Information Security Experts to Speak at Pitt

PITTSBURGH—The University of Pittsburgh's School of Information Sciences (SIS) has implemented a new Information Assurance Seminar Series, which is being presented by SIS' recently established Laboratory of Education and Research on Security Assured Information Systems (LERSAIS). Invited industry and academic experts will deliver a lecture on Fridays through April 16, at 11 a.m. in 120 Lawrence Hall, 3942 Forbes Ave., Oakland. All lectures are free and open to the public.

"With the increasing reliance on information systems and infrastructures, it is important to protect the privacy of our personal information," said James Joshi, assistant professor in SIS' Department of Information Science and Telecommunications. "We are presented with daunting challenges of ensuring that our information systems are secure."

Infrastructures containing networked information systems have experienced unprecedented growth because of rapid development in communications and information systems technologies. Industries such as banking, finance, aviation, healthcare, and the military rely on these systems. The emerging field of information assurance works to protect and defend information and information systems through protection, detection, and response methods.

"The School of Information Sciences has long been engaged in issues of information security, but the changes wrought since 9/11 have made this an increasingly vital issue of national importance," said SIS' Dean Ron Larsen. "The LERSAIS Seminar Series is designed to raise the profile of our work in information assurance and to expand its scope through the participation of national leaders and technical experts in information security and assurance."

The LERSAIS focuses on the diverse problems related to security and survivable information systems, networks, and infrastructures. It acts as a multidisciplinary forum for the synergistic interaction among researchers within SIS as well as with other experts in information assurance areas outside the school.

The lecture series' schedule is as follows:

Feb. 6

"Intermediation in a Network of Things," Hal Stern, vice president, chief technology officer and distinguished engineer, Sun Services

Feb. 13

"Protecting the Critical Layers of the Cyber Infrastructure," Martin Lindner, senior member, Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) Coordination Center, Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University

Feb. 20

TBA, Anupam Joshi, associate professor, Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, University of Maryland

Feb. 27

"Network Situational Awareness," Tom Longstaff, senior member, CERT Coordination Center, manager, Survivable Network Technology, Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University

March 5

TBA, Carl E. Landwehr, program director, Trusted Computing, National Science Foundation

March 19

"Exploring Grand Challenges in Information Security," Eugene H. Spafford, director, Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security (CERAIS), professor, Department of Computer Science, Purdue University

March 26

"An Introduction to Trust Negotiation," Marianne Winslett, professor, Department of Computer Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

April 2

"Trust-X: An XML Framework for Trust Negotiations," Elisa Bertino, research director, CERAIS, professor, Department of Computer Science, Purdue University

April 9

TBA, Vijay Atluri, associate professor, Department of Management Science and Information Systems, research director, Center for Information Management, Integration, and Connectivity, Rutgers University

April 16

TBA, Ravi Sandhu, professor, Department of Information and Software Engineering, director, Laboratory for Information Security Technology, George Mason University, cofounder, chief scientist, SingleSignOn.net

Updates to the schedule can be found at www.sis.pitt.edu/~lersais.

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4/6/04/tmw