Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - (Page 9)

Information security matters to anyone who uses a computer. These days, of course, that includes not only engineers at major corporations but artists and even kindergartners. We strive to think of clever passwords, take pains to back up our data and buy virus protection for our computers.
Consider, however, the ways that the term “computer” is expanding. Cell phones, tablets and other devices are part of this landscape, too. What happens if you lose your smart phone? Maybe you’re concerned about your password for online banking or the contents of your address book. Now imagine your worries if you work for the Department of Defense. Binghamton University researchers work through these and numerous other scenarios every day in hopes of protecting individuals and the nation alike from hackers. And while traditional approaches have often relied on software modifications, several of the latest innovations aim to provide built-in security with improved hardware. “Every day, hundreds of thousands of hackers try to attack America’s cyberinfrastructure,” says Yu Chen, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Binghamton. There are already real-world examples of cyber warfare, he notes, citing conflicts between Israelis and Palestinians and between Russia and Georgia in the last several years. Chen develops hardware that can be integrated into a network and detect attacks automatically. It’s vital to raise the alarm quickly, he says, given that an attack can affect hundreds of thousands of machines in seconds. He also has applied for a patent on a “Data Dog” to protect mobile devices from hacking. Nael Abu-Ghazaleh and Dmitry Ponomarev, both associate professors of computer science at Binghamton, collaborate on a variety of projects. Like Chen, they envision a future in which wars are fought digitally, potentially without a single soldier on a battlefield. They believe it makes sense to engineer systems for security, rather than “build a dam and try to plug the holes later,” as AbuGhazaleh puts it. “Security is a classic example of evolution,” he says. “There’s a constant battle between black hats and white hats, and it’s not even clear who the black hats and the white hats are a lot of the time.” Ponomarev and Abu-Ghazaleh say it’s shortsighted to focus on performance

Binghamton University • BINGHAMTON RESEARCH • Spring/Summer 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012

Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012
Contents
About Binghamton Research
Welcome
Briefs
Digital defenders
Jockeying for genetic advantage
The unfiltered truth
Spring awakening
Wall Street watchdog
Principles of the universe demand principled engineers
Engineering and Science Building
Graduate research
Undergraduate research
A piece of the puzzle
Crossword puzzle

Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012