Nanci Hellmich

Mason Engineering cybersecurity expert receives prestigious award for his research

Nanci Hellmich — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 15:28:22 +0000

Mason Engineering cybersecurity expert receives prestigious award for his research Nanci Hellmich Wed, 12/02/2020 - 10:28

Cybersecurity researcher Sushil Jajodia received the 2020 W. Wallace McDowell Award from the IEEE Computer Science Society.

Mason Engineering cybersecurity researcher Sushil Jajodia received the 2020 W. Wallace McDowell Award from the IEEE Computer Science Society for his contributions to the scientific and engineering principles that enable effective adaptive cyber defense.

The McDowell Award is given to individuals for outstanding recent theoretical, design, educational, practical, or other similar innovative contribution that falls within the scope of IEEE CS interest.

Jajodia, a university professor with the Volgenau School of Engineering and the founding director of Center for Secure Information Systems, researches information secrecy, privacy, integrity, and availability problems in military, civil, and commercial sectors.

Today’s cyber defenses are largely static, Jajodia says. As a result, adversaries can systematically probe our networks, pre-plan their attacks, and ultimately persist for long times inside compromised networks and hosts.

“In response to this situation, we developed methods that make them less homogeneous and less predictable. Our research combined machine learning, behavioral science, operations research, control theory, and game theory for deciding where, when, and how to employ available options in dynamic, adversarial environments,” he says.

“We are all very proud of Dr. Jajodia for his many contributions to the cybersecurity field. It is wonderful to see his efforts so aptly recognized by the IEEE,” says Art Pyster, associate dean for research at the Volgenau School of Engineering.

In the video announcement of the award, the IEEE Computer Society, says, Jajodia “is widely recognized as an international leader and researcher and has a highly distinguished record of technical contributions to security and privacy.”

Jajodia will be honored at a ceremony in 2021. A video about the award is available here.

Cybersecurity researchers developing a toolkit to protect open-source software from cyberattacks

Nanci Hellmich — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 20:00:23 +0000

Cybersecurity researchers developing a toolkit to protect open-source software from cyberattacks Nanci Hellmich Mon, 11/16/2020 - 15:00

Cybersecurity researcher Kun Sun and his team are creating a toolkit that would identify security patches in updates for open-source software.

Software frequently needs updates to keep it safe from cyberattacks.

But when vendors release patches for open-source software, they may not explicitly notify users if those updates contain important security patches, says Kun Sun, an associate professor in the Department of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) and associate director of the Center for Secure Information Systems.

They don’t share that information, because they may not want the users to know their software has security problems, which may damage their reputation, he says.

But if users delay the software update, it could lead to a cyberattack on the system. “Attackers can use the code changes from the patch or the difference between two versions and launch attacks on unpatched software or old software versions,” he says.

Sun and other Mason Engineering cybersecurity researchers are creating a tool that would identify security patches in updates for open-source software. This is especially important for the armed services.

“The military uses a lot of open-source software, and they want to know if there are certain security problems that they need to patch immediately,” he says.

“We are developing a machine-learning-based defense system and implementing a toolkit to automatically identify secret security patches on open source software,” he says. “We want to tell users which updates contain security patches that they need to fix immediately,” he says.

Sun and his colleagues are working on the research with a $699,844 award from the U.S. Army Research Lab.

The Mason research team is finishing the first year of the three-year project. Several major defense contractors are interested in the tool, Sun says.

Özlem Uzuner, IST chair, says, “the Mason cybersecurity team is at the forefront of their field, contributing both methods and practical applications that have wide applicability, for the military and beyond.”

Cybersecurity expert creates app to help voters locate ballot drop boxes

Nanci Hellmich — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 18:15:57 +0000

Cybersecurity expert creates app to help voters locate ballot drop boxes Nanci Hellmich Thu, 10/22/2020 - 14:15

“I worked on this project in my spare time. It was the perfect opportunity to combine my passion for programming with my desire to use information technology for social good.”

— Max Albanese, associate professor in the Department of Information Sciences and Technology

Max Albanese, an associate professor in the Department of Information Sciences and Technology, drops off his mail-in ballot. He created an app, MyBallotBox to help voters locate mail-in drop-box locations. It's available from Apple in its app store.

Mason Engineering cybersecurity researcher Massimiliano (Max) Albanese studies the minds and methods of cybercriminals to develop better ways to defend computer systems.

But during his free time this summer, he turned his attention to a different problem—the need for people to know where to locate drop-off boxes for mail-in ballots.

“In August, I came up with the idea of creating a free app to help people locate drop-off boxes in their area,” says Albanese, an associate professor in the Department of Information Sciences and Technology.

