4/24/02

Mitch Emmons, 334/844-5964

NEW AU COURSE SEEKS TO THWART COMPUTER 'HACKERS, NETWORK ATTACKERS'

AUBURN -- Computer security is of paramount concern in business, government, national security and an increasingly expanding Internet-based economy. Auburn University's Information Technology program is moving to the forefront in the education of software engineers and leading-edge research in the area of information assurance.

"Information security is a major component of information assurance," says Drew Hamilton, an associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering. "Computer network intrusion is fast becoming one of the most prevalent criminal activities in the world, and millions are spent on ways to prevent it."

To address the need for trained network security professionals and protection technologies, AU's Information Technology Peaks of Excellence program is launching a new course in information security.

Open this fall as part of AU's engineering curriculum, the course includes an information assurance laboratory, where students will have live scenarios in which to test network security technologies, to actively monitor "hacker" intrusions and to begin assembling profiles of network attackers.

"The lab will have an unsecured computer network that will regularly be attacked by outside sources," Hamilton said. "Network attacks are pervasive, so we don't foresee the need to attack our own lab network, except to collect baseline information. This laboratory will provide an ideal learning environment for our students as well as an optimal research environment."

A large number of network intrusions are simply "nuisance" attacks, according to Hamilton. But a significant number are professional espionage and sabotage attempts.

Security concerns are not associated only with sensitive corporate documents and government records.

"Identification fraud and credit fraud cost banks and businesses billions of dollars," Hamilton said. "Individual fraud victims can face years of headaches correcting their credit histories.

"The Internet is filled with personal information about individuals -- Social Security numbers, personal birth information, credit card information and other information that can uniquely identify an individual.

If that personal data is stored on a server that is hacked or intercepted during transmission over the network -- then that individual is at risk for a variety of identity theft frauds. Better protection of this information is what our program is about."

Auburn's Peaks of Excellence programs comprise seven multi-disciplinary research areas selected for their strength and ability to address priority research and development needs for the state, region and the nation. Other programs among the Peaks of Excellence include: Fisheries and Aquaculture; Cell and Molecular Biosciences; Detection and Food Safety; Forest Sustainability; Poultry Products Safety and Quality; and Transportation.

apr02:AU-hackers

CONTACT: Hamilton, 334/844-6300.