[MS] Research project: Reimagining Cybersecurity using Public Health

The following announcement is from Prof. Barath Raghavan. Please contact them directly if you have any questions.

We’re looking for MS students interested in joining a research project.

Project: Reimagining Cybersecurity using Public Health

This project seeks to uncover the complex and often overlooked relationship between cybersecurity, the human body, and public health. By adopting a socio-technical lens, the research will analyze real-world cybersecurity incidents as case studies, highlighting the intricate interplay between social, organizational, cultural, and technical factors.

The goal is to demonstrate how the security of critical cyber-physical infrastructure directly impacts the health and well-being of individuals and society as a whole. To quantify this relationship, the project proposes using Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), a widely-used public health metric, to assess the potential health burden resulting from cybersecurity breaches in critical infrastructure systems such as water treatment and power grids. By estimating the life years lost due to successful cyber attacks and comparing them to the resources allocated for cybersecurity measures, the study aims to provide a new framework for prioritizing and directing cybersecurity efforts based on their potential impact on public health.

Interested students should contact Prof. Barath Raghavan at barathra@usc.edu

Published on March 22nd, 2024Last updated on March 22nd, 2024