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School of Engineering and Computer Science

Engineering Center, Room 301
115 Library Drive
Rochester , MI 48309-4479
(location map)
Dean's Office: (248) 370-2217
Academic Advising: (248) 370-2201
secsadvising@oakland.edu

School of Engineering and Computer Science

Engineering Center, Room 301
115 Library Drive
Rochester , MI 48309-4479
(location map)
Dean's Office: (248) 370-2217
Academic Advising: (248) 370-2201
secsadvising@oakland.edu

The Center for Cybersecurity

The mission of the Center for Cybersecurity is to advance interdisciplinary collaborative research and technology solutions in the field of cybersecurity. The mission will be achieved by leveraging the partnerships and resources of the university, and building upon the momentum that has been launched in research, curriculum and outreach in cybersecurity. In addition, the Center will position Oakland University to seek further funding through external funding resources.

Information

The purpose of the Oakland University Center for Cybersecurity (The Center) is to promote the interdisciplinary collaborative research in the area of cybersecurity, leveraging the partnerships and resources of the university. The establishment of the Center builds upon the momentum that has been launched at Oakland University. These initiatives include research, curriculum, and community outreach.

Programs offered are the Bachelor of Information Technology (System Administration track), the Master of Science in Cybersecurity, and professional certificates through Professional and Continuing Education (PACE).

Contact

Director:
Huirong Fu, Ph.D
Professor
Office: 528 EC
(248) 370-4456
Fax: (248) 370-4625
fu@oakland.edu
Huirong Fu's website

Co-Director:
Xiaodong Deng, Ph.D
Professor
Office: 340 Elliott Hall
(248) 370-4089
deng@oakland.edu
Xiaodong Deng's website

Secretary:
Debbie Valla
Administrative Assistant
Office: 546 EC
(248) 370-2200
Fax: (248) 370-4625
valla@oakland.edu

Faculty Members:

NameDepartment
Mehdi BagherzadehSchool of Engineering and Computer Science
Debatosh DebnathSchool of Engineering and Computer Science
Huirong FuSchool of Engineering and Computer Science
Subramaniam GanesanSchool of Engineering and Computer Science
Darrin HannaSchool of Engineering and Computer Science
Hua MingSchool of Engineering and Computer Science
Khalid Mahmood MalikSchool of Engineering and Computer Science
Lunjin LuSchool of Engineering and Computer Science
Anyi LiuSchool of Engineering and Computer Science
Dae-Kyoo KimSchool of Engineering and Computer Science
Julian RrushiSchool of Engineering and Computer Science
Amartya SenSchool of Engineering and Computer Science
Eralda CaushaSchool of Business Administration
Xiaodong DengSchool of Business Administration
Vijayan SugumaranSchool of Business Administration
Thomas LauerSchool of Business Administration
Eddie ChengCollege of Arts and Sciences
Douglas CarrCollege of Arts and Sciences
Albert J. MeehanCollege of Arts and Sciences
Lori CroseProfessional and Continuing Education
Events and News

Recent Events

2021

July-August 2021 - GenCyber Student Summer Camps hosted.

May-July 2021 - REU: UnCoRe program hosted.

March 2021 -  GenCyber Student Summer Camps open for applications

March 2021 - 7th Annual Detroit Chapter ISACA Scholarship Competition.  OU Students won first place.

2019

March 2019 - GenCyber Teacher Summer Camp 2019 program started to accept applications.

March 2019  - 6th Annual Detroit Chapter ISACA Scholarship Competition. OU Students won first place.

February 2019 - OU has successfully hosted the GenCyber Teachers Workshop Day.

February 2019 - 6th Annual Detroit Chapter ISACA Scholarship Competition. In March 8th, 2019, ISACA Detroit will host the 6th Annual Scholarship Competition.  This competition is designed to enrich the experience of students by providing them a “real world” experience.  The competition consists of a case study where contestants work on a case study and present their conclusions to a panel of industry professionals who will play the role of potential future employers. 

January 2019 - REU: UnCoRe program is open to accept applications now. The application deadline is March 1st, 2019.

2018

October 2018 - Our Ph.D. candidate, Hani Alshahrani, successfully defended his dissertation entitled "Detecting Android Malicious Applications Using Static and Dynamic Analysis Techniques". Congratulations Hani for your great achievement.

April 2018 - Oakland University has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education through academic year 2023. 

