OPICS INCLUDE:
• Privacy, trust and identity in cyberspace
• Intrusion detection and prevention
• Transactional risk
• Information warfare
• Denial-of-service attacks
• The culture of hacking
• Risk management
• Digital asset protection
• Uncertainty in software design
• Theft of trade secrets
• Critical infrastructure protection
CONFERENCE OVERVIEW
Technology is changing our understanding of risk management in profound ways, not always immediately obvious. In this meeting, we examine two rapidly evolving and intertwined themes in risk management – protecting digital assets and the management of uncertainty.
Computer and network security attracts headlines whenever a new virus strikes or when a notorious hacker is caught. But security policy is a far more complex range of issues than just preventing intruders. It's now about enabling a robust e-business infrastructure, establishing payment and identity structures, and the protection of digital rights. In each case, we need to protect ourselves against the "bad guys," while making it easier to do business with everyone else.
The structure of risk in transactions and markets is constantly being refined by technological influences, including free distribution of real-time information, improved market liquidity, faster payment and credit mechanisms, reduced time premiums and the creation of new intermediaries. All are factors that eliminate some portion of uncertainty in transactions and enable markets to then push to new limits.
SPECIAL MEMBERS' FIELD TRIP
CYCORP, INC.
Since 1984, Dr. Doug Lenat and his Austin-based team have been building the world's largest knowledge base. Known as "Cyc," it spans all of human common sense, and Cycorp has been working out techniques to let machines reason efficiently with it. Dr. Lenat generated a great deal of excitement and interest over this when he introduced Cyc to at Vanguard's December 1999 conference, "Knowledge, Search and Understanding."
Now, just over a year later, Vanguard members will have a rare opportunity to visit the Cycorp Laboratory and see a number of demonstrations using this exciting technology.
Cycorp's technology will allow us to engage Cyc in an English dialogue, try to explain a new concept to it, help the system read through a web page, and ask it questions to make sure it understands the content. At another station, we will answer questions about any inconsistencies Cyc notices in its knowledge base. Additionally, we will teach Cyc alternate ways to rephrase a single sentence, along with the subtle changes in emphasis that those alternatives connote. We will also help the system clarify ambiguities and overspecializations in its knowledge base that it brings to our attention: e.g., "Someone has told me that sterilization kills anthrax; does it kill all bacteria?"
Join us for a most extraordinary day!