Benjamin Yankson Awarded Drescher Award for Smart Toy Privacy and Safety Research

CEHC's Benjamin Yankson displays a smart robot he is using to teach cybersecurity workshops. (Photo by Patrick Dodson)

ALBANY, N.Y. (March 31, 2022) -- College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity (CEHC) Assistant Professor Benjamin Yankson will spend the Fall 2022 semester developing a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER grant proposal to support his pre-tenure research on designing a privacy preservation framework for children’s smart connected toys. This work will be supported by the Dr. Nuala McGann Drescher Affirmative Action/Diversity Leave (Drescher) Award.

The Drescher Award is a unique program that creates opportunities, with local campus support, for underrepresented SUNY faculty to advance as scholars and professionals. Previous CEHC recipients include faculty members Samantha Penta, Amber Silver and Unal Tatar.

Developing Best Practices for Cybersecurity

A white and blue robot with smart functionality.
Smart toys, such as this robot, currently pose a significant privacy risk to both children and families.

Yankson’s research compasses the security of information systems components, such as. Internet of Things (IoT) devices, against cybersecurity attacks that may lead to abuse, privacy violation, and severe risk critical system functionality. He is developing privacy and security-conscious solutions and teaching the next generation of students who can help organizations build reliable cybersecurity programs and prevent attacks.

“As the U.S. moves towards a digitized economy with a mature communications infrastructure, children's technologies and privacy and safety implications are gaining national interest,” said Yankson. “My project focuses on the privacy, security and safety of these IoT Smart Toys increasingly used by children.”

Currently, addressing the issue of children’s privacy and safety with Smart Toys is urgent, difficult and pressing due to the:

  • Ongoing introduction of new devices onto the market without an industry-wide accepted privacy framework
  • Growing target of children’s Personal Identifiable Information (PII) for thieves, leaving children vulnerable to future identify theft
  • Constant changing vulnerabilities and threats landscape within the IoT sectors
  • Violation of children’s online safety statutory protection, i.e., legal concerns

Some of Yankson’s accomplishments in this area include developing a conceptual “Privacy Preservation Framework for IoT toys” cited in UNICEFs’ Human Rights Centre executive report on “Artificial Intelligence and Children’s rights; managing several critical security projects, including Critical Care Information Systems; and collaborating internationally on various initiatives on developing privacy and security solutions for IoT Toys.

He is also collaborating on a fully volunteer operation, GlobalCyberTech Exchange, where experts, teachers, community members and students from around the world exchange technology and cyber knowledge and expertise to improve global security posture. 

Yankson holds a BA in Information Technology from York University, and a MITS in IT Security Business & IT and a PhD in Computer Science, both from Ontario Tech University.