Speaker:
Santiago Torres-Arias
Purdue University

Abstract: The software development process, or software supply chain, is quite complex and involves a number of independent actors. Due to this ever-growing complexity has led to various software supply chain compromises: from XCodeGhost injecting malware on millions of apps, to the highly-publicized SolarWinds Compromise. In this talk, Santiago will introduce various research challenges, as well as attempts from both Open Source and Industry --- such as SigStore, CoSign and in-toto --- to protect millions of users across the globe.

About: Dr. Torres-Arias' current research focuses on securing the software development life-cycle. Previously, his research focused on secure password storage mechanisms and update systems. He is the team lead of in-toto, a framework to secure the software development life-cycle, as well as PolyPasswordHasher, a password storage mechanism that’s incredibly resilient to offline password cracking. He also contributes to The Update Framework (TUF), which is the software update system being integrated on a variety of projects like Docker, CPAN, and others.

The weekly security seminar has been held every semester since spring of 1992. We invite personnel at Purdue and visitors from outside to present on topics of particular interest to them in the areas of computer and network security, computer crime investigation, information warfare, information ethics, public policy for computing and security, the computing "underground," and other related topics. More info