computer science

Cyber savant hacks his way onto international team

Nathan Kahl — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 16:48:51 +0000

Cyber savant hacks his way onto international team Nathan Kahl Tue, 12/03/2024 - 11:48

Dylan Victor Knoff is president of the Mason Competitive Cyber (MCC) club, a computer science major, and the kind of self-motivated hacker you might see rummaging through Goodwill bins, in his free time looking for a $4 router that he can use to bolster his resume.

“I’ll pull it apart and take the firmware off the chip. It's good fun, responsibly and ethically doing stuff to it, of course, and then reporting vulnerabilities,” he said.

The ��AV junior likes to examine routers because they are more likely than other devices to have detectable problems. Once he finds a vulnerability, per industry practice, he reports it to the vendor and then MITRE, the nonprofit that that catalogs firmware and software problems. Getting a mention on their common vulnerabilities and exposures listing looks good professionally for young cyber sleuths.

This ambition to make the cyber world a better, safer place is a theme in Knoff’s life. First, he started a Capture the Flag (CTF) team during high school, and then he attended a university cyber club while still a teen. When the Orlando native and first-gen college student could have chosen the local University of Central Florida, instead he left home for George Mason, recognizing the university’s prowess in the field and the benefit of being close to potential employers in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region. Knowing that breaking into cybersecurity is no Mickey Mouse endeavor, shortly after arriving in Fairfax he networked with the Battelle intern coordinator and subsequently landed a paid, full-time co-op with the STEM giant.

When he's not hacking routers, Knoff enjoys Shenandoah National Park

Knoff is on the U.S. Cyber Team and in October competed at the International Cybersecurity Challenge in Santiago, Chile. He said, “We competed against other countries’ teams in a two-day CTF, where one day was attack-and-defend, and the second day was on vulnerability assessment and exploit development.”

Knoff’s research focus is reverse engineering and vulnerability research. “I'll find something wrong with a specific device or framework and I'll find a ‘zero day,’ which is a vulnerability that is unknown to the vendor, and then I'll disclose it to them,” he said, indicating the standard industry practice.

For next year’s DistrictCon, a hacker conference in Washington, D.C., in February, Knoff and two members of MCC participated in the Junkyard Contest, where participants find vulnerabilities in devices; they discovered a stunning eight zero days on one router.

Knoff is giving a separate talk at the conference, on return-oriented programming, a way that hackers can get into a system by reusing code that already exists in a program. “I made this tool that utilizes computer emulation to analyze and visualize the memory side effects of elements that make up a return-oriented attack. Using data aggregation, these elements are then sorted based on their exploitation effects and made easily searchable to an operator.” He made the tool open source, available to anyone on GitHub, and is releasing an updated version the day of the talk.

On rare days when he’s not at a keyboard, Knoff enjoys getting outside, especially for a hike. “I love going to Shenandoah with my friends, doing Old Rag and White Oak,” he said, referencing two of the more popular—and challenging—Shenandoah National Park trails.

Currently he’s entertaining offers for two new co-ops, with the hopes of potentially spinning one of those into full-time employment. And whether scaling digital peaks or the rugged trails of Shenandoah, Knoff will find himself climbing…toward discovery and solutions in a safer cyber world.

Topics

Cyber Security

Mason Competitive Cyber

computer science

Tech Talent Investment Program (TTIP)

Students

Student team wins first place, $60k from cyber warfare challenge

Teresa Donnellan — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 15:44:34 +0000

Student team wins first place, $60k from cyber warfare challenge Teresa Donnellan Fri, 11/01/2024 - 11:44

A student team from a research group in ��AV's Center for Secure Information Systems, led by Professor Kun Sun, won first place in the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) Cyber Resiliency and Measurement Challenge. The students were selected to compete in person from October 22–23 at the University of Mary Washington’s Dahlgren Campus.

The team consisted of two undergraduates, Sam Best and Noah Korzak, majoring in computer science and cyber security engineering, respectively, and doctoral student Tommy Chin.

Samuel Best, Noah Korzak, and Tommy Chin at the NSWCDD Cyber Resilience and Measurement Challenge

“I thought the competition was a great opportunity to learn from,” said Best, adding, “Although the prize is a great plus, the skills I learned are far more valuable to my career.”

