Project Proposed: This project from an EPSCoR state, aiming to acquire hardware and software to create a banking testbed to explore issues of computer security of banking systems, enhances the future of security research for the global banking infrastructure. While online banking makes it more convenient to manage financial activities, security threats are becoming even greater because the money is stored on and moved around an untrustworthy Internet environment with increasing use of mobile, wireless devices. The proposed acquisition will enable various activities for promoting information assurance research and education in the banking sector. The proposed online banking system for South Dakota enables the following research projects in security: - Threat modeling and verification, aiming at a rigorous techniques with proof /disproof capability, - Security testing, aiming at cost-effective, automated security testing with threat models, - Forensic readiness, aiming at better investigation of intrusions and frauds, and - Security requirements analysis, aiming at consistent and testable specification. The work establishes a flexible research instrument for a key element of the nation?s financial infrastructure. The research enabled by the online banking system will lead to novel techniques for the defense, in-depth, of online banking applications. Broader Impacts: This instrumentation increases DSU?s capacity to conduct cutting-edge research on online banking security. The online banking system expands critical infrastructure in the new National Center for the Protection of the Financial Infrastructure. It also broadens the participation of students in research by providing a rich variety of research topics for the NSF REU (Research Experience for Undergraduate) Site in Information Assurance and Security, which places emphasis on recruitment of minority students. In terms of training the next generation workforce, far-reaching impacts are envisioned through improvements to the information assurance curriculum. The proposed system will be used to teach cyber security in computer classes at eight high schools through collaboration with the NSF project ?GK-12 Fellows in Cyber Security?. Two of these schools serve mainly Native-Americans. Finally, the instrument enhances PhD production in an EPSCoR state and solidifies DSU?s position in online banking research.
