A Faculty-Created Startup for Mobile Apps
Dr. Ron Vetter, PhD
Department of Computer Science
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Outline
Outline

History of Mobile Development at UNCW

WAP / Java Midlets

Short Message Service (or SMS)

Mobile Education LLC

Mobile App Development

Mobile Device Security and Forensics

Questions
History of Mobile Dev. at UNCW
Outline


1999: Wireless Network Rollout
2000: Project Numina
◦ Focus on handheld computers and science/math
◦ Applications: SRS and GraphData

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2001-2003: Move to Pocket PCs
2004-2006: NSF funded Virtual Learning Communities Project
(Tablet PCs)
2006-2008: Move to Mobile Phones: WAP, Java Midlets, SMS
2009-2011: Smartphone Apps, Mobile Web
2012-present: Mobile Device Security & Forensics
WAP
Outline

Many phones have browsers that are like small versions of
desktop web browsers.

Phone browsers are designed to display WAP which is
similar to HTML but much simpler.

WAP is the de-facto world standard for the presentation and
delivery of wireless information and telephony services on
mobile phones.

Standard web servers can serve WAP as well as HTML.
CORMP WAP Application
Outline
1. CORMP: live weather
and ocean data
from buoys

The screen at the
right shows links to
all of the buoys.
CORMP WAP Application
Outline

Selecting a link shows
the current conditions
at that buoy.
Other UNCW WAP Applications
Outline
2. UNCW Directory
3. RSS News Feeds
BOTTOM LINE:
If it is available online, then we can make it available
through WAP.
UNCW Java Applications
Outline

Installing a Java application on a phone is easier than
installing an application on a PC.

Application can be installed by clicking a link in a WAP page.

Development Platform: SUN Java Wireless Toolkit
CORMP Java Application
Outline
CORMP Java Application
Outline
Short Message Service or Texting
Outline

Defined in 1985

Purpose to allow simple communication between mobile
devices

First SMS message sent in 1989

Fastest form of communication when counterpart not able to
take a call
◦ Few seconds slower than direct voice call
◦ Faster by hours or days when compared to other forms of
communication
SMS Statistics

In 2000 – 14.4 million text messages/month

In 2006 – 18.7 billion text messages/month

In 2008 – 30 billion text messages/month

In 2009 – 135 billion text messages/month

In 2010 – 150 billion text messages/month

In 2011 – 200 billion text messages/month

In 2012 – 205 billion text messages/month (estimated)
SMS

SMS is a service available on most digital mobile phones

Message size
◦ 160 – 7 bit characters
◦ 140 – 8 bit characters
◦ 70 – 16 bit characters
No formatting – just straight text


Can be used with automated systems, such as ordering
products and services, or participating in contests.
Short Message Center

When a user sends a text message to another user, the
phone actually sends the message to the SMSC.

The SMSC stores the message and then delivers it to the
destination user when they are available. This is a store and
forward operation.

The SMSC usually has a configurable time limit for how long
it will store the message, and users can usually specify a
shorter time limit if they want.
Common Short Code

Common short codes are numbers to which text messages
can be sent from a mobile phone.

Wireless subscribers send text messages to short codes with
relevant keywords to access a wide variety of mobile
content.

CSCs are compatible across participating carriers and are
currently defined as 5 or 6 digit numbers.

Interactive SMS requires a CSC
Message Aggregators

Maintains connections with carriers’ SMSCs using Short
Message Peer-to-Peer Protocol (SMPP)

Provide API for mobile content service providers to
connect to their servers

Provision CSC with cell phone carriers (provisioning takes
approximately 3 months)
Email-to-SMS Gateway

Carriers provide a mechanism to turn an email into an
SMS message, called an Email-to-SMS Gateway

