The biology of security

What do you get when you cross biology with computer science?

A project called RISE that University of New Mexico computer science professor Stephanie Forrest says could help squelch binary code injections and other such attacks. She said the idea initially wasn’t a hit with everyone, such as Intel designers who envisioned a lot more work on their end, but using open source virtual machine technology advanced the project.

She shared her scheme — and her thoughts on the intersection between evolution, immunology and computer security — with other security experts at a conference last week at Boston University. Read more here.

Bob Brown, bbrown@nww.com