Software Security Pioneer and Author Dr. Gary McGraw Joins Starseer Advisory Board

Globally recognized authority on software security and machine learning security brings decades of expertise to AI security startup

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Starseer, a company pioneering AI Runtime Assurance and Detection Engineering, today announced that Dr. Gary McGraw, co-founder of the Berryville Institute of Machine Learning and globally recognized authority on software security, has joined its Advisory Board.

Dr. McGraw holds dual Ph.D.s in Cognitive Science and Computer Science from Indiana University and serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the Luddy School of Informatics. He is the best-selling author of eight books on software security, has published more than 100 peer-reviewed papers, and produced the Silver Bullet Security Podcast for IEEE Security & Privacy for thirteen years.

“Gary literally wrote the book on software security, and his pioneering work in machine learning security through BIML has established the foundational risk frameworks the entire industry now builds upon,” said Tim Schulz, CEO and co-founder of Starseer. “As organizations grapple with Shadow AI and the expanding AI attack surface, Gary’s unique combination of deep academic research and practical industry experience makes him an invaluable addition to our advisory board.”

On joining Starseer's Advisory Board, Dr. McGraw said, "The machine learning security conversation today reminds me of software security in 1999—everyone's myopically focused on the perimeter while ignoring what's happening inside the system. Vanilla security engineering approaches treat AI as a black box to be wrapped with monitors and filters of the input and output. Starseer takes the opposite approach: understand what the model is actually doing. You can't secure what you can't see, and you certainly can't secure what you refuse to look inside."

"Gary has been ahead of the curve on every major shift in software security for the past 25 years," said Ron Gula, founder of Gula Tech Adventures. "His decision to advise Starseer validates both the technical approach and the market opportunity we saw when we led their seed round."

Dr. McGraw’s 2020 work at the Berryville Institute of Machine Learning produced the BIML-78, a groundbreaking set of security risks associated with machine learning systems that has been applied by organizations including Google and the United States Air Force. His 2024 publication, An Architectural Risk Analysis of Large Language Models, provides the definitive framework for understanding LLM security risks.

Dr. McGraw brings an exceptional track record of advising high-growth security companies. He currently serves on the advisory boards of Legit Security, MaxMyInterest, and Vaultree. He previously served as Chairman of the Technical Advisory Board at IriusRisk and as advisor to CalypsoAI (acquired by F5), CodeDX (acquired by Synopsys), Black Duck (acquired by Synopsys), Fortify Software (acquired by HP), and Invotas (acquired by FireEye). He was also CTO and Board member at Cigital, which was acquired by Synopsys in 2016.

Dr. McGraw’s presence on the board will strengthen Starseer’s mission to give organizations the visibility and control they need to secure AI from the inside out. His expertise in architectural risk analysis and building security into complex systems aligns directly with Starseer’s approach to extending threat exposure management into the AI domain.

About Starseer

Starseer is pioneering AI Runtime Assurance and Detection Engineering, giving organizations the visibility and control they need to secure AI as an attack surface. The Starseer platform enables security teams to identify, inspect, and analyze AI models and their behavior, providing the forensic depth required to understand Shadow AI risk and defend against AI-enabled threats. Starseer integrates with enterprise security workflows to extend threat exposure management into the AI domain. Headquartered in Dover, DE, Starseer is backed by Gula Tech Adventures. For more information, visit https://starseer.ai or connect with Starseer on LinkedIn.