They are one-way → the recipient cannot reply to the
message

Carriers filter for spam and may block access to the
gateway

Carriers provide this service as a courtesy and may
discontinue the service at any time
SMS System Architecture
SMS
SMSC
SS7
SMS
SMPP
SMSC
SMS Broker
SS7
API
Content
Server &
Software
Apps
SMS
SMSC
Mobile User
Service Providers
Aggregator
Content Provider
Summary of SMS Applications
Advantages:
 Many users already use
text messaging
 Creating and sending SMS
is easier than opening
browser or starting a Java
application
Disadvantages:
 Cost to send and receive
messages
 Stateful behavior is
difficult to emulate
Mobile Education LLC

A faculty start-up company providing mobile message content
services (emphasis on interactive 2-way SMS interfaces)

Working with an SMS aggregator to provision a common short
code (90947)

Share the common short code across multiple institutions in
order to reduce costs
Focus on the commercial development of advanced mobile
computing applications originating from UNCW


Initial target market: higher education institutions
Web site – http://myMobEd.com
Fundamentals of the Relationship

UNCW would form an affiliated Research LLC to contract with
the faculty start-up and hold the university’s equity interest in
the for-profit company.

The Research LLC and the faculty start-up will share any
concepts, applications, and/or IP resulting from collaboration
and will execute reciprocal licenses for the use of those
applications and intellectual property.

UNCW may utilize the resulting applications on a royalty-free
basis, and the faculty start-up retains the rights to exploit the
concepts and/or resulting IP commercially.
Scope of Agreement: UNCW

UNCW will contribute intellectual assets, equipment, funding,
personnel, and access to its systems and the campus market
for the development of applications beneficial to students,
faculty, and staff.

UNCW will purchase Mobile Ed’s services as outlined per their
agreement.
Scope of Agreement: Mobile Ed

Mobile Ed develops business plan and provides a schedule,
timeline, and list of deliverables.

Participates in good faith to develop customized applications
and concepts for UNCW’s use and for potential
commercialization to other customers.

Markets viable IP and/or concepts resulting from the
collaboration.
UNCW Applications (2007-08)
www.uncw.edu/mobile

Subscribe to receive daily campus events
• Text EVENTS to 90947

Interactive shuttle bus info (Wave Transit)
• Text BUS <route> to 90947

Grade information (SunGard Banner)
• Text GRADE <course> <number> to 90947

Interactive movie schedule (EMS Calendar)
• Text MOVIE to 90947
UNCW
(2008-09)
UNCWApplications
Applications
(2008-09)
www.uncw.edu/mobile
www.uncw.edu/mobile

Outlook Mobile Services (FINAID, LIBRARY, LINK, CAREER) –
http://TextTitan.com

Mobile Coupons – http://CouponsToYourPhone.com

Text Voting – http://myMobEd.com/vote

Dub Hunt – http://DubHunt.com
UNCW placed 2nd in the 2008 AT&T Mobile Campus Challenge
UNCW
(2009-10)
UNCWApplications
Applications
(2009-10)
www.uncw.edu/mobile
www.uncw.edu/mobile

Text for surf information – WAVES

Text for dining menu – WAG & DUBCAFE

Receive alerts for course wait lists (from Banner)

SMS Locker – http://www.smslocker.com

iPhone Apps – UNCW Mobile and iTour
UNCW
(2010-11)
UNCWApplications
Applications
(2010-11)
www.uncw.edu/mobile
www.uncw.edu/mobile

Text Surveys & Polls – http://TakeTextPoll.com

Keywords for Student Groups and Classes

Athletics
•
•
•
•
•
Vote for player of game
TeamTeal
SeaHawkClub
UNCWSports
UNCWTickets
UNCW wins 2010 Digital Education Achievement Award
UNCW
(2011-12)
UNCWApplications
Applications
(2010-11)
www.uncw.edu/mobile
www.uncw.edu/mobile

UNCW Safe Rides Program (text “saferides” to 90947)

“Get to know PHIL” Student Philanthropy Campaign –
http://uncw.edu/phil/textphil.html
UNCW was selected as the 2012
Council for the Advancement and
Support of Education (CASE) District III
Grand Award Winner in the Educational
Fundraising Projects Category!

