Social media has recently become a very effective vehicle for the almost-real-time dissemination of information. However, the same features that make social media a great tool for handling disasters or crises, where the quick and broad information spreading is vital, also enable the malicious and harmful spread of misinformation and bias. This project focuses on understanding and modeling the features that impact information diffusion, opinion formation, and decision-making in OSN

Modeling User Behaviors in Social Networks

Social media is currently the main means through which people gather their information and share their experiences, and a significant contributor to knowledge and political activity. Unfortunately, the very participation in social media exposes private information, often times through mechanisms that are beyond the user's understanding, and hence the user's consent. This project focuses on providing a better understanding about what privacy means, how it is compromised, and how it can be defended.

Privacy Metrics and Practical Solutions

The security aspects of control system engineering are often overlooked when designing robust control systems. Such systems are ubiquitous in modern-day applications, from electrical power generation and distribution to smart agriculture, and from industrial manufacturing to unmanned vehicles. This project investigates some of the security issues specific to control systems.

Cyber-Physical System Security

Mobile security is a growing field, as more and more malicious actors are starting to focus on the mobile market. Currently, the security features of mobile devices are not able  to offer protection against new and sophisticated malware. At the PITS lab, we are looking into improving malware detection through the use of advanced machine learning techniques like deep neural networks.

Android Malware Detection