Sun reflected on the experience: "Over the past two months, it has been a valuable opportunity for our students to apply their knowledge from the classroom to tackle real-world cyber warfare challenges.”

“Eleven teams from colleges and universities across the nation competed in the challenge, aiming to address real-world cybersecurity problems faced by the Navy while gaining valuable knowledge and skills essential for tackling complex cyber threats in the future,” wrote Morgan Tabor of NSWCDD Corporate Communications.

“One of NSWCDD’s priorities is to develop innovative solutions that strengthen our nation’s cyber defenses and enhance system resiliency against cyber threats. By participating in this challenge, teams are helping us explore new ways to measure and improve tools that assess and improve cyber defensive capabilities,” said another NSWCDD representative.

Learn more about the Center for Secure Information Systems

Learn about Cyber Security at ��AV

In This Story

Kun Sun

Topics

Cybersecurity

cyber defense

Department of Cyber Security Engineering

computer science

Students

Study abroad combines tourism and tech

Martha Bushong — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 15:18:13 +0000

Study abroad combines tourism and tech Martha Bushong Tue, 07/23/2024 - 11:18

When most people think of Vienna, Austria they imagine elegant baroque palaces and a world-class opera and symphony, not a European Tech hub. The tension between old and new inspired Professor Rob Pettit, associate chair of the Computer Science Department at ��AV, to lead a pioneering study-abroad program there in the summer of 2024.

Designed for undergraduate computer science students, this initiative is among the nation’s first faculty-led, study-abroad opportunities specific to computer science. "Studying abroad is not just about combining academics with travel," said Pettit. "It's a transformative experience that expands horizons, fosters cultural understanding and builds a global perspective. Given today's interconnected world, studying abroad equips students with unique skills and insights, preparing them to navigate and contribute to a diverse and dynamic global community."

Pettit and the students lived as locals in Vienna's dynamic 6th district for this six-week immersive program. Students attended classes at the renowned Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien), consistently ranked in the world's top 100 computer science universities. There, Pettit held lectures for CS 321 Software Engineering in which students gained hands-on experience with team-based agile software development practices in preparation for their transition to industry.

“CS 321 is a project-based course and part of the required curriculum for the BS CS and BS ACS degrees at George Mason,” said Petit. “For their projects, students were required to incorporate elements of their study-abroad experience into a deliverable software application.”

In addition to CS 321, students earned credit for CS 399 Exploration of the Global Software Engineering Industry. Together, this combination provided six credits of coursework directly applicable to the computer science major.

Computer Science students in front of Melk Abbey. Photo provided.

Organized excursions and industry interactions enhanced the students' cultural and historical understanding. Highlights from the program's first half included visits to the Hofburg Imperial Palace, Vienna's Technical Museum, and the Belvedere Palace's art galleries and gardens. The undergraduates also traveled to nearby Melk Abbey, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

For the industry experience, TTTech corporation hosted students at its Vienna location and included presentations on high-reliability software. Beyond site visits, the group also shared community meals where they experienced traditional Austrian, Hungarian, and Turkish cuisine while building stronger bonds within the group.

For their first long weekend, students and Pettit traveled to Prague, staying in a hotel with views of the Charles Bridge and Prague Castle. A guided tour of Prague's historic city center provided deep insights into the city's rich history. "Our guide, a lifelong resident, enriched our experience with his extensive historical knowledge, concluding the tour in Wenceslas Square with a firsthand account of the Soviet suppression of the Prague Spring uprising, which he witnessed as a teenager," said Pettit.

Additional excursions included visits to Schönbrunn Palace—the stunning Baroque summer palace of the Hapsburgs—and day trips to Bratislava, Slovakia, and Sopron, Hungary. The students explored and traveled to locations in Croatia, Germany, and Italy during their free weekends.

