The West University of Timisoara (UVT) opened on Tuesday the Cybersecurity Lab of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, where 24 students and their professors - all IT enthusiasts - investigate and monitor on as many networked computers the real-life cyber attacks conducted worldwide, especially in the field of illegal transactions.

Teodor Grumeza, a researcher at this laboratory, said that more than 10 million cyber attacks are registered in the world every day, and the areas most targeted by computer assaults are the U.S., Europe and parts of Asia, due to their highly connected structure. More than 50% of the attacks zero in on critical infrastructure in energy, communications, healthcare or finance. Another significant number of attacks are conducted by organized groups of hackers taking aim at compromised systems in underdeveloped countries, explained Grumeza.

Assistant Professor at UVT's Mathematics and Computer Science Faculty Darius Galis showed that the young researchers under his coordination are using blockchain tech in order to detect illegal transactions and identify a certain traceability, a certain sequence that can be then generalized and on which various sequence-detection algorithms can be applied in order to track down black dealings.

Attending the event, UVT Rector Marilen Pirtea said that there is a shortage of cyber security specialists in the Romanian market, but expressed his confidence that the students training at this laboratory will be quickly absorbed by the companies.

"For UVT, the opening of this laboratory represents the materialization of an idea set into practice together with a private company. We had been working for a long time now on the curricular programs, on the education plan, on our bachelor's and master's degree offer in the field of cyber security, because computer science must be taken to a completely different level. In the proximity of Timisoara, which is very close to Serbia, to Hungary, to the highly effervescent western border area, AI and cybersecurity are buzzwords. We are talking about energy, food, global or regional cybersecurity, and we at UVT have tried to transpose this term into the educational area. We have curricular programs in this security area at several faculties, but together with the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science we initiated an AI and computer intelligence hub. We believe that Timisoara can become a cybersecurity and artificial intelligence brand. We are trying to open paths in this direction and together with a private company we implemented this laboratory that renders the students familiar with the practicalities and also has the role of innovation, offering a global insight of what is happening in this area, of the preventable and removable threats. I think that our young students are well-trained and will be of great help to the business environment, companies and the country," detailed the UVT Rector.

The total amount for the establishment and the equipment of the laboratory was 100,000 euros and was fully borne by a private company. AGERPRES (RO - author: Otilia Halunga, editor: Catalin Alexandru; EN - editor: Simona Klodnischi)