Professor Sabelfeld to Lecture on Digital Security and AI

Andrei Sabelfeld, Professor of Cybersecurity at Chalmers University of Technology, will present this year's William Chalmers Lecture on November 12. The lecture, titled "Can we stay one step ahead of hackers? Secure code, secure AI and a safer future," will address the security challenges in digital systems and artificial intelligence.

Sabelfeld's research group focuses on embedding security from the initial design phase rather than solely reacting to vulnerabilities. "Instead of chasing vulnerabilities one by one, we want to build software so that entire categories of attacks stop working," Sabelfeld explained. The group has worked on web security, uncovering malicious browser extension campaigns affecting millions.

The increasing use of AI agents introduces new security risks, as these agents can act on behalf of users. The research aims to ensure that AI agents have limited access and that data flows only as authorized, mitigating potential harm if an agent is compromised.

The lecture will explore the integration of secure code, AI, and future digital systems. Sabelfeld emphasizes the importance of prioritizing security during the design process. "AI is only as good as its security. Our call is to build security in from the start rather than patch it on afterwards," he stated.

The William Chalmers Lecture is an annual public event honoring the university's founder. It is open to everyone and aims to disseminate knowledge about the significance and future direction of research in the field.