“I collected drop-box location data from official sources and developed the app, called myBallotBox, which is available from Apple in its app store,” Albanese says.

So far, he has gathered information from 32 states and the District of Columbia, and more data is being added every day. “We are in the middle of a pandemic, and people don’t want to go into a polling place to vote,” he says.

Plus, some people don’t trust the post office to deliver the ballots in time to be counted, so they would like to drop them off at a secure location instead, he says. “It was this set of unprecedented circumstances that prompted me to take this initiative.

The data is also available through a web interface that voters can access through this link. Users can find detailed information about ballot drop-off locations by simply selecting their state from a drop-down menu and then clicking on markers on the map.

“I worked on this project in my spare time,” he says. “It was the perfect opportunity to combine my passion for programming with my desire to use information technology for social good.”

Graduate students will solve theoretical cyber crisis at competition

Nanci Hellmich — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 11:06:37 +0000

Graduate students will solve theoretical cyber crisis at competition Nanci Hellmich Wed, 02/19/2020 - 06:06

Massimiliano Albanese, an associate professor in the Department of Information Sciences and Technology, says the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge provides students with an incredible learning experience in cybersecurity.

Mason Engineering graduate students Munira Alqahtani and Abdulai Gad Swaray have been selected to compete in the Atlantic Council’s 2020 Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge on March 20-21 in Washington, D.C.

Both students, who are pursuing master’s degrees in applied information technology with cyber security concentrations, are part of the team fielded by the Institute for Information Infrastructure Protection (I3P), a national consortium of leading academic institutions, national laboratories, and non-profit research organizations.

The competition challenges students to respond to an international cyber-crisis scenario, analyze the threat it poses, and provide recommendations on the best course of action to mitigate the crisis. Students interact with expert mentors and high-level cyber professionals while developing valuable skills in policy analysis and presentation.

“Participating in the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge provides students with an incredible learning experience,” says Massimiliano Albanese, an associate professor in the Department of Information Sciences and Technology and Mason’s representative in the I3P.

“The competition challenges students to be critical thinkers and work collaboratively to solve a complex cyber problem under strict time and resource constraints. Over the last several years, the I3P team has consistently included Mason Engineering students, and in 2018 the I3P team was a semi-finalist," he says. "In today’s increasingly complex cyber world, it is critical for students to participate in similar extracurricular activities and gain hands-on experience that will help them tackle real-world problems."

Albanese says he’s grateful to David Balenson from SRI International, who has volunteered to coach the I3P team.

Hackathon participants solve real-world problems for real money

Nanci Hellmich — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 21:04:43 +0000

Hackathon participants solve real-world problems for real money Nanci Hellmich Thu, 10/24/2019 - 17:04

At Mason's PatriotHacks, about 300 students tackled problems in cybersecurity, machine learning, artificial intelligence, data science, sustainability, and automation.

It’s not often that college students have a chance to solve cybersecurity challenges, delve into data mining, and take a salsa dancing lesson over the same weekend.

But those who attended PatriotHacks, Mason’s second annual collegiate hackathon, did just that at the MIX@Fenwick, October 18 to 20.

About 300 students from Mason and several other universities tackled problems in machine learning, artificial intelligence, data science, sustainability, automation, and cybersecurity during the 36-hour event.

“I am impressed with all the innovative projects the students came up with,” says computer engineering senior and Honors College student Afnan Ali, co-organizer of PatriotHacks.

“The hackathon was about taking a challenge or problem, creating a solution, and hacking it together,” adds the event’s co-organizer Vijay Iyer, a senior majoring in neuroscience. “The hackers are the people who are putting projects together. It’s not about hacking into anything.”

The competition culminated with 45 projects for judges to evaluate.

Three Mason students who created a plan to improve the university’s Hydroponic Greenhouse won first place. Each member of the team received $350.

The students who did the greenhouse project “knocked it out of the park,” Iyer says. “They had solutions to every single thing that Mason’s Office of Sustainability asked for in the Hydroponic Greenhouse. They had blueprints for it. They made budgets for it. They knew what parts they needed, and they showed how it was completely implementable.”

“The hackathon gave students the opportunity to think outside the box, interact with industry experts, and work on real-world problems,” says faculty sponsor Kamaljeet Sanghera, associate professor and executive director for STEM Outreach for Mason Engineering.

CACI proposed a challenge on cybersecurity pen testing; GDIT on machine learning; the CoStar Group on data science.

Several other organizations offered challenges, including Informed XP, MetroStar Systems, White Ops, and Mason’s Office of Sustainability.

