerns over Facebook’s poor track record with privacy. He pointed to the scandal involving Cambridge Analytica, a British political consultancy, that harvested the data of roughly 87 million Facebook users without their permission. David Choffnes for Northeastern Global News NSF grant will allow researchers from around the world to improve security of smart devices — remotely NSF grant will allow researchers from around the world to improve security of smart devices — remotely Northeastern's new IoT laboratory offers access to 500 devices, enabling technical research in cybersecurity and privacy on a global scale. Automakers cleared in privacy lawsuit. Are your texts and call logs at risk? And what other data is being collected? Automakers cleared in privacy lawsuit. Are your texts and call logs at risk? And what other data is being collected? A cybersecurity expert reacts and says this decision raises the question as to what other data automakers might be collecting. The smart home tech inside your home is less secure than you think, new Northeastern research finds The smart home tech inside your home is less secure than you think, new Northeastern research finds A team of researchers discovered vulnerabilities in smart home devices made by big technology companies like Google. TikTok won’t be banned from US app stores. Here’s why. TikTok won’t be banned from US app stores. Here’s why. TikTok doesn’t pose a national security threat to the U.S. any more than some of our most beloved apps such as Facebook and Twitter, says David Choffnes, associate professor of computer science. Banning the app would require a vote from Congress and massive changes in net neutrality. Are Alexa, Siri, and Cortana recording your private conversations? Are Alexa, Siri, and Cortana recording your private conversations? Smart speakers aren’t recording all the time, says associate professor David Choffnes. “But that doesn’t mean there’s no cause for concern.” Facial recognition technology: In our rush to deploy it, are we ignoring the risks? Facial recognition technology: In our rush to deploy it, are we ignoring the risks? London has announced that it will install cameras across the city to catch and identify criminal suspects, joining a growing list of cities that have embraced facial recognition technology. David Choffnes, whose research focuses on network security and privacy, cautions that with so much at stake, it’s worth considering the potential risks of public surveillance tools before rushing to deploy them. Northeastern University research finds smart TVs, other Internet-connected devices are exposing private user data Northeastern University research finds smart TVs, other Internet-connected devices are exposing private user data While you were watching the finale of Chernobyl, your smart TV was sending data to technology and advertising companies, a new study finds. Northeastern University researcher finds that wireless networks are throttling video streaming 24/7 Northeastern University researcher finds that wireless networks are throttling video streaming 24/7 A new study by professor David Choffnes has found that almost all wireless carriers slow down internet speed for video streaming. We can’t get enough of FaceApp. But should we be giving away the rights to our faces? We can’t get enough of FaceApp. But should we be giving away the rights to our faces? “The obvious privacy concern is it’s your face that is now in the hands of a company that can go and use that face however they want, according to their terms and conditions,” says David Choffnes, an assistant professor at Northeastern’s Khoury College of Computer Sciences who designs solutions to internet security and privacy. The new iPhone comes out today. Is Apple slowing down your old device to make you buy the new one? The new iPhone comes out today. Is Apple slowing down your old device to make you buy the new one? The new iPhone XR comes out today, and conspiracy theorists want to know whether Apple will slow down customers’ old iPhones to make them buy new ones. But “when it comes to slow operating speed,” said Northeastern professor David Choffnes, “the biggest culprits are usually apps that run in the background and use up a lot of battery power.”
El Pais ‘People have no idea’: How smart devices spy on us and reveal information about our homes “One of the biggest problems is the invasion of privacy,” says David Choffnes, professor at Northeastern University in Boston and one of the co-authors of the work.
The True Cost of a Free TV “No one—not even Telly—can tell consumers what harms might befall them for the benefit of the company,” says David Choffnes, executive director of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute at Northeastern University.
Special Report: Tesla workers shared sensitive images recorded by customer cars David Choffnes, executive director of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute at Northeastern University in Boston, called sharing of sensitive videos and images by Tesla employees “morally reprehensible.”
Metro Tesla staff shared and joked about sensitive videos recorded by vehicles David Choffnes, executive director of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute at Northeastern University in Boston, called sharing of sensitive videos and images by Tesla employees ‘morally reprehensible’.
Boston.com Is there really such a thing as a private Google search? But even then, by tracing a search back to an IP address, log-in activity, or browser history— known as browser fingerprinting — Google can likely tie the search back to the user, says David Choffnes, associate professor of computer science at Northeastern University and executive director of the school’s Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute.
Amazon wages secret war on Americans’ privacy, documents show Most consumers don’t understand how much personal information they cede to technology firms, said David Choffnes, a privacy researcher at Boston’s Northeastern University. “When’s the last time you let a stranger into your house and let them listen to your conversations, watch your TV, look at the comings and goings on your video cameras?” he […]
FCC May Be Hamstrung Under GOP Majority as Nominations Lag “It’s just horribly frustrating to me that we can’t make progress on anything the Republicans don’t support,” David Choffnes, executive director of Northeastern University’s Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute, said in an interview. “Every day we don’t have a commission that gets us a majority, it’s a day we don’t have to restore the net neutrality rules.”
NBC Boston Why This Privacy Advocate Doesn’t Have Any Amazon Devices in His Home Amazon plans to enable this feature by default, requiring users to opt out if they don’t want the service. “I’m not going to tell someone that this has no value. But I certainly have a lot of concerns,” says David Choffnes of Northeastern University.
Vox Your Echo is about to share your internet with your neighbors. Here’s how to opt out. “If this service is not providing you additional functionality you need, it certainly seems like this should be off,” Northeastern University associate professor of computer science David Choffnes told Recode. “Because there is only the potential for information to be shared above and beyond what there is today.”
CNET News Why WhatsApp users are pushing family members to Signal David Choffnes, an associate computer science professor at Northeastern University, said WhatsApp’s policy updates could’ve rekindled concerns over Facebook’s poor track record with privacy. He pointed to the scandal involving Cambridge Analytica, a British political consultancy, that harvested the data of roughly 87 million Facebook users without their permission.