Keynote: Cyber threats - Is the sky falling?

Speaker: Dr. Rami Razouk, Senior Vice President, Engineering and Technology Group, The Aerospace Corporation

Abstract:

The threat from cyber attack has changed significantly over the past few years – but is the sky falling? We have gone from experimenting with malware delivery mechanisms, to deliberate, targeted attacks with malicious payloads. Attacks today can target operating systems, mobile devices, commercial off-the-shelf software, and custom web-based applications. Large scale attacks are easy to detect, but subtle penetrations can go undetected for months. The resulting disruption of services and disclosure of sensitive data can be devastating to enterprises. Traditional perimeter defenses, while necessary, are inadequate in today’s environment. This talk will discuss the need to quantify the relative security or insecurity of systems, the unique threat posed by malicious software that is inside most enterprises, the challenges being faced by IT organizations, the role of computing platform and application diversity in addressing these threats, and research challenges for the future.

Bio:

Dr. Rami R. Razouk is senior vice president of the Engineering and Technology Group, which comprises about 1,000 engineers and scientists, nearly half the company's technical staff. He assumed this position on July 1, 2005, after serving for one-and-a-half years as associate general manager of the Space Support Division.

He was appointed associate general manager of Space Support Division in 2004. In that position he had oversight responsibility for a number of programs for the Air Force and other Defense Department and civil customers, including the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program and the National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System. He also has shared responsibility for the Air Force Space Test Program, Space Superiority, and Navy programs.