Besides doing projects, students participated in games, salsa dancing, and morning yoga.

Mason Competitive Cyber club places second in state competition

Nanci Hellmich — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 17:43:21 +0000

Mason Competitive Cyber club places second in state competition Nanci Hellmich Tue, 02/26/2019 - 12:43

Mason Competitive Cyber club won second place in the Commonwealth Cyber Fusion Competition 2019 last weekend at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia.

“We did a great job in an extremely tight competition. A lot of the challenges we did this year are similar to things we would do in the real world in our respective fields.”

— Michael Bailey, Mason Competitive Cyber president

The Mason Competitive Cyber club captured second place in the Commonwealth Cyber Fusion Competition 2019 over the weekend. The University of Virginia came in first.

George Mason University was one of 17 schools that competed in the invitation-only competition for Virginia community colleges and universities that are National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Security. The event was held at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia.

“We did a great job in an extremely tight competition,” says Mason Competitive Cyber president Michael Bailey, a senior majoring in IT. “A lot of the challenges we did this year are similar to things we would do in the real world in our respective fields.”

The intense four-hour competition involved solving a variety of complex cyber challenges designed to model real-world computer security challenges, including hacking into websites, performing reverse engineering on programs, wireless hacking, analyzing network traffic, and deciphering encrypted messages.

Other members of Mason’s team included Chris Issing, Zaine Wilson, Ammar Al-Kahfa, Paul Benoit, and Niki Carroll.

Mason’s observing student team members Andrew Oliveau and Connor Perkins placed first in their bracket in a parallel challenge.

“I am very proud of our Mason competitors,” says head coach Peggy Brouse, director of Mason’s bachelor of science in cyber security engineering program.

“It is especially rewarding that we had students from several programs within the Volgenau School of Engineering, including computer science, cybersecurity, and information technology. Thanks to the Mason Competitive Cyber club for being instrumental in preparing students for various cyber competitions. I look forward to next year.”

Assistant coach Jim Jones, an associate professor in the digital forensics and cyber analysis program in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, says of Mason's team: "These students combine deep technical knowledge, tool expertise, creative thinking, and teamwork to solve problems, precisely the skills employers are looking for."

The goal of the event, sponsored by the Virginia Cyber Range and Senator Mark R. Warner, is to develop the next generation of cybersecurity professionals in Virginia. Students participated in cyber challenges, learned from industry professionals, networked, and attended a cyber job fair.

Mason Engineering has 17 cyber-degree programs, including a first-of-its-kind bachelor of science in cyber security engineering, multiple master’s degrees in cybersecurity-related fields, graduate certificates in cybersecurity, and an interdisciplinary PhD in information technology with concentrations in information security and assurance as well as digital forensics.

“I am very proud of our Mason competitors. It is especially rewarding that we had students from several programs within the Volgenau School of Engineering, including computer science, cybersecurity, and information technology.

— Coach Peggy Brouse, director of Mason’s bachelor of science in cyber security engineering program.

"These students combine deep technical knowledge, tool expertise, creative thinking, and teamwork to solve problems, precisely the skills employers are looking for."

— Jim Jones, assistant coach and faculty advisor for Mason Competitive Cyber

Mason Engineering experts will highlight cybersecurity research for their partners

Nanci Hellmich — Wed, 09 May 2018 20:06:57 +0000

Mason Engineering experts will highlight cybersecurity research for their partners Nanci Hellmich Wed, 05/09/2018 - 16:06

Mason Engineering has a robust cybersecurity program that crosses disciplinary engineering boundaries and includes robots, drones, autonomous vehicles, health care, smart cities, and the electrical grid.

J. P. Auffret

Computer Science professor Duminda Wijesekera is one of the featured speakers at a Mason Engineering cybersecurity briefing Tuesday. (Photo by Creative Services).

Mason Engineering cybersecurity experts will give an overview of the school’s recent advances in cyber research at a breakfast Tuesday, May 15.

Dean Ken Ball is hosting the briefing for industry and government partners at the Center for the Arts Building on the Fairfax Campus. About 100 leaders in cybersecurity are expected to attend.

“Mason Engineering has a robust cybersecurity program that crosses disciplinary engineering boundaries and includes robots, drones, autonomous vehicles, health care, smart cities, and the electrical grid,” says J. P. Auffret, associate director of the Center for Assurance Research and Engineering (CARE). “Our research is practice-oriented. The idea is to bring the innovations to industry and government."

