CyLab Seminar: Eugene H. Spafford
October 23, 2023
12:00 p.m. ET
Zoom or GHC 6115 (ASA Conference Room)
*Please note this CyLab seminar is open only to partners and Carnegie Mellon University faculty, students and staff.
Speaker: Eugene H. Spafford
Webster Professor of Computer Science, Purdue University
Talk Title: Looking at Cybersecurity Myths and Some Problems They Pose
Abstract: A field of study and enterprise can be defined by common characteristics, such as shared terms, standard reference works, and defined common bodies of knowledge. Cybersecurity is a field that has been developing for almost 60 years, and several of these characteristics have emerged. However, along the way, several myths and misconceptions have evolved, too. The reality does not match these myths but they are widely believed, often to the detriment of the field.
This talk will discuss several major cybersecurity myths and misconceptions. These -- and others not covered in the talk -- often serve to lead practitioners and developers astray and are sometimes used to explain failures. Developing a critical attitude toward such myths will help us avoid them and lead to better results.
Bio: Eugene H. Spafford is a professor of Computer Sciences at Purdue University. He is also the founder and Executive Director Emeritus of the Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security (CERIAS). He has worked in computing as a student, researcher, consultant, and professor for more than 45 years. Some of his work is at the foundation of current security practice, including intrusion detection, incident response, firewalls, integrity management, and forensic investigation. His most recent work has been in cybersecurity policy, security of real-time systems, and future threats. He has also been a pioneer in education, including starting and heading the oldest degree-granting cybersecurity program.
Dr. Spafford has been recognized with significant honors from various organizations. These include being elected as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAA&S), and the Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS); a Life Fellow of the ACM, the IEEE, and the (ISC)2; a Life Distinguished Fellow of the ISSA; and a member of the Cyber Security Hall of Fame — the only person to ever hold all these distinctions. In 2012 he was named one of Purdue's inaugural Morrill Professors — the university's highest award for the combination of scholarship, teaching, and service. In 2016, he received the State of Indiana's highest civilian honor by being named as a Sagamore of the Wabash.
Among many other activities, he is editor-in-chief of the journal Computers & Security, serves on the Board of Directors of the Computing Research Association, and is a member of the National Security Advisory Board for Sandia Laboratories.