We are closely approaching the age of Pervasive Computing. This post-desktop era of computing is shaped by a large scale collection, distribution and aggregation of information related to individuals and their activities. From the beginning of pervasive computing research, the inherent privacy and IT security issues and the associated unforeseeable consequences for the individual were critically mentioned.

The present book Multilaterally Secure Pervasive Cooperation - Privacy Protection, Accountability and Secure Communication for the Age of Pervasive Computing addresses this challenge in order to demonstrate that carefully devised protection mechanisms can become enablers for multilaterally acceptable and trustworthy digital interactions and cooperations. It contributes to the design of multilaterally secure cooperative pervasive systems by taking a scenario-oriented approach.

In most computing systems, the mechanisms that support secure communication, privacy protection and accountability are considered as major functional parts. In pervasive computing applications, these functionalities are facing an extension of their scopes. Based on the reference scenario of ICT-supported emergency response, this book conveys new facets of privacy protection, accountability for digitally recorded real-world actions and novel forms of communication in a descriptive manner.