UIS Computer Science partners with Global Velocity to enhance cyberwarfare training

The University of Illinois Springfield Computer Science Department is collaborating with next generation cyber-security firm Global Velocity (GV) to improve its cyber test range. UIS's cyber test range will be used for student training and faculty research.

Global Velocity, based in St. Louis, Mo., is a leader in data loss prevention (DLP) technologies. Global Velocity will be donating two of its "deep packet inspection" (DPI) platforms to UIS. These platforms are based on specially programmed hardware called FPGA's, and they have capabilities far beyond normal firewalls.

Ted Mims, chair of the UIS Computer Science Department, describes the donation in simple terms: "Imagine that we had an automotive engineering program and the students were working on old cars with old technology. Suddenly, someone loans us a new Corvette for investigation and training."

Ronald Loui, who teaches cyberwarfare at UIS, is more emphatic: "Imagine simulating a battle in cyberspace, where each side is working with muskets, and suddenly you can simulate the appearance of a machine gun in the battlefield. That's how disruptive GV's technology will be in our cyber test range."

When Loui called Greg Sullivan CEO at Global Velocity, and asked whether he could borrow one GV box, Sullivan listened to what it would mean for UIS students and for the future of national security, and promptly offered two.

UIS Computer Science Instructors Josh Smith and Lucinda Caughey, who lead one of the most active undergraduate computing clubs in the Midwest, will direct the activity. UIS has a new FPGA firewall expert on its faculty, Lucas Vespa who has recently designed a degree-granting computer security program.

UIS's cyber range can also be used for simulation of macroeconomic activity. University Professor Sviatoslav Braynov, and Loui, both study market reputation effects and transaction costs, especially models of trust and negotiation that are respectful of legal and political institutions.

For more information, contact Ronald Loui, UIS assistant professor of Computer Science at 217/206-7429 or rloui2@uis.edu.

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Global Velocity provides affordable and easy to use Data Loss Prevention (DLP) solutions that allow companies to protect their most valuable digital assets and brands from loss or misuse, while assisting them in maintaining their compliance, audit and security obligations. This proven next-generation cybersecurity software is virtualizable, scalable and extendable for deployment in both enterprise and cloud environments. Learn more at www.globalvelocity.com.

University of Illinois Springfield is one of three campuses of the world-class University of Illinois. About 5,000 students enroll each year seeking a U of I degree but also the intimate learning environment of a private college. Located in the state capital, UIS has a special mission in public affairs and offers 11 degree programs that prepare students for careers in the public sector. Since its founding, UIS has produced thousands of leaders in government and non-profit organizations in Illinois.