Liza Wilson Durant, Mason Engineering's associate dean of strategic initiatives and community engagement, says, “Forums, such as the dean's breakfast briefing, provide the opportunity for researchers to bring the latest results of their work directly to innovators in industry and government and engage in direct dialogue with the constituents of our research enterprise.”

Speakers include:

Angelos Stavrou, director of CARE, who will discuss distributed defenses/distributed denial of service.
Gheorghe Tecuci, professor of computer science, on evidence-based detection of advanced persistent threats.
Duminda Wijesekera, co-director of CARE and professor of computer science, on the safety of connected vehicular systems.
Mark Pullen, director of the Center of Excellence in Command, Control, Communications, Computing, Intelligence, and Cyber, on coalition military training for cyber-active environments based on C2-simulation interoperation.
Jim Jones, an associate professor in the digital forensics and cyber analysis program in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, on the decay and analysis of residual digital artifacts.
Bruce Maas, emeritus CIO, University of Wisconsin-Madison, on research and university CIO/CISO collaborations.
J. P. Auffret, associate director of CARE, on furthering local government cybersecurity capability and governance through cross jurisdiction partnering.

The event is by invitation only and aims to give industry and government partners and other guests a chance to meet Mason cyber faculty and hear about some of the school’s research activities.

The Mason Competitive Cyber club captures Commonwealth Cyber Cup at state competition

Nanci Hellmich — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 21:22:08 +0000

The Mason Competitive Cyber club captures Commonwealth Cyber Cup at state competition Nanci Hellmich Mon, 02/26/2018 - 16:22

Some of the challenges seem like the kind of stuff you’d see in movies, but they have real-world applications.

Mason Competitive Cyber president Michael Bailey

Mason was one of 13 schools that competed in the invitation-only Cyber Fusion Competition.

The Mason Competitive Cyber club won the 2018 Commonwealth Cyber Cup at a prestigious state competition last weekend.

Mason was one of 13 schools that competed in the invitation-only Cyber Fusion Competition for Virginia community colleges and universities that are National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Security. The event was held at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia.

The intense four-hour competition involved solving a variety of complex cyber challenges including hacking into websites, performing reverse engineering on programs, analyzing network traffic, and deciphering encrypted messages.

“Some of the challenges seem like the kind of stuff you’d see in movies, but they have real-world applications,” says Mason Competitive Cyber president Michael Bailey, a junior majoring in IT. Other members on the competition team were Ammar Al-Kahfah, Paul Benoit, Chuck Tran, Chris Issing, and Christopher Roberts.

It’s very rewarding when your group solves a complex problem, and you get points on the scoreboard, Bailey says. Mason Competitive Cyber was the only club that solved some of the problems.

The team went into the competition optimistic because Mason placed fourth last year. “This year we were much more deliberate about everything,” Bailey says.

Mason’s observing student group placed second in a parallel challenge. Those competing members were Doreen Joseph, Natalie Parke, Kang Xu, and Steve Zamory.

“We went into this to have fun, meet new people, and work as a team,” says head coach Peggy Brouse, director of the bachelor of science in cyber security engineering program at Mason. “I admit, though, that it was gratifying to win the competition. I am incredibly proud of all the Mason participants.”

She was impressed by the comradery and composure of all the teams. “It was a pleasure to meet people from all across the Commonwealth.”

Assistant coach Jim Jones, an associate professor in the digital forensics and cyber analysis program in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, says of Mason's team: "The students are self-driven. They teach themselves. They teach each other. They compete frequently. They use their wits, skills, and knowledge to solve problems they’ve never seen before.”

The goal of the event, co-hosted by Senator Mark R. Warner and Governor Ralph Northam, is to develop the next generation of cybersecurity professionals in Virginia. Students participated in cyber challenges, learned from industry professionals, networked, and attended a cyber job fair.

Mason Engineering has 17 cyber-degree programs, including a first-of its-kind bachelor of science in cyber security engineering, multiple master’s degrees and graduate certificates in cyber security, and an interdisciplinary PhD in information technology with concentrations in information security and assurance as well as digital forensics.

We went into this to have fun, meet new people, and work as a team. I admit, though, that it was gratifying to win the competition. I am incredibly proud of all the Mason participants.

Head coach Peggy Brouse

Mason Competitive Cyber club members participated in the intense four-hour competition, solving a variety of complex cyber challenges. Pictured here from left: Chris Issing, Chuck Tran, Christopher Roberts, Michael Bailey (center), Ammar Al-Kahfah, Paul Benoit.

The students are self-driven. They teach themselves. They teach each other. They compete frequently. They use their wits, skills, and knowledge to solve problems they’ve never seen before.

Assistant coach Jim Jones