In This Story

Robert Pettit

Learn more about Computer Science at George Mason

Explore the world with the Global Education Office

Topics

computer science

study abroad

Students

College of Engineering and Computing

Global Education Office

Strategic Direction

CEC Global Engagement

Tech industry professionals describe “A Day in the Life”

Teresa Donnellan — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 17:56:28 +0000

Tech industry professionals describe “A Day in the Life” Teresa Donnellan Mon, 03/25/2024 - 13:56

In This Story

Shahnaz Kamberi

On March 21, 2024, Break Through Tech Mason hosted a panel of tech industry professionals titled "A Day in the Life: Tech Jobs Unveiled." Each panelist discussed their path in the tech industry, as well as the advice they would offer students just starting out.

“Yesterday, we had the privilege of diving deep into the world of tech with Jamie Bowers, site reliability engineer at Microsoft, Veeraj Modi, security analyst at Microsoft, and Cassandra Rothrauff, senior computer engineer at Booz Allen Hamilton,” said Shahnaz Kamberi, a professor of computer science and leader of Break Through Tech Mason. “Their insights illuminated the varied paths to success in the tech industry and the importance of resilience, mentorship, and teamwork along the way.”

Each speaker also shared what a typical day looks like in their current role. Then students were able to ask questions.

Break Through Tech works at the intersection of academia and industry to propel women and underrepresented communities into computing degrees and tech careers. ��AV's partnership with Break Through Tech began in 2019 and includes curriculum innovation, career access, and community building.

"A Day in the Life: Tech Jobs Unveiled" panelists Veeraj Modi, Jamie Bowers, and Cassandra Rothrauff

Kamberi noted that the speakers exemplified the fact that there is no “one-size-fits-all approach” to a career in tech. “From overcoming academic challenges to leveraging mentorship, their stories emphasized the multitude of avenues available to aspiring tech professionals,” she said. “Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just embarking on your journey, their stories serve as a beacon of inspiration for anyone aspiring to make their mark in the tech industry.”

Bowers, Modi, and Rothrauff described how their roles are dynamic to respond to the changing nature of tech. “Whether it’s troubleshooting complex systems, analyzing security threats, or designing innovative solutions, their workdays are marked by diversity and excitement,” said Kamberi.

Kamberi reflected on the main takeaways for students who attended the event, including the importance of work-life balance, learning from mistakes, and collaborating well with colleagues.

A Day in the Life panelists, Shahnaz Kamberi, and Break Through Tech Mason peer leaders

In light of the exciting nature of their industry, speakers emphasized the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. “From setting boundaries to prioritizing self-care, they emphasized that success in tech goes hand in hand with personal well-being,” said Kamberi. "The panelists candidly discussed the inevitability of making mistakes and the invaluable lessons gleaned from them. Rather than viewing failures as setbacks, they encouraged embracing them as opportunities for growth and learning,” she added.

Bowers, Modi, and Rothrauff also underscored the power of effective teamwork, noting that synergy is a driving force behind innovation and success.

“‘A Day in the Life: Tech Jobs Unveiled’ provided invaluable insights into the multifaceted world of tech, reaffirming that with passion, perseverance, and a supportive community, anything is possible in this dynamic field,” said Kamberi.

Topics

Break Through Tech

information sciences and technology

computer science

Computer science; computing; School of Computing

professional development

women in computing

Students

Tech Talent Investment Pipeline (TTIP)

TTIP

Tech Talent Investment Program

Computer Science Department’s Professor Sanmay Das was named a distinguished member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)

Martha Bushong — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 19:35:39 +0000

Computer Science Department’s Professor Sanmay Das was named a distinguished member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Martha Bushong Mon, 02/05/2024 - 14:35

In This Story

Sanmay Das

The Association for Computing Machinery has named Professor Sanmay Das a distinguished member. Das and the 51 additional inductees are longstanding ACM Members and were selected by their peers for work that has advanced computing, fostered innovation across various fields, and improved computer science education.

Das is chair of the ACM Special Interest Group on Artificial Intelligence, a member of the board of directors of the International Foundation for Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems, and serves as an associate editor of the ACM Transactions on Economics and Computation and of the Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research. He has served as the program co-chair of the AAMAS and AMMA conferences and area chair for AAAI and IJCAI, in addition to regularly serving as a senior program committee member of major conferences, including IJCAI, AAAI, EC, and AAMAS. 

