Vyas Sekar
Associate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Vyas Sekar is an associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Engineering at Carnegie Mellon
Network Security: Making the Internet a Safer Place
Improving Video Streaming
Education
2010 Ph.D., Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University
2003 BS, Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Chennai
Affiliations
Research Interests
- access control and authorization
- AI and ML for security
- anonymity
- Applications of security and privacy
- authentication and passwords
- automotive and transportation security and privacy
- autonomy
- censorship resistance and measurement
- cloud security
- computer security
- computer/storage systems
- cyber physical systems security and privacy
- cyberphysical systems (CPS)
- cybersecurity
- distributed systems
- embedded systems security
- emerging applications security
- energy and critical infrastructure security
- Formal methods
- formal methods for security
- hardware security
- information networking
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- intrusion and anomaly detection and prevention
- IoT security and privacy
- manufacturing security
- Measurement and analysis
- ML and AI
- mobile and app security and privacy
- mobile systems
- network security
- protocol security
- secure systems
- security and privacy economics
- smart infrastructure
- systems security
- threat analysis and modeling
- Usability and human behavior
- verification
- web security
Media mentions
Scott Institute
CMU Engineering faculty awarded Scott Institute seed grants
Eight research projects lead by CMU Engineering faculty have been awarded 2020 Seed Grants for Energy Research by the Scott Institue for Energy Innovation.
CyLab Security and Privacy Institute
Second round of Secure and Private IoT Initiative funded projects announced
Carnegie Mellon CyLab’s Secure and Private IoT Initiative (IoT@CyLab) has announced its second round of funding, which will support ten IoT-related projects for one year.
WTAE
Sekar offers insight on “juice jacking” threat
Officials around the country are warning travelers of a potential threat known as “juice jacking,” where unsuspecting travelers in need of charge for their devices plug into a manipulated charging station. While no actual cases have yet been reporter, ECE/CyLab’s Vyas Sekar told WTAE News, “What we know is the risk is real.”
The New York Times
CyLab’s Sekar warns about “juice jacking”
As a busy holiday travel season approaches, law enforcement agencies are warning about “juice jacking,” the latest way criminals can hack your accounts. Juice jacking occurs when unsuspecting users plug their devices into USB ports or use USB cables that contain malware. ECE/CyLab’s Vyas Sekar told the The New York Times that “there is a risk” in charging your devices at public charging stations.
CMU Engineering
Protecting 3D printers from attackers
CyLab’s researchers have developed a tool to identify security risks of networked 3D printers.
Pittsburgh Business Times
CMU aims to develop privacy and security systems for Internet of Things
CyLab has recently announced its funded projects for the Secure and Private Internet of Things (IoT) Initiative. According to CyLab/ECE’s Vyas Sekar, the initiative aims to address security and privacy risks associated with IoT “before it’s too late.”
CyLab Security and Privacy Institute
Working with big data just got easier
Daehyeok Kim developed FreeFlow, an open-sourced software-based solution that unites two techniques that minimize disruption of cloud servers' central processing units (CPUs).
CyLab Security and Privacy Institute
First round of Secure and Private IoT Initiative funded projects announced
CyLab’s Secure and Private IoT Initiative (IoT@CyLab) has broken ground as the first round of funded proposals have been announced. Twelve selected projects will be funded for one year, and results will be presented at the IoT@CyLab annual summit next year.
NBCNews.com
Sekar on automated visitor security systems
ECE/CyLab’s Vyas Sekar was interviewed by NBC News about the safety and privacy of automated visitor security systems, which are replacing receptionists and security guards in businesses, schools, hotels, and hospitals. “If these systems are not secured and a company does not have the right security practices in place, then that’s a big security risk," Sekar said.
The Star Online
Sekar offers cybersecurity advice for travelers
A recent article by the The Star Online pinpointed airport WiFi as a major source of vulnerability for many travelers and turned to ECE/CyLab’s Vyas Sekar for tips to stay safe.
CMU Engineering
As advertised? Exposing lies about VPN locations
A strange observation led a CyLab researcher to figure out how to detect when VPN services are lying about their location.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Sekar on ransomware attacks and cybersecurity
ECE/CyLab’s Vyas Sekar was interviewed about the March 2017 ransomware attack on the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus. Attacks from hackers are increasingly common among public sector agencies and businesses, which are faced with the choice to pay the ransom or not. “There is a possibility that paying the ransom is the cheaper option, but the FBI says it sets a bad precedent for future incidents, and you are more likely to be attacked again,” Sekar said.