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William Robertson for Northeastern Global News

Your Capital One account was hacked. There was nothing you could have done about it.
People walk past the Capital One Café on Boylston Street. Capital One suffered one of the largest banking data breaches, federal prosecutors revealed this week. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University

Your Capital One account was hacked. There was nothing you could have done about it.

The personal information of more than 100 million banking customers was stolen by a software engineer in Seattle. Capital One has fixed this problem, but a solution to the epidemic of online breaches remains out of reach, says William Robertson, an associate professor in the Khoury College of Computer Sciences.
Why politically motivated cyberattacks might be the new normal

Why politically motivated cyberattacks might be the new normal

An international ransomware attack struck parts of Europe, Asia, and the United States on Tuesday, crippling tens of thousands of computers at banks, hospitals, and government offices worldwide. We asked three experts at Northeastern—Carla Brodley, John Manferdelli, and Wil Robertson— to discuss the motivation behind the attack, the challenges of stopping future attacks, and the efficacy of giving in to hackers’ demands.
3Qs: Could cyberattacks threaten to steal the 2016 election?

3Qs: Could cyberattacks threaten to steal the 2016 election?

Exactly how likely is it that hostile agents might rig the 2016 election? We asked William Robertson, associate professor and cybersecurity expert, to weigh in on the feasibility of such an attack.
Looking ahead: Cybersecurity in 2015

Looking ahead: Cybersecurity in 2015

U.S. businesses suffered a score of data breaches in 2014. Here, William Robertson, an assistant professor and web security expert, explains what we can expect from cybersecurity in the new year.
3Qs: The rules of cyber-engagement

3Qs: The rules of cyber-engagement

Professor and cybersecurity expert Wil Robertson discusses the impact of new measures the Obama administration is reportedly taking to combat cyberattacks and the challenges federal officials face in recruiting cyberspecialists.
Northeastern receives $4.5M award to train future cybersecurity workforce

Northeastern receives $4.5M award to train future cybersecurity workforce

Students in the information assurance program will receive training in both the technical sciences and the humanities through a scholarship program.
3Qs: Fortifying the country’s mainframe

3Qs: Fortifying the country’s mainframe

Assistant professor and cybersecurity expert Wil Robertson explains the growing threat of hackers targeting American military and infrastructure.
Northeastern security expert testifies at congressional hearing

Northeastern security expert testifies at congressional hearing

The cybersecurity threat represents one of the nation’s most serious economic and national security challenges, said Stephen Flynn, the founding co-director of Northeastern’s George J. Kostas Research Institute for Homeland Security, in a hearing on Tuesday afternoon in Washington, D.C. “Our position as the world’s dominant economic power can be attributed in no small part […]
3Qs: How hacking will affect credit-card holders

3Qs: How hacking will affect credit-card holders

Last Friday, a major Atlanta-based payment card processor, Global Payments, announced a server security breach that could affect more than 1 million accounts. We asked William Robertson, a cybersecurity expert and professor in both the College of Computer and Information Science and the College of Engineering, to explain how hackers penetrated the company and the […]
Northeastern leads congressional briefing on cybersecurity

Northeastern leads congressional briefing on cybersecurity

On Wednesday, university experts examined how to combat cyberthreats facing America, as lawmakers are considering cybersecurity legislation.