MSU’s Clem Izurieta will discuss cybersecurity at Sept. 12 provost lecture

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Montana State University computer science professor Clemente Izurieta. MSU photo by Kelly Gorham

BOZEMAN — Over centuries, the human habit for strife has evolved from sword-wielding phalanxes to intercontinental ballistic missiles. Now, increasingly, world powers spar with tools that are invisible and sometimes untraceable, even as the damage ripples into disrupted supply chains and disabled electrical grids.

Clem Izurieta, professor in the Gianforte School of Computing in MSU’s Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering, is on the front lines of research aimed at defending against those cyberattacks, which are increasingly used not just by shadowy hackers but by nations grappling for advantage on the geopolitical stage, he said.

“Cyberwarfare has changed the playing field,” said Izurieta, a cybersecurity expert who co-directs MSU’s Software Engineering and Cybersecurity Laboratory. “Cyberattacks can be devastating. That’s why we need to be ready for them when they happen.”

Izurieta will discuss his cybersecurity research on Sept. 12 as part of MSU's annual Provost’s Distinguished Lecturer Series. The lecture, which is free and open to the public, begins at 7 p.m. and will be held in the Hager Auditorium at the Museum of the Rockies with a reception to follow.

The title of Izurieta’s talk, "Emerging Frontiers of Battle," alludes to the escalating use of digital tactics that exploit weaknesses in computer networks and software to gain access systems that control personal digital information and even critical infrastructure. For example, recent news reports have documented how foreign hackers infiltrated the networks of multinational corporations to steal intellectual property valued in the trillions of dollars, according to cybersecurity firm Cybereason. And years before sending troops into Ukraine, Russia’s hackers used the neighboring country to test cyberassaults, such as taking down power grids for hours at a time, as documented in journalist Andy Greenberg’s book “Sandworm.”

When Izurieta began his career as a software engineer at Hewlett-Packard in 1993, email was new and cyberattacks were rare. But as digital tools have become pervasive, and more and more physical infrastructure is connected to the internet, the opportunities for sabotage have multiplied, he said.

"It's high stakes,” said Izurieta, who came to MSU in 2008. “That's what got me motivated to use my software experience and apply it to this new field."

Starting in 2018, Izurieta brought his expertise to a project with MSU’s TechLink Center to improve software that the Department of Defense uses to manage its facilities. His team took the innovative approach of developing an overarching framework that used existing tools for identifying software vulnerabilities. Based on that success, Izurieta’s team secured $3.1 million in DHS funding in 2020 for a partnership with Idaho National Laboratory. The three-year project helped develop new ways to evaluate software vulnerabilities, including by using artificial intelligence technology, in order to prevent cyberattacks. That work helped spark an additional $4.47 million award from DHS to develop the technologies further.

The work thrives in MSU’s interdisciplinary research culture because cybersecurity draws not just from computer science — including subfields such as software engineering, networks, machine learning and artificial intelligence — but also policy, statistics and data science.

"What allows us to be successful is that MSU has always been really good about fostering applied research,” Izurieta said. “This is perfect example. We’re not just writing papers but making operational, engineered products.”

The hands-on nature of the work is appealing to students, Izurieta said, and his research projects have provided hands-on experience to more than 20 undergraduates and many graduate students. Additionally, through the National Science Foundation-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates program, MSU mentors roughly 10 undergraduates from across the U.S. in cybersecurity each summer.

MSU offers several degree paths for students to pursue careers in cybersecurity. At Gallatin College MSU, students can earn an associate degree in cybersecurity and information assurance, making them desirable to employers like Hoplite, Wolfguard IT, Systems Northwest and others who regularly hire graduates from the program. Students earning a bachelor's in computer science can gain experience and focus in cybersecurity. And for students who want to pursue a graduate degree, MSU recently added a Master of Science in Cybersecurity and also offers a doctorate in computer science. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the national median salary for jobs in the field is $103,000.

As the first person in his immediate family to graduate from college, Izurieta makes a point of mentoring students and supporting them in their journey, he said. Growing up in Chile and then Australia, his parents were professional musicians who worked blue-collar jobs to pay the bills. A gift for math led Izurieta into computer science, and he supported himself through his higher education by working as a janitor, bus driver, bartender and in other jobs, including a stint in the Australian navy.

“That has helped me relate to students with backgrounds like that and promote a culture that says ‘Yes, you can do this. If you have the interest, there’s nothing to stop you.’”

His background has also made him flexible when it comes to the rapidly changing field of cybersecurity. "I'm not afraid of trying new things," he said. Which is good, he added, because cybersecurity is an emerging frontier.

The Provost’s Distinguished Lecturer Series recognizes faculty distinguished at MSU for their scholarship and creativity. Faculty presenting during the series reflect on the inspirations for their work in lectures suited for professionals and lay people alike. For more information visit www.montana.edu/provost or contact the MSU Office of the Provost at 406-994-4371 or provost@montana.edu.