Tulsa World: TU leader in shielding computer infrastructure

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TU leader in shielding computer infrastructure

Mauricio Papa (left), associate professor in the University of Tulsa's computer science department, and graduate student Rodrigo Chandia work on their conveyer belt simulator at TU. STEPHEN HOLMAN / Tulsa World

By SHANNON MUCHMORE World Staff Writer
Published: 9/12/2008 2:04 AM
Last Modified: 9/12/2008 2:56 AM

Critical infrastructures rely on computer systems that must operate correctly and, in a time of growing cyberwarfare, must be secure. The University of Tulsa Institute for Information Security is a national leader in research to protect such systems.

"We're one of the best, if not the best, university in the country in information security," said David Greer, executive director of the institute, which is housed in Keplinger Hall on the TU campus.

Professors and students study government and industrial issues for protecting information processing systems, particularly in the oil and gas sector, Greer said.

"We get to work on real problems and come up with real solutions," he said.

Many systems in the oil and gas industry are computerized with specific equipment that controls every aspect of a machine. Once the computers are connected to the Internet, they are at risk for manipulation. They must be protected just like home or office computers, but the process is far more complicated, said Mauricio Papa, associate professor with the department of computer science at TU.

"When you're at this level, it's a little bit different," he said.

Security of physical systems is vital and has been researched and practiced, but information security is a relatively new field that requires a different way of thinking, Papa said.

"When it's a bit or a byte, it's a whole different thing," he said.

TU is part of a consortium known as the Institute for Information Infrastructure Protection, a group of universities and nonprofit organizations that studies ways to strengthen cyber-infrastructure. TU is also a leader in an initiative known as Cyber Corps, which is dedicated to training computer security experts.

Students at TU use equipment that would be found in the field to experiment with their research. They work with professors on solving problems presented by government agencies or energy firms.

"We interact with them, and then we try to develop tools," Papa said.

Rodrigo Chandia, who is working on his doctorate in computer security, has been a part of the TU program for more than three years. He said he became interested in critical infrastructure protection after studying information technology security.

"One of the things that caught my attention was how little had been done up to this point," he said.

He hopes to work for an oil and gas company after he completes his degree, he said.

Papa said students helping with the research will be prepared for a job in a growing field, because the need for information security expertise will only rise.

"In my opinion, we're only getting started," he said.

For more, go to tulsaworld.com/isec.

Shannon Muchmore 581-8378
shannon.muchmore@tulsaworld.com By SHANNON MUCHMORE World Staff Writer

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