April 2018 - Our Ph.D. candidate, Hani Alshahrani, won the 1st Place ICCE 2018 (IEEE International Conference on Consumer Electronics) best poster video award for his presentation of his poster entitled "DDefender: Android Application Threat Detection Using Static and Dynamic Analysis." Congratulations Hani for your great work.

April 2018 - Among 21 teams from 3 universities participated in ISACA Scholarship Competition, our Ph.D. candidates, Ali Alshehri and Raed Alharthi, won the 1st Place in the 5th Annual Detroit Chapter ISACA Scholarship Competition. They won $4000 cash and OU earns the right to hold/display the ISACA Detroit trophy for one year. This competition is designed to enrich the experience of students by providing them a "real world" experience. The competition consists of a case study where contestants work on a case study and present their conclusions to a panel of industry professionals who will play the role of potential future employers. Congratulations Ali and Raed for your great work.

March 2018 - GenCyber summer camp program 2018 started to accept applications. 

March 2018 - 5th Annual Detroit Chapter ISACA Scholarship Competition. In March, ISACA Detroit hosted the 5th Annual Scholarship Competition.  This competition is designed to enrich the experience of students by providing them a “real world” experience.  The competition consists of a case study where contestants work on a case study and present their conclusions to a panel of industry professionals who will play the role of potential future employers.  OU Students won first prize.

January 2018 - Cybersecurity 2018: A Video presentation and discussion. We kicked off the year with a look at how an actual cyber attack using ransomware took place in 2017, paralyzing the UK's National Health Service (NHS). Following this was a general discussion, Q&A, and update on the current state of Meltdown and Spectre (recent hard flaws and issues with current processor chips).

2017

October 2017 - Oakland University hosted the GrizzHacks competition which brought together the greatest young minds for two days of excitement and technological passion. 

July 2017 - REU: OU has successfully hosted the REU: UnCoRe program

July 2017 - OU has successfully hosted the GenCyber summer camp program that has delivered substantive cybersecurity training to upper elementary (4th, 5th and 6th grades), middle school, and high school students in Detroit Urban Area (Macomb county, Oakland county and Wayne county). 

April 2017 - Doctoral student wins Best Full Paper Award at 12th Cyber and Information Security Research Conference (CISRC 2017), Oak Ridge, Tennessee. 

April 2017 - GenCyber summer camp program started to accept applications.

2016

November 2016 - REU: UnCoRe program is open to accept applications now. The application deadline is February 28th, 2017. 

August 2016 - OU has successfully hosted the GenCyber summer camp program that has delivered substantive cybersecurity training to upper elementary (4th, 5th and 6th grades), middle school, and high school students in Detroit Urban Area (Macomb county, Oakland county and Wayne county). 

May 2016 - GenCyber summer camp program starts to accept application.

Resources

Student Resources:
Cybersecurity Careers Guide
Cybersecurity Certifications Guide
Cybersecurity Internship Guide
Cybersecurity Scholarship Guide
University Technology Services

Government Sites:

Conferences:

  • S&P (Oakland) (IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy)
  • CCS (ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security)
  • Crypto (International Cryptology Conference)
  • Eurocrypt (European Cryptology Conference)
  • Security (Usenix Security Symposium)
  • NDSS (ISOC Network and Distributed System Security Symposium)

Cyber Competitions:

Grants

Agencies and Projects:

Brain Aneurysm Foundation

  • Khalid Mahmood Malik, NeuroAssist: An Intelligent Decision Support System for Prediction of Brain Aneurysm Rupture, Brain Aneurysm Foundation, $40,000 (2018)

Comcast

  • Erik Fredericks, Developing Context-Aware Strategies to Minimize Impact on an Internet of Things Network, Comcast Innovation Fund, $50,000 (2017)

Fortinet

  • Julian Rrushi, Signature-Based Detector of Network Attacks on Industrial Control Systems, Fortinet, $46,864 (2020)

Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD)

  • Khalid Mahmood Malik, Development of Secure Network Architecture with Built-In Mechanism for Future Forensic Analysis, Helping Hand for Relief and Development, $38,222 (2017-2018)

Magna Electronics

  • Dae-Kyoo Kim, Development of Supporting Tools for Driver Assistance Systems of Autonomous Vehicles, Magna Electronics, $143,891 (2016)

Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC)