“Sanmay Das is an internationally esteemed scholar working on foundational problems in the use of machine learning for social good, and I am thrilled that he has been recognized with this prestigious and very well-deserved honor from the ACM,” said Computer Science Department Chair David Rosenblum.

The 2023 ACM distinguished members work at leading universities, corporations, and research institutions in Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This year’s class of distinguished members made advancements in areas including AI and economics, principles of data management, software development, human-computer interaction, developing technology for people with disabilities, mobile and wireless sensing systems, and many others. 

Topics

computer science

CEC Faculty Awards

college

Faculty and Staff News

Student Commencement speaker Shruti Sekar is destined to succeed, helping others along the way

Colleen Rich — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 16:14:21 +0000

Student Commencement speaker Shruti Sekar is destined to succeed, helping others along the way Colleen Rich Thu, 12/14/2023 - 11:14

In the summer before she started at ��AV, this year’s Student Commencement Speaker Shruti Sekar learned Python with her friends while participating in coding activities, which launched her passion for computer science.

Shruti Sekar.
Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

In her first semester, the computer science major joined Mason’s Student Government Senate and the Honors College’s Student Advisory Board. The next year, she worked as a teaching assistant for the Break Through Tech Summer Guild to introduce more women to computing. She also participated in Break Through Tech’s short-term Sprinternship program, where she received a chance to explore software engineering at Mastercard during winter break.

Since her junior year, Sekar has enjoyed supporting initiatives for students as a secretary for Girls Who Code. In her final semester, she helped to set up the executive board for the hardware hackathon HackOver-flow; participated in Mason’s President-Student Advisory Board; and founded Social Sandbox, a community engagement and technology club, with her team.

Sekar loves writing fiction, crafting lyrics and poems, and collaging scrapbooks. She also relaxes by spending time with friends, interacting with animals, creating products for hackathons, and playing video games. She attributes her success to her lovely friends and professors and, most importantly, to her parents and brother who have encouraged and uplifted her every step of the way. After graduation, Sekar will join Mastercard as a data engineer and continue working toward her accelerated master’s degree in computer science at Mason.

Sekar delivered the following remarks at Winter Commencement on Dec. 14 in EagleBank Arena.

Before I begin, I would like to congratulate the Winter 2023 graduating class! Even though we speak different languages, come from various countries, and study distinct disciplines, we all embody the determination and grit required to earn a degree as Mason Patriots! Congratulations to all undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students in the Class of 2023!

Every graduating class has a story to tell. Our story reaches beyond countless hours preparing for graduation, days of studying for finals, weeks of attending lectures, and years of working towards our degree.

Our story includes waves that shook our education.

We started by touching our screens to start video calls as we physically drifted apart during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We saw the skies painted orange as the weather wilted from wildfires flowing from Canada.

We heard shrill alarm bells ring and felt our hearts sink when nearby universities underwent lockdowns.

We felt a loss of rights with an increase in policies targeting LGBTQ+ communities and women.

We tasted desperation akin to apocalyptic nightmares with multiple wars.

But when undercurrents of tragedy rippled through, we, as a Mason community sent lifeboats to our peers drifting in turbulent waves.

For me, my first two semesters at Mason were the most isolating. My brain felt drained, my heart felt heavy, and my mind doubted itself. You see, Mason is the first place I took an actual coding class. As a computer science major, I had no prior experience besides block-based coding made for young kids.

I had heard terms relating to databases or software engineering from my dad and brother. Even when I was applying to Mason, I intended to study as a mechanical engineering major. But before orientation, I learned Python with my friend Swetha, and our connection gave me the confidence to switch into computer science.

But the transition was not easy. Seeing the mountains of technical knowledge other students displayed, I felt I would never be smart enough or do enough. When difficult coding assignments hit, or I found myself working past 1 a.m., I truly questioned if the path I was taking was the path I should be taking.

In the end, the problem didn’t lie in my ability; it lay in our lack of connection during the pandemic and our utter loneliness. Everyone took virtual classes, and we all pretended that we were doing fine. We apologized when we faced interruptions in Zoom, fine-tuned our lighting and microphones, and adjusted our camera to provide a picture-perfect view of ourselves. We sometimes even turned off our cameras to prevent others from noticing the chaos behind us.

