Malloc: The Origins of Privacy Innovation

Project Overview

The initial Malloc project was funded under the RESTART 2016–2020 Programme by the Research & Innovation Foundation (RIF) of Cyprus. The project aimed to safeguard users from unattended data recording and leakage across smart devices — including smartphones, IoT systems, and connected sensors.

This initiative marked the first step in developing an AI-powered mobile security solution capable of detecting and preventing unauthorized data transmissions in real time. Malloc’s founding research investigated how mobile apps and smart devices record, transmit, and sometimes misuse personal information without explicit consent.

Through this project, the Malloc team established the foundation for the privacy technology that would later evolve into the Malloc Privacy & Security App, empowering users to have full control over their personal data.

Key Facts

• Programme: RESTART 2016–2020 – Creation and Initial Development of Startups (Pre-Seed)
• Proposal Number: PRE_SEED/0719/0201
• Project Title: Preventing unattended data recording and leakage in smart devices
• Coordinator: Malloc LTD
• Partner: KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence, University of Cyprus
• Duration: 18 months
• Total Budget: €113,200

Vision and Challenge

Maria, now Co-founder & CEO of Malloc, while working at the KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence at the University of Cyprus, recognized a fundamental challenge: users had no visibility or control over what data their devices were recording and transmitting. Together with the Malloc team, and in collaboration with KIOS CoE, UCY she prepared this proposal in response to the growing privacy violations and opaque data practices — with the mission to make privacy and security protection accessible, automated, and transparent.

The project set out to design an intelligent software solution combining machine learning, cybersecurity, and behavioral monitoring to detect suspicious data activity in real time — giving everyday users the power to act immediately.

This pioneering work laid the foundation for Malloc’s current suite of mobile protection tools, transforming the early research vision into a fully realized privacy ecosystem.

Collaboration & Support

The project was a collaborative effort between Malloc LTD and the KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence at the University of Cyprus. It was co-funded by the Research & Innovation Foundation (RIF) under the RESTART 2016–2020 framework.