IRES: Collaborative Research on Advancing Security and Privacy in AI-based Systems

Washington State University, Pullman WA

Investigators

Abstract

This IRES project develops internationally educated students for leadership roles in cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence (AI) research in globalized societies. This objective is achieved through a synergistic partnership between Washington State University (WSU) and Sweden’s Linköping University (LiU), leveraging the leadership-class cybersecurity research programs at both universities. This project supports U.S. students for a fifteen-week research experiences at LiU, with a cohort of six to eight students participating in the program each year. Students have access to Sweden’s high-performance computing and visualization centers and take classes using English as the language of instruction. Professionals with expertise in AI and cybersecurity are in high demand among domestic and multinational corporations, as these skills are essential to ensure security of data, connections, and critical infrastructure. The IRES cohort will be augmented with an equal number of Swedish students, separately supported by Sweden, by pairing each U.S. student scholar with one LiU student, fostering deeply international research exchanges and collaborations. The resulting multinational community of scholars establishes cross-cultural professional networks and contributes to long-term research relationships. Through these networks the participating American and Swedish students elevate their preparation to operate successfully in the cybersecurity and AI fields at the highest international levels, expanding Sweden’s and the United States’ resilience against cyberattacks from malicious agents. As AI applications expand within a rising number of Internet-connected multi-faceted devices, ensuring the integrity, privacy, safety, and security of the data generated by billions of interconnected devices has become extremely challenging, complex, and critical. These cyber systems are pervasively targeted by sophisticated adversaries, who seek and exploit system vulnerabilities. Thwarting such attacks supports the cybersecurity priority interests of both the U.S. and Sweden. Securing cyber devices sustains national security and reflects strategic goals to maintain leadership in cybersecurity and AI innovation. The pursuit of these goals advances cybersecurity, drives technological innovation, and addresses the global shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals. Accordingly, the IRES student scholars’ research centers on contributing to security technologies that can protect AI-augmented government, industry, and private cyber installations. In their research projects, the scholars investigate robust, secure, and trustworthy machine learning (ML) algorithms with enhanced security, anomaly-detection and privacy-preserving features tailored for diverse systems, including healthcare, autonomous vehicles, and smart cities. The IRES student scholars develop innovative cryptographic techniques designed to defend against the unique threats posed by AI applications in cyber environments. The techniques include advanced methods such as differential privacy, structure-preserving encryption, and secure multi-party computation. Key outcomes of this research include the application of cryptography schemes in real world problems and data to analyze large-scale machine learning models. This work will not only enhance the overall robustness and reliability of these environments but also address emerging challenges such as secure data sharing among interconnected devices and real-time threat detection across diverse systems. This globally significant emphasis aims to expand scientific knowledge and bolster data security amidst evolving threats, particularly those arising from the growing use of AI in our daily lives. By engaging in this work, students gain a comprehensive understanding of advanced attack vectors and develop secure, privacy-preserving techniques to effectively counter such threats. It is anticipated that the IRES student scholars’ research can further contribute to defy the activities of adversaries, fortify our resilience, and sustain the geopolitical competitiveness of U.S. enterprises and initiatives, domestically and overseas. Such an outcome is regarded to be an impactful societal contribution. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.