$3M Grant to Create Cybersecurity Modeled After Human Body
Electrical and computer engineering researchers are training a future cybersecurity workforce and creating bioinspired methods for keeping computers secure.
From left: Doctoral student Clarisa Grijalva Lugo; University of Sonora, Mexico professor and UA alumnus Jesus Horacio Pacheco; doctoral student Pratik Satam; professor Salim Hariri; doctoral student Shalaka Chittaranjan Satam; and assistant research professor Cihan Tunc.
A woman touches a hot stove, but thanks to the nervous system, she snatches her hand away before she gets too hurt. A virus enters the body, but the immune system fends off the invader before it can cause too much damage. What if our computers and smartphones could respond to security threats in the same proactive way our bodies respond to health threats?
University of Arizona researchers are developing a form of cybersecurity inspired by these human biological systems that detect and address threats in their earliest stages. The team will also offer training and research opportunities to students from underrepresented backgrounds.
