'What's invaded my computer?' MSU program to provide answers

Contact: Sammy McDavid

STARKVILLE, Miss.--A widely recognized authority on "malicious software" will share his extensive knowledge of the subject Nov. 19 at Mississippi State.

"Trends in Malware Threats" will be the topic of Bob Hutchinson's 2 p.m. public presentation in 100 Butler Hall. The program is sponsored by the university's Center for Computer Security Research.

Designed to infiltrate a computer system without the owner's acknowledged consent, malware may be any form of hostile, intrusive or generally annoying program software or code. Primarily, it's considered "malicious" on the basis of the creator's perceived intent, rather than a particular feature.

Hutchinson manages Sandia National Laboratories' network assurance and survivability department. Over a more than 20-year career, he has authored or co-authored nearly two dozen research reports on the subject. A graduate of Stanford University and the University of New Mexico, he also holds multiple patents in the areas of information system security.

Spread primarily among New Mexico, California and Hawaii, Sandia is a multi-program engineering and science laboratory operated by a Lockeed Martin Co. subsidiary for the U.S. Energy Department.

Butler Hall, located at the intersection of Barr Avenue and George Perry Street, is home of the computer science and engineering department and Center for Computer Security Research.

For more information, contact CCSR director Ray Vaughn at 662-325-7450.

For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.