IBM and Ben-Gurion U announce security center

This new joint venture will develop a curriculum that will help train the next generation of professionals, as well as perform leading edge scientific research on emerging areas like Big Data and cloud computing.

“Ben-Gurion University is very pleased to welcome IBM as a strategic partner into the ecosystem being built around our research capabilities. By collaborating with a global leader like IBM, we will be able to expand and continue to develop our research capacity,” said University President Professor Rivka Carmi. “Cloud and Big Data are changing how we secure data in the public sector. This center will enable IBM security and infrastructure experts to work collaboratively with the university’s leading academic researchers.”   

This joint venture will be housed at the BGU Alon Building for Hi-Tech, enabling IBM and university researchers to team and build on the developing ecosystem in the region. Working collaboratively with private and public organizations, scientists and academics will collaborate to better understand how to secure and protect critical infrastructure and data. For example, as the Internet of Things becomes more pervasive, it is increasingly important to address the security of devices and machines that connect to the Internet, in addition to traditional digital assets.  

“Today’s announcement reinforces IBM’s commitment to accelerate innovation that meets the industry’s most pressing long term business requirements,” said Steve Mills, senior vice present and group executive, IBM Software & Systems. “Our ongoing investments and rich history of patent leadership is helping our clients secure and protect their infrastructure and data in today’s new era of Big Data and Cloud Computing. Our partnership with Ben-Gurion University will help extend innovation not only in Israel but around the world.”

Earlier this month, IBM announced that its inventors received a record-setting 6,809 patents-the 21st consecutive year the company topped the annual list of U.S. patent leaders.  IBM holds more than 3,000 security-related patents.

In 2013, IBM acquired Israeli cybersecurity firm Trusteer and announced the opening of the IBM Cybersecurity Software Lab in Tel Aviv. This software lab brings together more than 200 Trusteer and IBM researchers and developers to focus on mobile and application security, advanced threat and malware, counter-fraud and financial crimes.

IBM has been in Israel for more than 60 years and opened its first research facility in Haifa in 1972. IBM has acquired more than a dozen companies in Israel, and more than 1,000 software and hardware developers work in Research and Development for IBM in Israel. This announcement of the new Center of Excellence for Security and Protection of Infrastructure and Assets in Beer-Sheva will complement IBM’s worldwide network of 25 security labs.