EECS Professor Secures $5M NSF Grant to Enhance 5G Network Security for Defense

As the United States grapples with the need to bolster its position in wireless technology, Associate Professor Taejoon Kim, from the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department at the University of Kansas, is taking the lead on a crucial initiative. Professor Kim and his team, known as Zero Trust X (ZTX), have secured a $5.0 million grant from the NSF Convergence Accelerator Program. Their mission: to fortify the security of 5G networks for the defense users.

This project aims to combine two innovative strategies: an Open-RAN approach for monitoring and mitigating threats at the network level, and a device-centric method that employs machine learning techniques to enhance security at the device level. By bolstering both network and device security, the team aims to significantly improve the overall resilience of 5G systems. The NSF Convergence Accelerator Program supports ZTX's vision of making 5G networks safer for government, businesses, and everyday users. This Phase 2 award follows a successful Phase 1 grant of $750,000, revealing a significant step towards securing the future of 5G technology.

The EECS department has a rich history of research in this area and a longstanding collaboration with the NSF, further underscoring the expertise and commitment behind this critical research initiative.