The emergence of verified eBPF bytecode is ushering in a new era of safe kernel extensions. In this paper, we argue that eBPF's verifier---the source of its safety guarantees---has become a liability. In addition to the well-known bugs and vulnerabilities stemming from the complexity and ad hoc nature of the in-kernel verifier, we highlight a concerning trend in which escape hatches to unsafe kernel functions (in the form of helper functions) are being introduced to bypass verifier-imposed limitations on expressiveness, unfortunately also bypassing its safety guarantees. We propose safe kernel extension frameworks using a balance of not just static but also lightweight runtime techniques. We describe a design centered around kernel extensions in safe Rust that will eliminate the need of the in-kernel verifier, improve expressiveness, allow for reduced escape hatches, and ultimately improve the safety of kernel extensions.

A lightweight encryption technique with low storage overheads is essential to secure data access from Resrouce-Constrained Devices (RCD). It must protect against unsolicited users with scalable user revocation with uninterrupted access to valid users. A user must be able to access RCD over low-energy wireless communication interfaces through a user reader device (mobile). Attribute-based encryption is an efficient technique for securely sharing sensitive data with multiple stakeholders without the requirement of sharing multiple security keys. This paper proposes a novel ECC-based scalable user revocation (EASER) ciphertext policy attribute-based encryption (CP-ABE) encryption scheme to secure and selectively share data from RCD with multiple stakeholders. It is based on ECC, with lower decryption time and constant-sized secret keys with low storage overhead. EASER extends Odelu et al.'s ECC-based CP-ABE scheme for scalable user revocation and mitigates a proven key-collusion attack. It is suitable for securing RCD and provides secure, selective access from a user reader device.

The transition to electric road transport technologies requires electric traction drive systems to offer improved performances and capabilities, such as fuel efficiency (in terms of MPGe, i.e., miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent), extended range, and fast-charging options. The enhanced electrification and transformed mobility are translating to a demand for higher power and more efficient electric traction drive systems that lead to better fuel economy for a given battery charge. To accelerate the mass-market adoption of electrified transportation, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in collaboration with the automotive industry, has announced the technical targets for light-duty electric vehicles (EVs) for 2025. This article discusses the electric drive technology trends for passenger electric and hybrid EVs with commercially available solutions in terms of materials, electric machine and inverter designs, maximum speed, component cooling, power density, and performance. The emerging materials and technologies for power electronics and electric motors are presented, identifying the challenges and opportunities for even more aggressive designs to meet the need for next-generation EVs. Some innovative drive and motor designs with the potential to meet the DOE 2025 targets are also discussed.