The truth is that we students know that the outside world affects our education—yet we still try to isolate our own lives from our academics.

Despite my feeling of drowning in waves, the people around me pulled me to shore. The strength of the Mason community has always lay in reaching out and uplifting one another from the harshest currents in the ocean.

My mother and father continued to motivate me to pursue a higher education degree. My brother encouraged me to think critically about my four-year plan. My friends and professors empowered me through their kind words.

In particular, during my first semester at Mason, the Student Government Senate and the Honors College Student Advisory Board anchored me through the worst tempests of the pandemic. Administrators at the Honors College taught me the meaning of interdisciplinary collaboration and club presidents like Taye, Ghaaliyah, and Rosy highlighted the value of empathy and good leadership. In Student Government Senate, they listened to me and made me feel respected when I worked on mental health and accessibility initiatives.

The Honors College and Student Government supported me in creating events and learning more about community initiatives, which would serve as a template for the rest of my undergraduate experience. They taught me that we should pursue even the smallest of ideas and that we should all look out for each other.

While we were all in our little islands at home trying to hold steady through passing storms, these organizations made me feel like there were bridges between us and that we were never truly alone.

So many people at Mason are anchors for others.

I joined Break Through Tech and met phenomenal professors who led the initiatives to help women become involved in technology. I met women who were also learning how to code for the first time, and we all felt like we genuinely belonged in computer science. From there, I joined Girls Who Code and even founded the club Social Sandbox with my wonderful team and faculty advisor, Professor Peixoto, to merge technology with civic and community engagement.

Throughout my time in the student organizations at Mason, I met so many dedicated people; we became a network just like a school of fish where we all swam together toward a common goal of increasing the number of women in tech and helping each other succeed.

In my time at Mason, so many people made me, and people like me, feel included. It reminds me of how my brother once told me that it doesn’t matter how smart you are or what job you have. Instead, people will remember you by how you treat them.

So, Mason Patriots, I ask you: How does the story you write today impact the generations of tomorrow? How will you use the tools you learned to protect and improve your communities?

While there are many insurmountable issues in the world, the best way we can make progress is to start local, to start with our communities, to start with us. Already, I see that Mason’s community of green and gold continues to be an anchor of change for a better future.

While we saw the skies turn orange, and the waters turn green, Dr. Stafford’s classes studied the streams of Virginia’s waterways to understand pollution and how we can change it. While nationwide college enrollment dipped throughout the pandemic, seniors Nikita Alluri and Dhaksha Kannan created their own company, IncluYou, to help make the college transition easier. While we raised questions during the digital revolution of AI and Chat-GPT, Dr. Yao answered them to educate the next generation of computer scientists.

We watched our world change, and we decided to change the world together.

As I said before, we students know the world affects our education; however, as a graduating class, we didn’t let the world’s situation stop our studies.

We lost people, money, and security.

But we learned that the power of education and community cannot be taken away from us.

We learned that Patriots sponsor change within our state.

We learned that Patriots share a dream—that these graduates donning green and gold see, live, and change for creeks of calm and oceans of equality.

We shall continue to write tales where our voyages transcend waves of uncertainty and turmoil and instead transform into a story of success and support. Because as Mason’s graduating class of Winter 2023, we are the authors of our story.

Thank you and congratulations to the Class of 2023!

Watch the Commencement Ceremony

Experience Break Through Tech Sprinternships

Student teams tackle tech industry challenges at PatriotHacks 2023

Teresa Donnellan — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 19:05:36 +0000

Student teams tackle tech industry challenges at PatriotHacks 2023 Teresa Donnellan Fri, 10/13/2023 - 15:05

In This Story

Kamaljeet Sanghera

Liza Wilson Durant

More than 500 students, nine sponsors, and 50 volunteers gathered on ��AV’s Fairfax Campus for the fifth annual PatriotHacks hackathon from October 6–8. After working for 36 hours straight, student teams presented 70 projects to a panel of judges and received feedback and prizes.

