Speaker: Neal Ziring, Technical Director for Vulnerability Analysis & Operations, NSA

Time: Monday, November 2, 2PM
Location: Babbio 221
Host: Susanne Wetzel

Abstract:
US computer networks are under attack by increasing sophisticated adversaries. Network defenders, such as the NSA Blue Team, have extensive sources of information about hosts and networks available. But the volume of the data and its complexity make analysis with
conventional methods very slow and inflexible. This talk will present results from applying open-source cloud computer technologies, including the Map-Reduce parallel computing model, to large-scale network defense data analysis. These technologies, already in use by
many Internet companies, offer the flexibility and scale to improve network defense capabilities and reduce response times.

Bio:
Neal Ziring is a Defense Intelligence Senior Level computer scientist with the NSA. He joined NSA in 1989, and has spent his time there mostly in working in security evaluations and security guidance. Since 1996, he has worked in network and protocol security, and in security architecture for NSA mission systems. He currently serves as a technical director in the NSA Information Assurance Directorate. Prior to joining NSA, Neal worked on software tools at AT&T Bell Labs. He has an MS in Computer Science and a BS in Electrical Engineering, both from Washington University in St. Louis.