UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Katie Moussouris, a leading researcher and entrepreneur in cybersecurity and vulnerability disclosure, will present the 2024 spring commencement address for the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST). The ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. on May 4 at Pegula Ice Arena.
“It is a profound honor to address the College of IST’s graduating class, not as a traditional scholar, but as someone who has navigated the complex and ever-changing landscape of technology from outside the conventional paths,” said Moussouris.
A self-described pioneer and innovator, Moussouris said she “hacked” herself onto her career path as the modern internet was emerging. She used hacking to harmlessly dissect systems in an effort to understand their essence, push boundaries to see what could be achieved and seek solutions to complex problems.
Moussouris is the founder and chief executive officer of Luta Security, a company that creates and manages sustainable bug bounty and vulnerability disclosure programs for governments and large organizations to help advance their overall security.
Prior to founding Luta Security, Moussouris worked in cybersecurity roles at several prominent technology companies, including Microsoft. There, she started the Microsoft Vulnerability Research program and created the company’s first bug bounty program. She also worked with the U.S. Department of Defense to launch the U.S. government’s first bug bounty program, “Hack the Pentagon.”
She currently serves as a member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber Safety Review Board, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Information Security and Privacy Advisory Board and the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Information Systems Technical Advisory Committee.
“My hacker mindset propelled me through various endeavors, where I learned that true mastery comes from the unrelenting pursuit of knowledge and applying that knowledge to real-world challenges,” she said. “I wish there had been a place like the College of IST where I could learn to turn my tricky, techy hobby into a career.”
Today’s graduates will face challenges and opportunities much like those encountered by Moussouris at the dawn of the internet.
“When I was young, the digital world was a vast, uncharted territory, teeming with possibilities and perils,” Moussouris said. “The Class of 2024 is in a similar position, poised to inherit the nascent field of artificial intelligence where the actions of a few can alter the course of technology and, by extension, alter society itself.”