  • Khalid Mahmood Malik, Towards Development of Deepfake Detection Framework, Michigan Space Grant Constortium, $3,000 (2020)
  • Julian Rrushi, Reverse Engineering Attacker Cognition through Malware Analysis, Michigan Space Grant Consortium, $5,000 (2020)
  • Erik Fredericks, A Multi-Agent Approach for Minimizing Security and Power Concerns in Cyber-Physical Systems, Michigan Space Grant Consortium, $5,000 (2017-2018)
  • Anyi Liu, Cyber Threat Intelligence Sharing and Correlation against Advanced Cyber Intrusions, Michigan Space Grant Consortium, $5,000 (2017-2018)

National Security Agency (NSA)

  • Huirong Fu, GenCyber: Cybersecurity Camp for K-12 Teachers, National Security Agency, $147,958.58 (2021-2023)
  • Huirong Fu, GenCyber Student Program – Entry Level, National Security Agency, $100,000 (2020-2021)
  • Huirong Fu, GenCyber: Cybersecurity Camp for K-12 Teachers, National Security Agency, $100,000 (2019-2020)
  • Huirong Fu, GenCyber Student Program – Entry Level, National Security Agency, $100,000 (2018-2019)
  • Huirong Fu, GenCyber: Cybersecurity Camp for K-12 Teachers, National Security Agency, $100,000 (2018-2019)
  • Huirong Fu, Inspiring the Next Generation of Cyber Stars, National Security Agency, $100,000 (2017-2018)
  • Huirong Fu, Inspiring the Next Generation of Cyber Stars, National Security Agency, $100,000 (2016-2017)

National Science Foundation (NSF)

  • Huirong Fu, REU Site: Undergraduate Computer Research (UnCoRe) in Cyber Security, National Science Foundation, $360,000 (2019)
  • Huirong Fu, REU Site: Undergraduate Computer Research (UnCoRe) in Cyber Security, National Science Foundation, $20,000 (2019)
  • Khalid Mahmood Malik, ForensicExaminer: Testbed for Benchmarking Digital Audio Forensic Algorithms, National Science Foundation, $199,909 (2018-2021)
  • Erik Fredericks, CRII: CPS: Minimizing the Oracle Problem for Self-Adaptive Cyber-Physical Systems, National Science Foundation, $163,637 (2017-2019)
  • Anyi Liu, Collaborative Research: Building Cybersecurity Capacity in Pervasive Computing, National Science Foundation, $143,306 (2016-2019)
  • Huirong Fu, REU: Undergraduate Computer Research (UnCoRe) in Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace, National Science Foundation, $359,988 (2015-2018)
  • Tao Shu, NeTS: Small: Collaborative Research: Network Economics for Secondary Spectrum Ecosystems, National Science Foundation, $232,476 (2015-2018)
  • Tao Shu, Collaborative Research: EARS: Large-Scale Statistical Learning based Spectrum Sensing and Cognitive Networking, National Science Foundation, $262,347 (2014-2017)
  • Yonghong Yan, SHF: Small: Collaborative: Application-aware Energy Modeling and Power Management for Parallel and High Performance Computing, National Science Foundation, $249,875 (2014-2017)
  • Yonghong Yan, SHF: Medium: Collaborative: Compute on Data Path: Combating Data Movement in High- Performance Computing, National Science Foundation, $128,100 (2014-2017)
  • Yonghong Yan, Image Processing Cloud (IPC): A Domain-Specific Cloud Computing Infrastructure for Research and Education, University of Houston/National Science Foundation $38,733 (2012-2016)
  • Huriong Fu, REU Site: Undergraduate Computer Research (UnCoRe), National Science Foundation, $319,941 (2011-2014)
  • Huirong Fu, CCLI - Phase 1: Information Assurance and Security Education with A Multidisciplinary Collaborative Approach in A Realistic Environment, National Science Foundation, $115,096 (2008-2011)
  • Huriong Fu, CT-ER: TrusT-US: Trustworthy Transportation Ubiquitous Systems, National Science Foundation, $249,999 (2007-2010)
  • Huirong Fu, REU Site: Undergraduate Computer Research (UnCoRe) for Women at Oakland University, National Science Foundation, $268,152 (2006-2009)
  • Huirong Fu, CyberSecurity Capacity Building, National Science Foundation, $57,921 (2005-2008)
  • Huirong Fu, CyberSecurity Capacity Building at North Dakota, National Science Foundation, $199,921 (2003-2005)

