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Sobre

Sobre

Victor Francisco Fonte é licenciado em Engenharia de Sistemas e Informática, mestre em Sistemas Distribuídos e doutorado em Tecnologias da Programação pela Universidade do Minho.

Os seus actuais interesses de investigação estão focados em operação autónoma em sistemas distribuídos com aplicação a sistemas de grande-escala, fracamente ligados e ambientes de operação autónoma. Os seus interesses abarcam também os modelos de coerência inevitavel e técnicas para bases de dados chave-valor multi-centro de daods, e plataformas transacionais multi-camada altamente escaláveis.  A sua investigação tem também estado focada em replicação, gestão autónoma de identidade e registo de causalidade. Supervisiona várias dissertações de mestrado, projectos de doutoramento e pós-doutoramento, e lecciona unidades curriculares de 2º ciclo no domínio de Sistemas Dsitribuídos e Segurança de Sistemas de Informação.

Colabora em vários projectos de investigação com financiamento FCT e de fundos da União Europeia, e tem servido como coordenador e consultor em vários projectos financiados pelo QREN e actualmente pelos programas 2020.

Foi co-fundador e supervisionou o Grupo de Investigação Linux (GIL, 1995-2008), e o Grupo de Interesse em Computação Móvel ( 2010-12) na Universidade do Minho, e tem estado activamente envolvido em vários projectos de software e de investigação no âmbito do código-fonte e formatos abertos.

Tópicos
de interesse
Detalhes

Detalhes

  • Nome

    Vítor Francisco Fonte
  • Cargo

    Investigador Sénior
  • Desde

    01 novembro 2011
001
Publicações

2025

Assessing the information security posture of online public services worldwide: Technical insights, trends, and policy implications?

Autores
Ribeiro, D; Fonte, V; Ramos, LF; Silva, M;

Publicação
GOVERNMENT INFORMATION QUARTERLY

Abstract
The fast global expansion of online public services has transformed how governments interact with citizens, offering convenience and efficiency. However, this digital transformation also introduces significant security risks, as sensitive data exchanged between users and service providers over public networks are exposed to cyber threats. Thus, ensuring the security and trustworthiness of these services is critical to the success of Electronic Government (EGOV) initiatives. This study evaluates the information security posture of 3068 public service platforms across all 193 UN Member States through non-intrusive assessments conducted in 2023 and 2024. The evaluation focuses on three key dimensions: (i) the adoption of secure end-to-end communication protocols, (ii) the trustworthiness of digital certificate chains, and (iii) the exposure of hosting servers to known vulnerabilities. The findings reveal that while some progress has been made in securing online public services, substantial gaps remain in the implementation of international security standards and best practices. Many platforms continue to rely on outdated cryptographic protocols, misconfigured certificates, and unpatched vulnerabilities, leaving citizens and services vulnerable to cyber threats due to weaknesses that malicious actors can easily and inconspicuously identify. These insights emphasize the need for effective implementation of more comprehensive cybersecurity policies, proactive security assessments, and improved regulatory compliance checks. Additionally, this work provides actionable guidance for governments and system administrators to enhance the security of EGOV infrastructures by addressing persistent vulnerabilities and adopting robust cybersecurity practices.

2024

A worldwide overview on the information security posture of online public services

Autores
Silva, JM; Ribeiro, D; Ramos, LFM; Fonte, V;

Publicação
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 57TH ANNUAL HAWAII INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SYSTEM SCIENCES

Abstract
The availability of public services through online platforms has improved the coverage and efficiency of essential services provided to citizens worldwide. These services also promote transparency and foster citizen participation in government processes. However, the increased online presence also exposes sensitive data exchanged between citizens and service providers to a wider range of security threats. Therefore, ensuring the security and trustworthiness of online services is crucial to Electronic Government (EGOV) initiatives' success. Hence, this work assesses the security posture of online platforms hosted in 3068 governmental domain names, across all UN Member States, in three dimensions: support for secure communication protocols; the trustworthiness of their digital certificate chains; and services' exposure to known vulnerabilities. The results indicate that despite its rapid development, the public sector still falls short in adopting international standards and best security practices in services and infrastructure management. This reality poses significant risks to citizens and services across all regions and income levels.

2021

Towards a bottom-up approach to inclusive digital identity systems

Autores
Silva, JMC; Fonte, V; Sousa, A;

Publicação
ICEGOV

Abstract
The path towards the United Nations objective of providing legal identity for all, including free birth registrations, has been facing several challenges. Particularly, the diversity of social realities, limited ICT infrastructures, inadequate legal frameworks, and unstable political engagement have resulted in solutions highly fitted to a specific scenario, thus hard to be replicated in different regions. Paired with noncomprehensive public services of civil registration, these aspects impact the way identity records are created, stored and used by citizens in their daily interactions. To tackle these impairments, this work introduces IDINA, a non-authoritative approach aiming at a community-oriented identification system underpinned by relations of social trust, inclusiveness, and the use of cutting-edge accessible technologies. © 2021 Owner/Author.

2020

EAGP: An Energy-Aware Gossip Protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks

Autores
Ferreira, BC; Fonte, V; Silva, JMC;

Publicação
2020 28TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SOFTWARE, TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND COMPUTER NETWORKS (SOFTCOM)

Abstract
In Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN), typically composed of nodes with resource constraints, leveraging efficient processes is crucial to enhance the network lifetime and, consequently, the sustainability in ultra-dense and heterogeneous environments, such as smart cities. Particularly, balancing the energy required to transport data efficiently across such dynamic environments poses significant challenges to routing protocol design and operation, being the trade-off of reducing data redundancy while achieving an acceptable delivery rate a fundamental research topic. In this way, this work proposes a new energy-aware epidemic protocol that uses the current state of the network energy to create a dynamic distribution topology by self-adjusting each node forwarding behavior as eager or lazy according to the local residual battery. Simulated evaluations demonstrate its efficiency in energy consumption, delivery rate, and reduced computational burden when compared with classical gossip protocols as well as with a directional protocol.

2019

Optimal control applied to an irrigation planning problem: A real case study in Portugal

Autores
Lopes, SO; Pereira, RMS; Pereira, PA; Caldeira, AC; Fonte, VF;

Publicação
International Journal of Hydrology Science and Technology

Abstract
In this paper, a daily plan model to the irrigation of a crop field using optimal control was developed. This daily plan model have in consideration: weather data (temperatures, rainfall, wind speed), the type of crop, the location, humidity in the soil at the initial time, the type of soil and the type of irrigation. The aim is to minimise the water used in the irrigation systems ensuring that the field crop is kept in a good state of preservation. MATLAB was used to develop our mathematical model and obtain its output. Its results were compared with experimental ones obtained from a real farm field of grass in Portugal. This comparison not only allowed us to validate our model, but also allowed us to conclude that, using optimal control considerable savings in water resources, while keeping the crop safe are obtained. Some real test cases were simulated and the comparison between the optimised water to be used by the irrigation system (calculated by software) and the real amount of water used in irrigation site (on-off control system for irrigation) produced water savings above 10%. © 2019 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.