Lance J. Hoffman is an emeritus professor of computer science at The George Washington University (GW). He developed the first regularly offered university course on computer security at the University of California, Berkeley in 1970. His second book, Modern Methods for Computer Security and Privacy, published in 1977, was a standard textbook in the few computer security courses offered at the time around the world. His other books, all anthologies, captured the state of cybersecurity and… Show more Lance J. Hoffman is an emeritus professor of computer science at The George Washington University (GW). He developed the first regularly offered university course on computer security at the University of California, Berkeley in 1970. His second book, Modern Methods for Computer Security and Privacy, published in 1977, was a standard textbook in the few computer security courses offered at the time around the world. His other books, all anthologies, captured the state of cybersecurity and privacy at various times. A Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery, Dr. Hoffman institutionalized the ACM Conference on Computers, Freedom, and Privacy. He has served on a number of Advisory Committees for government and industry. Prof. Hoffman’s thought leadership has included the organizing of several projects that pushed forward emerging areas of cybersecurity over decades. These included a 1987 workshop that was one of the first to explore issues related to Internet voting; a 1999 study of foreign encryption products that explored the effect of the United States export control regime on American and foreign manufacturers and produced his Congressional testimony and the display of an array of the products purchased at the time; a 2004 workshop that explored a National Cyber Security Exercise for Universities that sparked several cybersecurity educational competitions; a 2010 workshop that articulated steps to insure that universities produce appropriately educated individuals for the cybersecurity workforce; and the development of new courses as the field of cybersecurity grew, that focused on e-commerce security, information policy, and cybersecurity and governance. Dr. Hoffman served as thesis advisor for nine doctoral students and project leader for a scholarship program that produced over a hundred cybersecurity experts with degrees in at least ten majors. He also serves occasionally as an expert witness. Show less

I directed what was then the Cyber Security Policy and Research Institute at George Washington University.

I served with several other members appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to advise on what became one of the leading privacy bodies within the federal government.

Elected Council Member of the Town of Chevy Chase, an incorporated town of approximately 3,000 people near Washington, D. C. During this time, I also served as treasurer and then secretary of the Town.

After Jim Warren convened this early conference on computers, freedom, and privacy in 1991, I Institutionalized it under the organizational umbrella of the ACM, giving it the stability and longevity it needed as a pioneering annual event in the field. This activity played an important role in my being designated as an ACM Fellow.

Served as expert witness for several cases, typically related to intellectual property in computer systems, often but not always related to security mechanisms in computer systems

President of my own consulting C-corporation. Main work was first in software development, then (and still) as an expert in security and privacy. Sometimes expert witness, often strategic planner in areas related to privacy, security, and information policy.My consulting continues, but I now do it as an individual; I wound down the company to reduce the paperwork burden as I took on more responsibility at the university, running its computer security and information assurance… Show more President of my own consulting C-corporation. Main work was first in software development, then (and still) as an expert in security and privacy. Sometimes expert witness, often strategic planner in areas related to privacy, security, and information policy.My consulting continues, but I now do it as an individual; I wound down the company to reduce the paperwork burden as I took on more responsibility at the university, running its computer security and information assurance scholarship program (see www.seas.gwu.edu/cybercorps) and turned my attention to other interests, such as local government, where I was elected to the Town Council. That term is now complete, and I am taking on limited consulting again, but my primary work is at GW with the Cyber Security Policy and Research Institute. Show less

I initiated the cybersecurity program at GW, building the number of courses in the Computer Science Department from one to around ten today. I also taught numerous courses on the topic and educated hundreds of students on cybersecurity and related privacy issues.

The firm was the first of several successful entrepreneurial ventures by my former student, Amit Yoran, and I urged him for several years to form a technical advisory board for this startup in cybersecurity. He finally agreed, and asked me to put one together. I and three other members served on it. The firm was eventually acquired by Symantec and our role then ended.

Developed a time-sharing system for the Control Data 3000 series computers