Polytechnic Awarded $1.6 Million Grant to Battle Cybercrime

Polytechnic University’s Center for Advanced Technology in Telecommunications (CATT) was awarded a $1.6 million grant to further develop cybercrime detection and prevention with companies such as Verizon, Kodak, Lucent Technologies, AT&T Labs Research and the Securities Industry Automation Corp. The grant was awarded through the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research Centers for Advanced Technology Development Program (NYSTAR).

Professor Shivendra Panwar, director of Polytechnic’s CATT, notes the alarming growth in the number and sophistication of Cybercrimes. “Given the increasing proliferation of broadband connectivity and mobility, voice-over IP and sensor networks, the situation is only expected to get worse,” Panwar says. “Even more alarming, not only are we unable to prevent Cypercrimes, but typically we are not even able to identify the perpetrators. We urgently need technology for prevention and investigation.”

Polytechnic University President Jerry M. Hultin (left) speaks with Jim Denn at the awards presentation.

The award was made through NYSTAR’s CAT Development Program, an initiative that creates nationally recognized research centers and brings high-technology innovations to the marketplace. The research that will be conducted as a result of the investments will produce significant technological improvements that will lead to substantial future economic development in New York. In addition, the research will earn substantial support from participating universities and private sector companies.

These specifically targeted research awards will enable New York’s world-class university research centers to work even more closely with industry to develop new technologies and innovations that will foster the growth of an even stronger economy for New York, noted Governor George E. Pataki. “These awards complement our other high-tech economic development initiatives,” Pataki said, “such as our Centers of Excellence program and will further secure New York’s role as an international leader in high-tech and biotechnology research and economic development.”

Joining Polytechnic in the cybercrime initiative is Columbia University, Poly’s Brooklyn Enterprise for Science and Technology and the Griffiss Institute.