About SPRAI ​

Security and Privacy Research at Illinois (SPRAI) is a group of faculty, staff, and students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who collaborate on a wide range of security and privacy research. SPRAI comprises many distinct labs that work together to publish research and advance knowledge in digital security and privacy.

Frequently Asked Questions ​

I am a student interested in security and privacy research. How can I get involved? ​

Prospective Students ​

SPRAI itself is not a degree-granting program, but rather a cross-functional group of the many research labs and faculty members at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign that work on security and privacy research. As such, prospective students should consider applying to the affiliated degree-granting programs that interest them:

• Computer Science: Siebel School of Computing and Data Science
• Electrical and Computer Engineering: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Information Science: School of Information Sciences

Furthermore, consider reaching out directly to the faculty members whose research interests align with their own.

Current Students ​

The best way for current students to get involved in security and privacy research is to reach out directly to the faculty members whose research interests align with their own. Also consider enrolling in relevant courses, such as those on the courses page, to gain foundational knowledge in security and privacy research. Finally, consider joining the student-led SIGPwny Registered Student Organization (RSO) to develop your skills and meet other students with similar interests.

I am a researcher/industry professional interested in collaborating with SPRAI. How can I get involved? ​

Please reach out directly to the relevant faculty members.

I am a journalist reporting on security and privacy research at Illinois. How can I get in touch with SPRAI? ​

Please reach out directly to the relevant faculty members/the authors of the relevant research papers.

Do all SPRAI faculty members have a lab? ​

No, not all SPRAI faculty members have a formal lab; however, many still have a group of students and collaborators they work closely with on security and privacy research.

I want to responsibly disclose a security vulnerability. How can I do that? ​

If you have discovered a security vulnerability in a university system, please report it to the Office of the Chief Information Officer. If you have discovered a security vulnerability in a research project, please reach out directly to the relevant faculty members/the authors of the relevant research papers.