UNCW Recreation Center (text “rec” to 90947)
Mobile Phone R&D Group

Formed Spring 2009:
◦ Resources Acquired (books, iPhones)
◦ iPhone Developer University Program
◦ Faculty, staff, and students involved

Three Areas of Focus:
◦ Programming Team (iPhone: Spring ’10, Android: Fall ‘10,
Spring ’11, iOS: Fall ‘12)
◦ Mobile Web Design Team (m.uncw.edu and uncw.mobi)
◦ Application Brainstorming and Design Team
UNCW Mobile Phone Apps
 UNCW iTour App – Camilo Alvarez
 UNCW Mobile App – Ricardo Valea & Phillip Whisenhunt
BoomCoLLC.com
iPhone Programming Resources

iPhone SDK 3 Programming by Maher Ali

◦ Comprehensive iPhone programming book that does not use Interface
Builder
http://itunes.stanford.edu
◦ Stanford has made a lot of material on iPhone programming available
for free on iTunes University

Apple iOS Dev Center – http://developer.apple.com/devcenter
Android Programming
Inventor for Android is a programming tool that lets people
easily create mobile applications (http://appinventor.mit.edu/)
See also:
http://www.appmakr.com/
http://ibuildapp.com/
Mobile Web Apps

Mobile Web (HTML5) - http://www.html5rocks.com/

Cross-Platform Development Tools
◦ Phone Gap - http://phonegap.com/
◦ App Mobi - http://www.appmobi.com/

Challenges and Opportunities in Mobile Web and App
Development (IEEE Computing Now, Ron Vetter, Nov. 2011) http://www.computer.org/portal/web/computingnow/archive/november2011
Mobile Device Security
Mobile Malware Distribution in 2009
(Whisenhunt & Vetter, Cutter IT Journal, 2010)
1%
1%
1%
1%
9%
5%
WinCe
J2ME
34%
Symbian
iPhone
Android
Palm
PocketPC
48%
Other
Infection Routes - Mobile Malware
Smart Phone Security Challenges

Consumer Product: wide range of users and uses

Platform-Oriented: wide range of operating systems

Multiple-Entrances: every communication channel is a threat
(e.g., Bluetooth, Cellular, Wi-Fi, Malicious Apps)

Central Data Management: data is on memory card

Limited Battery Life: cannot sacrifice battery life

Vulnerability to Theft and Loss: in the U.S. alone over nine
million smart phones lost in 2011 (one every 3.5 seconds)

Enterprise Issues: mixing of personal/corporate data
How to Protect Yourself?

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Never accept a Bluetooth connection from anyone you do not
know and set device to “non-discoverable” or simply turn off.
Never click on an unknown link or attachment and keep all
systems/application patches up-to-date.
Require smart phones that access enterprise network to
conform to best practices and security standards.
If data is stored on phone, require that it be encrypted.
Require authentication to log onto phone as well as all
business applications.
Consider the use of mobile antivirus software.
Mobile Device Forensics

Digital forensics is the branch of forensic science that focuses
on the recovery and investigation of digital data. It has
applications in many contexts outside the courtroom,
including research, policy enforcement, and intelligence
gathering.

Mobile device forensics – which covers cell phones, smart
phones, tablets, PDAs, and GPS receivers – is a subspecialty of
digital forensics.
Mobile Device Forensics

Data that can be recovered from a mobile devices includes:
◦
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◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
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Call history
Sent/received text messages
Contacts & phone numbers
Emails
Photos
Videos
Geo-location information
Web browsing history
Voice mail
Application histories/logs
Other data that might be retained within apps
Mobile Device Forensics

In April 2011 Apple received considerable media attention
when it became known that the iPhone had been recording a
detailed history of user geographical information in an
unprotected file; with a simple extraction, one could create a
geo-tagged map of all places the iPhone (user) visited.
Mobile Device Forensics
Cellebrite Physical Extraction Device
Mobile Device Forensics
XRY Logical Extraction Device
Questions