2014 Commercialization Series sponsors panel: “Cyber Security and Protecting Intellectual Property: Risks and Threats”

On Thursday, UT faculty and FBI special agents met to discuss one of the most prevalent issues of today’s society: cyber security. From witnessing breaches within the university system, to dealing with Austin businesses loosing millions, the FBI shared stories of manipulation and scam. Based off of their experience combating these dilemmas, the FBI partnered with UT faculty to provide Austin businessmen and university affiliates prevention tips regarding these cyber security breaches.


Juan Sanchez, vice president for research at UT, told to a crowd at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center that “even when doing the most mundane activities on the computer, you are at risk.”


The seminar gave examples of ways in which cybercrime has been committed, in order to teach the public various ways to prevent such crime. It also encouraged the audience to trust the government despite recent scandals, naturally, as well as encouraged the audience work with the government to prevent cyber misconduct. Special Agent Bradly Benman stressed the neglect of cyber crime awareness, stating that nearly 90% goes unreported.


Last spring, the Alpha Chi Omega Sorority at UT was a victim of cyber crime. Alpha Chi Omega chapter president Erin Jahn revealed the scandal in detail, exemplifying one of the ways in which this crime affects students close to home. For 10 years, the Alpha Chi Omega sorority used online t-shirt company, Explosion Sportswear, under the impression that none of the chapters’ credit card or personal information was kept on file. However, last April, numerous girls within Alpha Chi Omega began experiencing credit card fraud. After realizing their common link was Explosion Sportswear, the sorority terminated their contract with the company, and researched its legitimacy. For 10 years, the company had been siphoning money from Alpha Chi Omega credit cards, exemplifying an unreported and unnoticed cyber crime. When questioned multiple times, Explosion Sportswear refused to comment upon the issue.


Regarding this issue of online establishments pretending to be something they’re not, special agent Scott Kibby stressed to the crowd, “if I could teach you one thing, it is to understand spear phishing.”


Spear phishing was the activity used against Alpha Chi Omega. It a technique used by many individuals to hack others. Kibbey described spear phishing, as an email that appears to be from an individual or business that one believes they know. However, it is actually from criminal hackers trying to falsify their identity. The hackers’ goal is to impersonate the recipients’ trusted confidants with hopes of gaining access to the recipients’ credit card and bank account numbers, passwords, and financial information.


Spear phishing is also used to steal the university’s research. UT is noted as one of the best research universities in the nation, a discernment that is both a blessing and curse. Over the past few years, UT has experienced spear phishing attacks, as well ill-intentioned international student applications. These potential international students apply to UT not to obtain a degree, but to uncover the university’s technological research, wanting to bring that knowledge back to their home country. Once these intentions were uncovered, UT has increased inspection of the intention of foreign students, as well as amplified the monitoring of all emails, through increased fact checking for reliability. Who does this fact checking? Benman answered this question like one would expect: the government.


“The government doesn’t want to control technology in business and in universities,” Benman said, “because that is where most technological discovery comes from. However, the government does control technology in the US that will be exported out of the country or introduced to foreigners. We want to make sure our discoveries aren’t being plagiarized.”


Aside from foreign affairs, Kibbey rounded out the panel relaying to the audience that their personal safety is of the upmost importance. “ You need to know how to protect yourself from every threat hitting you on a daily basis. If you are a student, businessmen, or simply an individual who owns a computer, it is imperative you know how to protect yourself from cyber crime.”