UP studes to represent PHL in int'l Kaspersky conference

Two teams rom the University of the Philippines will represent the Philippines as finalists in computer security firm Kaspersky Lab's upcoming international educational event in Hong Kong.

 

Ranyel Bryan Maliwanag, 19, and Joshua Arvin Lat, 21, will lead the teams representing the Philippines at the Kaspersky Lab International Student Conference Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa Cup 2012.

 

Kaspersky said this is the first time the Philippines will join the annual conference, with the theme of “IT Security for the Next Generation.”

 

The Philippine teams will vie with representatives from other countries for cash prizes ranging from $750 up to $1,500.

 

According to Kaspersky, the conference will be held from March 14 to 16 at the City University of Hong Kong.

 

It said the annual event brings together students and young professionals in a collaborative environment to present and discuss issues relating to cybercrime.

 

UP teams' entries

 

Maliwanag and Lat are both from the UP Department of Computer Science (UP-DCS) Diliman Campus.

 

Maliwanag and his team - composed of Mariah Strella Indrinal and Marynyriene Silvestre - created an application that uses voice recognition, dubbed “Vox-Grid: A Mobile Voice Verification System.”

 

Lat and his partners Kevin Atienza and Rod Xavier Bondoc wrote a research paper entitled “SOUL System: Secure Online USB Login System.”

 

Kaspersky said that of the 52 papers submitted to this year’s conference, five were from the Philippines.

 

In Southeast Asia, only Malaysia and the Philippines made it to the Asia Pacific & MEA Cup 2012.

 

All submitted research papers had been evaluated by the education programs committee, which is made up of professors from the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Australia as well as key members of Kaspersky Lab’s Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT) Michael Molsner, Head of Research Center in Japan and Stefan Tanase, Senior Security Researcher based in Romania.

 

Active participation from APAC

 

Kaspersky Lab Asia Pacific Managing Director Harry Cheung is very pleased students from the Asia Pacific region are becoming more active participants in the company’s goal of involving the young minds in battling cybercrime through this conference.

 

“I congratulate all the lucky participants to the Asia Pacific and MEA Cup this year! This conference is a very good platform for our young, brilliant minds from the Asia Pacific region to cultivate their knowledge in understanding Internet security and eventually contribute innovative ways to improve cyber security,” Cheung said.

 

“I hope to see more of them join and really make the cut in the international round,” he added.

 

Selection process

 

Of the 52 research papers, 15 will be selected for further evaluation via presentation and questions of the program committee members.

 

Each student will be allocated 10 minutes presentation and five minutes Q&A by the program committee members.

 

Selection will be based on scientific and methodological level of work, the social importance of the topic presented, presentation skills and design, ability to answer queries from the panel, as well as practical and innovation value.

 

Three research papers will be selected in this round which will participate in the 2012 Kaspersky International Cup to be held at Delft Technical University in the Netherlands on May 11-13, 2012. — TJD, GMA News