United States Air Force

  • Julian Rrushi, Defense OS-Resident Cyber Deception Operations Rooted in MILDEC, United States Air Force, $179,645 (2019)

United States Department of Defense (DAPRA)

  • Julian Rrushi, A Quest for the Physics of Cyberspace, United States Department of Defense/DARPA, $754,391 (2020)
NSF CyberCorps® Fellowship Program
Latest Updates and Upcoming Events
  1. New applications for the 2023-2024 CyberCorps cohort (starting in Fall 2023) are now being accepted. View details and apply here. There is NO application deadline. The admission is rolling based.
  2. Two CyberCorps info sessions will be held in February-March 2023. View the Powerpoint for the information session. View the recorded video.
  3. If you have any questions or comments, contact us at: fu@oakland.edu
  4. Application link: https://etap.nsf.gov
The CyberCorps Fellowship: A Pathway to a Job with the U.S. Government in CyberSecurity

The OU CyberCorps program is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) CyberCorps® SFS program, which is a unique national program designed to recruit and train the next generation of information technology professionals, industrial control system security professionals and security managers to meet the needs of the cybersecurity mission for Federal, State, local and tribal governments.

This program provides full scholarships and an annual stipend for two or three years of study for cybersecurity undergraduate and graduate education along with pathways directly to government jobs in CyberSecurity.  This fellowship is specifically designed for students who want to work in government; recipients must agree to work after graduation for the U.S. Government, in a position related to cybersecurity, for a period equal to the length of the scholarship.

The CyberCorps program at OU will provide students with a visible, competitive pathway to exciting, rewarding careers in serving the United States government in cybersecurity and cyber-defense. OU’s cybersecurity program offers undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to engage in a curriculum with hands-on activities and multidisciplinary courses in information technology, computer science, engineering, management, and ethics. OU’s Center for Cybersecurity provides an immersive cyber-defense ecosystem for students, including research experiences, projects, clubs, organizations, camps, and a long history of outreach to K-12 students and teachers. Students will complete a project with a faculty and government mentor with activities including security policies, system vulnerabilities and countermeasures, legal and social issues, artificial intelligence in mobile security and wireless security, protecting machine learning algorithms, and security in big data. The program will also include a multi-level advising and mentorship program specifically for cybersecurity in government that will help students work towards building skills for government cybersecurity and cyberdefense, earning security credentials, and finding and selecting government positions for employment after they graduate.

Eligibility Criteria for the Scholarship

To be eligible for consideration for the CyberCorps scholarship, the student must meet ALL of the following: 

  • United States citizen or lawful permanent resident;
  • Demonstrate a commitment to a career in cybersecurity;
  • Meet selection criteria for U.S. federal employment;
    Internship placements and final job placements in government organizations typically require high-level security clearances. Scholarship recipients are required to undergo the background investigation necessary to obtain such clearances. For reference purposes, you can review the federal SF-86 form- Questionnaire for National Security Positions. However, do NOT fill out the form for this Cybercorps application.
  • Have at least a 3.0 undergraduate GPA;
  • Current or prospective full-time student pursuing cybersecurity-related degrees at OU.
    CyberCorps scholars will be chosen from the following three program tracks:
    1. BS in IT or CS
    2. BS in IT or CS (Senior) + MS in Cybersecurity
    3. MS in Cybersecurity
Scholarship Benefits

CyberCorps scholars i.e. scholarship recipients shall receive all of the following:

  • Full-time tuition and education-related fees
  • Stipend: $25,000 per year for undergraduate students and $34,000 per year for graduate students 
  • Professional development allowance (travel, professional certification, etc.) up to $6,000 per academic year 

Other Professional Benefits: 

  • Opportunities working for the Federal, State, or Local Governments
  • Personalized six-level academic advising from different entities like Student Advising Office, CyberCorps Alumni, Government Agency Mentor, Research Advisor, Career Services, and Faculty Mentor (CyberCorps Team Members)
  • Supports from professional communities and attain professional certifications
  • Attending CyberCorps seminars, annual field trips, cybersecurity competitions 
  • Exposure to Outreach like NSA/NSF funded GenCyber Student-Teacher program and Lab activities
  • Research Engagement through NSF-funded programs like NSF Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) program and working with individual faculty members on research. 
Obligations for a Scholarship Recipient

CyberCorps scholars must agree to:

  • Work immediately following graduation for the Federal Government or a State, Local, or Tribal Government in a position related to cybersecurity for a period equal to the length of the scholarship 
  • Participate in government internship positions in the summers during the years of scholarship study 
  • Participate in other CyberCorps activities, such as weekly individual meetings, monthly group meetings, cyber competitions, conferences, and workshops 
  • Report their progress every month by submitting a report describing what has been accomplished in terms of coursework, research projects, extracurricular activities, outreach, conference and presentation, and internship and/or job placement
  • Meet other CyberCorps requirements, such as signing Service Agreement Forms and maintaining good academic standing 

CyberCorps scholars are responsible to apply for and obtain a position. OU’s CyberCorps program will provide assistance to CyberCorps scholars by helping identify employment opportunities.

CyberCorps Program Tracks at OU

Oakland University’s CyberCorps program provides scholarship opportunities with the following program tracks. If you are not sure about different options, contact the PI, Dr. Huirong Fu (fu@oakland.edu) to discuss your study plan.

Track 1: BS in IT or CS (Junior and Senior Level)
Apply if you are a Sophomore

Students will receive two-year support (junior + senior year) after applying and being selected as CyberCorps scholars.

Track 2: BS in IT or CS (Senior) + MS in Cybersecurity
Apply if you are a Junior

Students will receive up to three-year CyberCorps scholarship support (senior year + two-year MS) after applying and being selected in their junior year of undergraduate study.

Track 3: MS in Cybersecurity
Apply if you are a Senior

Students will receive two-year scholarship support (MS year one + year two) after applying and being selected as an CyberCorps scholar in their senior year.

Track 4: Transfer Students from Community Colleges

Transfer students from Community Colleges interested in the CyberCorps program are recommended to contact the program’s PI - Dr. Huirong Fu (fu@oakland.edu) for further information.

Fellowship Application

Application Materials: 

A complete CyberCorps application must include the following items, in addition to the online application form

  1. Proof of U.S. Citizenship or lawful permanent resident status
  2. A resume including a list of academic recognition, awards, honors and distinctions received
  3. Transcripts from all of the colleges and universities attended (scanned copies are preferred)
  4. Personal Statement (up to 5,000 characters)
    1. goals and motivations to pursue a career in cybersecurity
    2. commitment to the service obligation and understanding of government jobs
    3. past achievements and experiences related to cybersecurity
    4. leadership, teamwork, and communication skills
  5. At least two letters of recommendation
    1. Letter of recommendations should address the applicant's academic performance, the potential for success, character, work ethic, and leadership.

Apply Now

There is NO application deadline. The admission is rolling based.

Scholarship opportunities are limited, early application is strongly recommended.

Candidate Selection Criteria:

This CyberCorps scholarship opportunity at Oakland University is a highly selective process and subject to grant funding availability. After the initial assessment based on submitted application materials, a shortlist will be generated for in-person interviews (with approximately 30 minutes of an oral presentation by the candidates followed by a Q&A session from the faculty). Candidates in the shortlist will also be asked to complete a questionnaire for a background check.

Underrepresented groups, including women, minorities, first-generation / low-income students, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Scholarship recipients will be selected based on an overall assessment of the following factors:

  1. Materials submitted through the online application (Resume, Transcript, Personal Statement, Letter of Recommendations)
  2. OU program eligibility
  3. Motivation and commitment to government service
  4. Excellent academic performance and experiences, strong communication skills, leadership, and professional ethics
  5. Eligibility for security clearances
  6. Performance during in-person interviews (Oral Presentation and Q&A Session)
Contact Information

For any additional information and questions, please contact us at CyberSecUSA@oakland.edu

Meet the Team

Principal Investigator:

Huirong Fu
Dr. Huirong Fu
Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Founding Director, Center for Cybersecurity
Designated NCAE-C by the NSA and DHS
Email: fu@oakland.edu

Co-Principal Investigators:

Headshot of Darrin M. Hanna
Dr. Darrin Hanna
Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Tel: (248) 370-2170
Email: dmhanna@oakland.edu

A headshot of Lunjin Lu.
Dr. Lunjin Lu
Professor and Chair, Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Tel: (248) 370-2200
Email: l2lu@oakland.edu

Headshot of Amartya Sen
Dr. Amartya Sen
Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Tel: (248) 370-4260
Email: sen@oakland.edu