'Digital ants' seek viruses to protect computer networks
Monday, May 30, 2011 - 15:30
in Mathematics & Economics
As the nation's electrical power grid becomes more interconnected through the Internet -- from the nuclear power plant in California to transmission lines in Texas to the microwave in your kitchen -- the chances of cyber attacks increase as well. Errin Fulp, a professor of computer science at Wake Forest University, is training an army of "digital ants" to turn loose into the power grid to seek out computer viruses trying to wreak havoc on the system.