Prof. Ernesto Damiani of Khalifa University, UAE

Abstract: Machine learning has long been applied to detect and predict hostile behavior in systems and programs. In this talk, we discuss the pitfalls of behavior analysis in the presence of polymorphism-adaptive behavior on the part of attackers achieved through randomization or by using red hat AI models designed to outsmart defenses. We frame these challenges in the context of communication networks, with a focus on mobile and distributed systems where both attacks and defenses unfold. By doing so, we highlight how polymorphic adversarial strategies can impact the resilience and security of communication infrastructures, and how ML-based approaches can be adapted to strengthen defenses in this evolving landscape.

Biography:

Prof. Ernesto Damiani is the Dean of the College of Computing and Mathematical Sciences and Director of the Center for Cyber-Physical Systems (C2PS) at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, UAE. He also holds a full professorship in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Milan, where he leads the SESAR research lab.  He serves as Senior Director of the Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Systems Institute, and leads the Big Data area at the Etisalat British Telecom Innovation Center (EBTIC). Prof. Damiani is also the President of the Consortium of Italian Computer Science Universities (CINI). His research spans secure service‑oriented architectures, privacy‑preserving big data analytics, cyber‑physical systems security, and AI and machine learning for resilient systems. He has held visiting positions at several international institutions, including George Mason University (USA), Tokyo Denki University (Japan), La Trobe University (Australia), and INSA Lyon (France), and is a Fellow of the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science. Prof. Damiani serves as an associate editor for several IEEE Transactions including Service‑oriented Computing and Fuzzy Systems. He previously served as Vice‑Chair of the IEEE Technical Committee on Industrial Informatics. He is a Senior Member of IEEE and an ACM Distinguished Scientist, recipient of several major honours such as the Chester‑Sall Award from IEEE IES, an Outstanding Contributions Award from IFIP TC2, and a doctorate honoris causa from INSA Lyon. In recognition of his efforts in fostering international scientific collaboration in AI, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the Star of Italy in 2022. His scholarly impact is substantial: he has authored over 600 publications, cited more than 17,000 times (Google Scholar), with an h-index in the high 30s.

Email:

Address:Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates