Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of South Florida received a $300,000 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Computer and Network Systems under the Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) program (CFDA 47.070). Awarded on March 1, 2026, with completion targeted for February 28, 2029, this collaborative U.S.-Germany research initiative focuses on developing a zero trust framework for Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) systems. The project delivers a comprehensive research product addressing privacy and security vulnerabilities inherent in dual-purpose wireless systems that simultaneously perform sensing and data transmission functions over 5G and beyond cellular networks.

The primary deliverables include the design and development of a novel secure authentication framework to ensure device integrity in zero trust environments, and a suite of tools enabling confidential wireless channels to protect sensitive environmental data and user location information. The research addresses critical security challenges introduced by ISAC systems' shared resources and dual-purpose signals, which are vulnerable to signal interception and tampering attacks. Beyond technical research outputs, the project integrates findings into new networking courses and hosts educational outreach activities, with international collaboration fostering expertise transfer between U.S. and German institutions to enhance both security capabilities and broader societal impact in next-generation wireless systems.