“Each year, PatriotHacks continues to grow, and students accept the challenge and create truly innovative projects to fulfill the various tracks. The level of technological innovation seen in this one weekend is proof of the caliber of research, work, and experience at ��AV,” said event organizer Kamaljeet Sanghera, executive director of Mason’s Institute for Digital Innovation and a professor of information sciences and technology. She added, “We are very grateful to our sponsors for their contributions. Their support is critical to both the success of this event and the work we do at Mason.”

People at the Amazon Web Services workshop. Photo by Kamaljeet Sanghera

Student organizers worked tirelessly to make the event a success. Computer science major Krishna Purohit, who was in charge of sponsor outreach, noted this year’s event yielded more than triple the number of submitted projects than last year’s hackathon. “We're excited to scale the hackathon and make it one of the largest in Virginia,” he said.

Student teams designed solutions for problems presented by event sponsors, such as Peraton, Amazon, Special Competitive Studies Project–SCSP, Arcfield, GEICO, Salesforce, and the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) NoVa Node.

"CCI NoVa Node is making significant investments in hands-on cybersecurity experiences for the tech talent pipeline in the [Northern Virginia] region,” said Liza Wilson Durant, associate provost for strategic initiatives and community engagement and director of the Northern Virginia Node of the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI). “Events like PatriotHacks are an important way to build technical capacity in students, share innovative ideas across disciplines, and support the development of the diverse pipeline of talent we are cultivating in Northern Virginia."

Mason students Akhil Rachure, Sai Kumar Kattera, Sai Preethi Pantangi, and Kevlar Nalankilli joined forces for the hackathon; their team won two tracks, hosted by Peraton and Salesforce, respectively, with two different projects.

From left, Sai Preethi Pantangi, Akhil Rachure, Salesforce representative Brian Coughlin, Sai Kumar Kattera, and Kevlar Nalankilli. Photo by Akhil Rachure

“It was a grueling 36-hour marathon of brainstorming, coding, and innovation, and finally, all the hard work paid off,” said Rachure, who is majoring in data analytics engineering.

“PatriotHacks 2023 was special and different from other hackathons I’ve been to. There were lots of track options to choose from, including sponsored ones and Mason tracks, with experts around to help us out,” said Kattera, who is majoring in computer science. “We all worked together really well, and that’s the main reason we could build our product in just 36 hours. This experience taught me that with a strong team effort, anything is possible.”

The team won the Peraton track with their project, an application meant to help travelers plan safer trips.

“The app displays routes from point A to B and also highlights danger zones, helping users avoid potential crashes,” said Rachure.

The team won a track hosted by Salesforce with a related project. Pantangi, a computer science major, explained, “We leveraged Tableau to craft a comprehensive dashboard. This dashboard is designed to empower car companies with valuable insights into car crashes, categorized by model and body type.”

For students new to hackathons, PatriotHacks 2023 made a positive impression. Computer science major Nathan Albe, who won the Best Powered AI track with teammates Mohamed Shaik, Sanjay Mohan Kumar, and Sami Saifudin, said, “This was my first hackathon, and I can say it was a great first experience.... I felt like I learned how to effectively work toward a project and goal, not just by myself but in a team environment.”

Albe also said, “Thank you to all of the volunteers and sponsors at PatriotHacks for creating such a memorable event. I loved working with my team, and I learned so much. Can't wait for next year!”

Topics

College of Engineering and Computing

Hackathon

computer science

information sciences and technology

Institute for Digital InnovAtion (IDIA)

Students

Strategic Direction

Tech Talent Investment Pipeline (TTIP)

TTIP

Tech Talent Investment Program

Mason Competitive Cyber welcomes everyone — no experience needed

Martha Bushong — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 22:43:30 +0000

Mason Competitive Cyber welcomes everyone — no experience needed Martha Bushong Thu, 09/28/2023 - 18:43

Learn About Mason Competitive Cyber

Students choose ��AV for a variety of reasons. Computer science sophomore Jax Dunfee came to Mason because of its strong competitive cyber club. Dunfee’s interest in competitive cyber began in high school and has continued into his college years. “When I was looking for colleges, I saw that Mason had a competitive cyber team. So, I investigated it, thought it was cool, looked into it more, and joined when I got here. I've always been into cybersecurity and competitive cyber is a great way to improve my skills.”

