For more information, contact Cindy Young, (937) 775-3232.

January 12, 2000

WRIGHT STATE COURSE TACKLES
NATIONAL ISSUE OF COMPUTER SECURITY

Like a fence around a community of houses without doors, computer security is woefully inadequate. Rather than teaching future computer scientists to build better fences, Wright State University's new course in internet security focuses on constructing secure systems from the ground up.

Funded by a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, Wright State's course, "Internet Security," was already in session when President Clinton announced his newest initiative on computer security last week.

Clinton's commitment is to developing new technologies and training programs in computer security. Wright State's course on computer security will provide a learning model for use by universities throughout the country. Enhanced by additional funds from WSU's Department of Computer Science and Engineering, the two-year, $69,000 NSF grant provides for the development of a course web site and lecture materials to be shared with other universities. Information about the course can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.cs.wright.edu/~pmateti/Courses/499.html

The development of secure software, electronic commerce and new security protocols, firewalls that protect the security of internal networks, and the detection and documentation of intrusions are among the topics being taught by Prabhaker Mateti, associate professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. "As we teach students about the exploitation of computer information and explain how recent and famous security breaches were possible, we are also asking the students to sign an ethics statement promising to use the information for society's good. Legal issues, social responsibility and ethics are as important to the course as computer lab work."

Clinton hopes his proposal will "create a new generation of computer security specialists who will work to defend our nation's computers.'' His plan includes a new program to offer college scholarships to students in the field of computer security, on the condition that they perform public service afterward.