Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Science Foundation's Division of Computer and Network Systems awarded a $400,000 Project Grant to Brown University under the Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CFDA 47.070) program, effective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2030. This collaborative research initiative, titled "AIGIS: Securing the Deep Learning Model Supply Chain," develops methods and tools to verify the trustworthiness of pre-trained artificial intelligence (AI) models before their integration into scientific workflows and operational systems. The project addresses three critical cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the machine learning model supply chain by combining software engineering principles with machine learning techniques: mitigating model spoofing attacks through anomaly detection of naming conventions and architectural signatures; securing the model deserialization process to prevent arbitrary code execution; and establishing safe model management practices. By strengthening the security of AI infrastructure shared through open online repositories, the research enhances the resilience of AI-enabled systems and supports U.S. research competitiveness.

The project incorporates workforce development and knowledge dissemination through student training, research opportunities, and collaborative engagement among universities, industry, and government stakeholders. Deliverables include novel detection schemes for identifying malicious models, automated deserialization mechanisms based on least-privilege principles, and defined safe subsets for secure model handling. These products and services directly address emerging cybersecurity concerns as pre-trained AI models become essential infrastructure for research, industry, and government operations.