CSE Colloquium: Transforming the Network from a Weakness into an Advantage

Abstract: The Internet is a fundamental component of the modern computing landscape. It is the unifying element that links together numerous heterogeneous platforms and devices from modern datacenters to connected lightbulbs. However, from a security perspective, the network is often portrayed as a detriment that we deal with because of the non-security benefits it provides. In this talk, I will present my research on building tools that help security practitioners use the network as a security advantage. This work includes the first study to challenge the prevalence of mobile malware, an analysis of nearly 30 million malware samples over half a decade, a comprehensive analysis of the Mirai botnet, and an empirical investigation of an emerging threat caused by expired domains. While these topics may appear disparate, they all leverage standard network protocols shared across different devices and platforms to study abuse. Finally, I will conclude my talk by presenting some of the challenges that face the next generation of network-based security solutions. 

Biography: Dr. Charles Lever received his Ph.D. from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he has continued to work as a research scientist. His research focuses on the intersection of systems, networking, data science, and security and develops data driven solutions that are informed by large scale empirical studies. By using the network as a device agnostic medium for studying abuse, his research has touched many different areas, including mobile security, emerging Internet threats, traditional malware, and the Internet of Things. Not only has his work appeared at each of the top academic security conferences, but it has also resulted in several public resources for the research community, including the Active DNS and Your Things projects. Furthermore, Dr. Lever's work has been featured in various prominent news outlets including Newsweek, Wirecutter, and The Economist.