The Technology Usability Lab in Privacy and Security (TULiPS) brings together a diverse group of students and researchers dedicated to understanding and enhancing the usability of security and privacy technologies. Located within the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo, the lab is also affiliated with the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute and the Games Institute. Prior to 2023, TULiPS was part of the University of Edinburgh and maintains some affiliation with the institution.
Research at the lab spans a wide range of topics impacting a wide range of people including: end users, family members, software developers, system administrators, educators, security professionals, and designers. Topics like scam messages (phishing) impact a large number of people, but in different ways. Users have to avoid being scammed, but administrators also have to find ways to efficiently turn reports of phishing into meaningful action, and security professionals also need help in selecting practices that best support people without requiring undue time. Topics in privacy are also often multifaceted with many people all having opinions and different abilities to enact those opinions. The seemingly simple introduction of a smart speaker like Alexa into a space, can cause privacy issues and an imbalance in the access to information.
Featured Projects:
- Phishing
- Bystander Privacy and Smart Speakers
- Privacy and E-Government
- Software Updating aka Patch Management
- Other Projects