Information Security Expert Visits Campus

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Ron Green speaking to computer science students about the importance of information security.

“I’m looking for some really good hackers,” said Ron Green, senior vice president and deputy chief information security officer with Fidelity National Information Services. FIS is a Fortune 500 company that focuses on payment and banking technology, and Green was on campus Tuesday to publicize internships and career opportunities for computer science, computer engineering and information technology students.

“FIS has taken a real pride in leadership when it comes to financial security, and the reason for that is the threats to the financial sector are ever-increasing,” said Green. He explained that since he began working in information technology, criminally-minded hackers have become more sophisticated, creating a black market economy around stolen financial information. This has led to a digital arms race, in which financial institutions must constantly improve their security in order to stay ahead of the criminals.

Green said that the role of FIS in this situation is very important, because their information security division protects not only large banks, but also smaller banks that don’t have the resources to build their own protection against hackers. “It’s the right thing to do,” said Green, “because what’s at stake is your trust in your nation’s financial infrastructure.”

Students who are interested in internships or careers with FIS should contact Brian Henderson at 479-575-6265 or bwhender@uark.edu.