By Sharon Challenger
(November 28, 2023) — Graduate student of APPM/Data Science, Tyler Reiser, (Class of 2011 HKHS), is a member of a research team at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The team is working on a major military-oriented 5G wireless security project.
According to the Colorado.edu website: “The National Science Foundation’s Convergence Accelerator program has awarded CU Boulder $5 million for “GHOST: 5G Hidden Operations through Securing Traffic.” The goal of the work is to ensure American soldiers, businesses, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can use 5G cellular networks in foreign countries without untrusted or potentially hostile network operators being able to extract user information.”
5G signals are encrypted; however, malicious operators can still gather information from them. Encryption prevents operators from listening in on conversations, yet they can still learn about a user’s location, online activity, and patterns of usage. This information can put persons at risk if they are in dangerous locations.
The CU Boulder research team has developed systems that disguise user data and location and will make malicious operators think a person is in one location when they are in another location entirely.
Keith Gremban, principal investigator on the project remarked, “We’re changing the way a phone or set of phones appears to a network operator. This is obviously important for soldiers, but it’s so much more than that. A lot of companies and nonprofits operate in regions of the world that are less than stable. There have been a rash of kidnappings of corporate executives in some countries. They’re very interested in preventing people from tracking their cell phones.”
After graduating from HKHS, Tyler joined the Marine Corps and served as a Field Artillery Operator from 2011 – 2014. His experience while in the Marine Corps brought him to places such as Japan and the Philippines.
Upon leaving the Marines, he decided to further his education and enrolled at San Diego Community College. Later he returned to Connecticut where he earned an associate degree in applied mathematics at Middlesex Community College.
Tyler then went on to study at the University of California at Santa Barbara and earned a bachelor’s degree. Following that he applied for and was accepted at U.C. Boulder where he is working toward a master’s degree in applied mathematics.
Tyler’s pursuits and perseverance have taken him on many adventures since he left HKHS.
When not pursuing his studies, he spends time hiking throughout the U.S. He’s hiked more than 15,000 miles including the Appalachian Trail.
When asked what his plans are after he earns his master’s, he expressed thoughts about seeking a Ph.D. However, for now, he is focused on his studies and his work as a member of the 5G wireless security project.
When asked for advice he could share with HKHS students, he said, “Don’t listen to people who tell you that you can’t do things. Look for mentors and people who can help to guide you along the way.”
That’s some pretty solid advice, no doubt about it!
More information on the GHOST security research project can be found here:
Photos courtesy of Tyler Reiser