The Mason Competitive Cybe r (MCC) club is open to all and though it mostly comprises students in technical majors, the club welcomes everyone. The group meets twice weekly—virtually on Wednesdays and in person on Fridays. The Friday meeting sometimes includes presentations or talks from industry sponsors or professionals.

The club also competes in person at events sponsored by other universities like Virginia Military Institute and Virginia Tech. In September, MCC hosted its own international Capture the Flag (CTF) event that attracted more than 3,000 participants and over 1,600 teams. If you’re looking for the heart and soul of MCC, you’ll find it at CTFs. They’re also one of the best ways to learn about hacking and cybersecurity.

Jax Dunfee, in center with teammates Biplav Gautam left, Dylan Knoff on right

“The events are how we put theory in practice,” said Dunfee. “In classes, a lot of times you learn programming that builds a baseline for what you'll be doing in the industry, but frequently you don't have a lot of time to do that--put that theory into practice. But with CTF you get hands-on activities with your teammates and others.”

Dunfee describes CTF as a variety of challenges that can range from web app exploitation, binary exploitation, cryptography, or reverse engineering forensics. Teams receive a challenge and a description, that they must solve and then get a flag, and the flags are redeemed for points. The team with the most points wins.

Students who are interested in learning more about MCC can check out the website or attend one of the meetings. “We’re always looking for members,” said Dunfee. No experience necessary.

"The Mason Competitive Cyber Club has been competing in CTFs, and winning, since they formed in 2016. The club leadership and members do an excellent job learning from each other and teaching skills to new members, so as older students graduate and new students roll in, they just keep getting better and have a great time doing it. Club alumni are getting excellent jobs in the cybersecurity world, and they regularly give back to the organization by visiting, talking to members, and hiring our graduates." Jim Jones, Director, Criminal Investigations and Network Analysis Center and MCC faculty advisor

Topics

computer science

Tech Talent Investment Program (TTIP)

Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Cybersecurity

Students

Cyber cyclists count calories with adaptive virtual workouts

Nathan Kahl — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 13:41:21 +0000

Cyber cyclists count calories with adaptive virtual workouts Nathan Kahl Fri, 09/15/2023 - 09:41

For many, exercise is a laborious chore, better put off until tomorrow. But Craig Yu, an associate professor in the ��AV Department of Computer Science, is hoping a combination of virtual reality and gamification will make exercise an appealing—and even fun—endeavor.

Virtual reality (VR) is becoming ubiquitous, popping up in everything from serious activities like military applications and surgery support to recreational activities like theme park attractions and at-home video games.

Yu and colleagues are seeking to use the immersive VR world to help make exercise appealing. And more than that, they want to tailor your exercise routine to your fitness needs and abilities, in real time.

With Yu's program, a virtual cyclist's path will adapt to exercise outputs. Image courtesy of Craig Yu.

Imagine strapping on a VR headset and hopping on a stationary bike. You input goals such as calorie burn, heart rate changes, and other exertion targets. You then choose the terrain you want—maybe it’s a rocky hill or a desert scene and maybe a hazard or particular landmark is added for aesthetics. The game will then suggest path length and difficulty, among other things, to help you meet those goals. After you set off and your exercise output changes and fluctuates, the path will adjust in real time so that you ultimately get the precise workout you are seeking. Along the way, elements of gamification like point scoring, goal achievement, and collecting bonuses work to incentivize you.

To develop this technology, the researchers hacked a gym bicycle with a step motor, which controls the bike’s resistance according to the elevation of the VR terrain. If the user goes uphill, the bike's resistance will increase accordingly such that the user has to push to climb the hill, resulting in haptic realism and also the desired exertion effects.

Yu has a grant from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) I-Corps program to further develop what for now is called “the exertion-aware path generator.” I-Corps “prepares scientists and engineers to extend their focus beyond the laboratory to increase the economic and societal impact of NSF-funded projects.” It helps academics think about commercializing their product via market research, iterative product development, and other common elements of bringing a product to market. While what they built was a prototype, the team is learning how to develop their creation to appeal to gym equipment companies such as Peloton, for example.

