Cybersecurity Student and Faculty Publications at Seton Hall University

Shajina Anand, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, specializes in authentication and security in cloud computing. Anand works closely with her students on impactful, original research with immediate relevance to today’s cyberthreats to commercial websites, online gaming platforms, and cloud networks. Together with two sets of four students, she recently presented two papers at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) conference. Both projects started as presentations at the Seton Hall Petersheim Exposition, which promotes student and faculty research and collaboration, and both ended up as publications.

In one of the papers published on IEEE Xplore, "Vulnerability Analysis and Risk Scoring of Networks," Anand and two of her research students, Kyle Courtney and Eden Oleary, examine the complexity of networks and the recent challenges in the cyber world. The article demonstrates how to use penetration testing to create a risk score for systems—networks, machines, software—based on the intensity of their vulnerability. The article further describes how to use white box testing—which looks at the source code of a program—to generate a risk analysis report and, ultimately, protect networks. 

Yet another recent conference proceeding, also published by IEEE, categorize the different types of  "social engineering" attacks by which cybercriminals target two specific groups, online gamers and online shoppers. The study, "The Commonalities in Social Engineering Attacks through E-Commerce Shopping Platforms & Online Gaming Programs," is coauthored by two additional students of Anand, Jasiel Garcia and Paul Oburu. Together, the team examined the psychological and behavioral patterns that make specific groups vulnerable to cyberattacks, and they propose approaches users can take to counteract and prevent these social engineering attacks.

Anand and her research group actively learn about real-time challenges in the field of cybersecurity and contribute to the advancement of the current knowledge regarding the security of online activities. All four of the students involved in the projects above are now successfully graduated and employed in related, competitive jobs.

Anand is one of the growing group of cybersecurity, applied computing, and computer science experts in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at Seton Hall University, which has a competitive BS in Computer Science, an MS in Data Science, and a cutting-edge Cybersecurity Certificate, among other related and developing Cybersecurity, computers, science, and engineering programs. As part of its CyberX Initiative, the University has recently invested in new Cybersecurity Lab and summer STEM research grants to help students collaborate on original research projects like those led by Anand. For more information about Anand's research projects, you can reach out to her at shajina.anand@shu.edu.

Categories: Science and Technology