The Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security (CERIAS)

The Center for Education and Research in
Information Assurance and Security (CERIAS)

Purdue’s Spafford to Receive Two Top Honors in Cybersecurity

Purdue’s Spafford to Receive Two Top Honors in Cybersecurity
Tue, September 17, 2013CERIAS Media Citings

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University professor Eugene H. Spafford, a recipient of numerous honors and federal appointments, will soon receive two of the biggest awards in his field.

The computer science professor and executive director of Purdue’s Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security will be inducted into the National Cyber Security Hall of Fame in Baltimore on Oct. 9. He also has been selected for the Harold F. Tipton Lifetime Achievement Award. The honors are by two separate organizations, but he was informed within hours from both entities of his selection.

“What’s special about these awards is the value of what I’ve done is seen outside of academia,” said Spafford, a frequent cybersecurity source for national and international news media. “It’s evidence that the work here makes a difference in the business and how people live their lives. It encourages others in academia that they can also make a difference and there is value in doing what we do. While succeeding in the academy, as a field, we are having an impact in many areas.”

Spafford, a Purdue faculty member since 1987, is one of the most recognized leaders in the information security field, having served as an adviser or consultant for major companies, law enforcement, academic and government agencies. He has served in roles with two U.S. presidents, and worked with the U.S. departments of Justice and Energy, the U.S. Air Force, National Security Agency, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Among his honors, Network World named him in 2006 as one of the 50 most powerful people in networking. The Washington Post profiled him in 2000 as one of the most influential policy experts in information security. He has testified before Congress many times on cybersecurity. He was one of the first Morrill Award recipients at Purdue University, recognizing the significance of his contributions to scholarship, education, and service.

The Harold F. Tipton Lifetime Achievement Award honors individuals for their overall contributions to the information security profession, according to the (ISC)2 website. (ISC)2 is a not-for-profit organization that educates and certifies information security professionals throughout their careers.

“Dr. Spafford’s innovations and advocacy have shaped the information security industry, and we are proud to recognize him for his body of work and lifelong service to our field,” commented Board Awards Committee chair professor Corey Schou, Fellow of (ISC)2, CSSLP. “From being the first to analyze the Morris worm to having a prominent role in the Usenet backbone cabal, his work has propelled us light years ahead of where we would be without his contributions.”

The National Cyber Security Hall of Fame was created and is supported by companies and organizations committed to recognizing those who played a key role in the industry’s creation, according to the hall’s website.

Writer: Jim Bush, 765-494-2077, jsbush@purdue.edu

Source: Eugene Spafford, 765-494-7825, spaf@purdue.edu

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