The I-Corps program is extensive, Yu says. “We have one month where we meet with NSF coaches and members of other teams. We learn different aspects of commercialization and customer discovery.” Among other things, participants must interview at least 100 potential customers about their product, helping to determine if a market actually exists for the device and, if so, if the product meets customer needs in its present form.

Yu says they talked to people from defense contractors, government agencies, and schools, among other places, with positive feedback, mostly around the practical challenges of using and getting used to VR experiences.

Yu is optimistic about the future of VR, noting that an extensive gaming culture among incoming college students leads many to want to explore research in the field. He recalls his own interest. “I was a junior faculty when Oculus Quest (an early VR headset) came out. It really amazed me! It was very cheap and we could do a lot of research projects based on it, including developing training and education programs.”

Yu says those practical uses are just now being fully explored. “On one hand, you need to make training really effective, not just fun. It should teach people something essential for their job. If someone performs very well in VR training, does it mean the person can perform equally well in the workplace? So there's a gap here and this is exactly what researchers are looking at, like whether people can transfer the knowledge effectively.”

But in the meantime, strap on the VR headset, pull up a course ending on the Champs-Élysées and pretend you’re wearing the yellow jersey as you hit that calorie goal. Fortunately, the croissants waiting for you at your ride’s end are only virtual.

Thumbnail art created by Simon Waldherr under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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Craig Yu

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Your Path to Tech event introduces new students to computer science, information sciences and technology

Teresa Donnellan — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 16:05:34 +0000

Your Path to Tech event introduces new students to computer science, information sciences and technology Teresa Donnellan Mon, 08/28/2023 - 12:05

Last Friday, students new to the College of Engineering and Computing gathered in the Corner Pocket, a space in the Hub to attend Your Path to Tech, a daylong event hosted by Break Through Tech Mason. The event welcomed students new to the College of Engineering and Computing, especially women, interested in exploring computer science (CS) and information sciences and technology (IST). Students heard from accomplished speakers, practiced skills in hands-on workshops, and connected with both academic advisors and peer mentors.

Missy Cummings, one of the nation’s first female fighter pilots, former advisor for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and current ��AV professor and director of the Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center, gave a keynote address. Afterward, attendees heard from a panel of women with ample tech industry experience and a panel of Mason alumni now working in the field.

“All of their stories were so empowering,” said Pallavi Vegesna, who is starting a Master’s in Data Analytics Engineering this fall. She was inspired by the speakers’ unique paths to working in tech: One panelist majored in psychology before working for the CIA; two others immigrated to the U.S. to pursue their American Dreams.

“It made me emotional because I'm here today as a grad student. And I hope to ... make it like they've made it,” said Vegesna. “They worked really, really hard to be where they are today, and looking at them gives me reassurance that women can make it in tech—and women can make it really, really big in tech.”

“Looking at them gives me reassurance that women can make it in tech—and women can make it really, really big in tech.” —Pallavi Vegesna

Students received hands-on experience through workshops like “A Hands-On Introduction to the AI Pipeline,” led by assistant CS professor Antonis Anastasopoulos, and “Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics Analytics,” led by associate IST professor Humaira Akhtari and Mason alumnus Elijah Bass. The event also offered attendees the chance to talk to CS and IST advisors and be matched with a peer mentor to help them navigate their studies at Mason.

“A Hands-On Introduction to the AI Pipeline,” led by assistant CS professor Antonis Anastasopoulos (Right), and “Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics Analytics,” led by associate IST professor Humaira Akhtari and Mason alumnus Elijah Bass (Left)

“Students had a blast listening to our awesome speakers and being a part of those hands-on workshops – those were big hits!” said Shahnaz Kamberi, an associate professor of CS as well as the event’s organizer. She looks forward to the success of the Pathfindher mentorship program, which teamed upperclassmen with freshmen and transfer students who attended Your Path to Tech. “The mentor-mentee pairs were still in deep conversation even after we wrapped up and closed the venue,” she said.

“I hope the attendees learned a lot from the event,” Kamberi added. “The main takeaway I hope they gained is confidence in their decision to stick with tech. I hope through hearing from these powerful women in the industry, the students learned that even with obstacles and challenges, they can definitely succeed in their path to tech.”