Rebecca Bace facts for kids

Rebecca "Becky" Gurley Bace (1955–2017) was an American expert in computer security. She was a leader in developing ways to detect when computers were being used improperly. People often called her the "den mother of computer security" because she helped guide many new ideas in the field.

Becky Bace worked for 12 years at the National Security Agency (NSA). There, she started a special research program. This program focused on finding and stopping computer misuse. She also played a big role in how the US intelligence community invested in new technology. She helped many Silicon Valley companies that worked on cyber security.

Early Life and Education

Becky Bace grew up in rural Alabama. She was one of seven children. When she was a teenager, she was diagnosed with a health condition. Her mother came from Japan after World War II. Her father was a teamster who taught himself many things.

Because of her health and the way people thought about women at the time, a doctor suggested she stay home. But a librarian, Bertha Nel Allen, encouraged her to go to college. Becky won scholarships from foundations like Betty Crocker and Jimmy Hoffa.

In 1973, she was accepted to the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She was the only woman studying engineering there. It took her eight years to finish her degree. This was because she faced financial challenges and often had to pause her studies.

Becky became interested in computers during her first year. She learned to program using punch cards and large IBM mainframe computers. Her first engineering job was repairing copier machines for Xerox. She faced unfair treatment because she was a woman. She once said that customers sometimes complained about her, even though she was very skilled.

Career in Computer Security

After graduating in 1984, Becky Bace started working at the NSA. In 1989, she took on a new role at the National Computer Security Center. This center was part of the NSA and focused on computer security for the US government.

Becky became a program manager for intrusion detection research. This meant she helped turn new research ideas into real security products. She was very important in catching Kevin Mitnick, a famous computer hacker. She showed that it was possible to track and catch hackers. She also helped fund early computer security labs at places like UC Davis and Purdue University.

After a personal loss, Becky went to work at Los Alamos National Laboratory. She was a deputy security officer there. In 1998, she left Los Alamos and started her own security consulting company, Infidel, Inc.

In 2002, she became a consultant for a venture capital firm in Silicon Valley. Venture capital firms invest in new companies. Becky also worked for In-Q-Tel, which is the investment part of the US Intelligence Community. Before she passed away, she was a chief strategist at the University of South Alabama.

As an investor, she gave expert advice to many new security companies. These included Qualys, Sygate, iRobot, Arxan Technologies, HyTrust, and Neohapsis.

Legacy and Awards

Becky Bace left a lasting impact on the world of computer security. Several awards have been created to honor her memory. These include the Rebecca Bace Pioneer Award for Defensive Security. There is also the Rebecca Gurley Bace SWSIS Scholarship, which helps students.

See also

In Spanish: Rebecca Bace para niños