Prof. Dr. Andrej Kos, Faculty of Electrical Engineering
Abstract:
The integration of digital technologies and advancements in artificial intelligence has revolutionized business operations. However, this transformation has also led to a significant rise in cyber threats. As more devices connect to the internet and sensitive data is processed and stored in the cloud, we inadvertently create an ideal environment for cyber adversaries. Artificial intelligence solutions further enhance the tools and techniques used by attackers, impacting both offensive and defensive cyber efforts. Safeguarding ICT systems requires an understanding of adversary tactics and cyberattacks. To enhance this understanding, we’ve developed an interactive, distributed network of honeypots that simulate various internet-connected devices and services, capturing real cyberattacks. Our data capture, processing, and visualization solutions provide real-time insights into cyberthreat dynamics, enabling nuanced analysis of attacker behavior through aggregated data.
Biography:
Andrej Kos received his diploma, master’s degree and doctorate in 1996, 1999 and 2003 from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana. He is currently a full professor at this faculty and head of the Laboratory for Telecommunications. At the undergraduate level he teaches the courses “Communication Systems”, “Internet Systems” and “Network Services”, at the postgraduate level the courses “Internet Networks 1”, “Internet Networks 2” and “Interdisciplinary Projects”. The latter represents a new way of teaching at the University of Ljubljana, where students from different faculties in interdisciplinary teams solve real complex challenges of companies. In the doctoral study, he is the lecturer for the “Big Data” course.
His research areas include distributed cyber-physical systems, digitalization and security. Technology areas include the Internet of things, communication protocols, 5G and 6G networks, cyber security, blockchain and data. The vertical sectors supported by these technology areas in his work are smart cities, villages and communities, industry, critical infrastructure and public safety. Research areas are in line with Digital Europe 2021-2027, EU Cybersecurity Act, European Union Agency for Cybersecurity Programming Document 2019-2021.
He and his colleague from the research group published a scientific monograph with the title “Blockchain Technology and Applications for Industry 4.0 – Smart Energy and Smart Cities”, published in 2022 by Degruyter.
Andrej Kos has also published more than 45 scientific articles with SCI impact factor and more than 50 articles in other scientific journals. He is the author of 8 chapters in international books, 5 of which were published by an international publishing house. These are: “Smart Cities and Digital Transformation: Empowering Communities, Limitless Innovation, Sustainable Development and the Next Generation”, 2023, published by Emerald; “Approaching the communication constraints of Ethereum-based decentralized applications”, 2020, published by MDPI Basel; “Smart villages in Slovenia: examples of good pilot practices”, 2019, published by Bingley: Emerald, “Big data analysis and cyber-physical systems”, 2016, published by CRC Press: Chapman & Hall and “Quality assurance in the IMS- based NGN environment”, 2009, published by Hershey.
He is also the author and co-author of more than 180 conference articles and 8 lectures at foreign universities.
He is a mentor in 9 doctoral dissertations, 26 scientific master’s theses and more than 215 BSc and MSc theses, of which 11 for international students. He is also a co-mentor of 1 doctoral dissertation, 2 scientific master’s theses and 1 MSc thesis. He is the author of more than 60 international and domestic projects as well as 11 patents; 5 international patents and 6 national patents, all with full examination.
In 2020, he received the Gold Plaque of the University of Ljubljana for outstanding merits in the development of scientific, pedagogical or artistic creation and for strengthening the reputation of the University of Ljubljana.
He is an associate editor of the scientific journal Elektrotehniški Vestnik and an associate editor of the international scientific conference Cobcom and the VITEL conference, and a member of the program committee of several international conferences. As a visiting professor, he has lectured at several prestigious foreign universities, including in Graz at the Technical University Graz, in St. Petersburg at the University of Telecommunications (Bonch Brojevich), in China in Jinan at Jinan University, and in Beijing at Beijing Normal University (BNU). As an invited lecturer he has also lectured in Berlin, Dublin, Qufu, Xian and Patras.
Detailed bibliography in numbers
Link: https://bib.cobiss.net/bibliographies/si/webBiblio/bib201_20230619_113320_16386.html
Functions
- Chairman of the Innovation Commission of the University of Ljubljana, 2015-present
- Chairman of Interregional Management Committee (IMC) of ERNACT (European Regions Network for the Application of Communications Technology), 2023-2025
- Commission for Information and Communication Technologies of the Rectors’ Conference, 2019-present
- European University Association (EUA) Expert Group on Innovation (EGInno), member and representative of Slovenian universities, 2022-present
- Head of the Laboratory for Telecommunications, 2017-present
- Council of the Agency for Communication Networks and Services (AKOS), chairman, 2024-2029
Reviewer in scientific journals
IEEE Access, Sensors, IET software, IoT journal, Transactions on Internet technology, Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing, Transactions on Network Science and Engineering, Concurrency and Computation: Practice and Experience, Transactions on Network Science and Engineering, Transactions of the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering, Electronics Letters, Sustainability, Multimedia Tools and Applications, Computer Communications, IEICE Transactions on Communications, Modeling and Simulation in Engineering.
Member of the conference program committee
ITU-T Kaleidoscope, EuCNC, ICT for Health, Rusmart / New2an, International Conference on Identification, Information and Knowledge, Contel, Living Bits and Things, Vitel.
Membership in societies and participation committees
- IEEE Communication society, senior member
- IICE Communication Society, fellow member
- International Telecommunication Academy (SOMTA)
- The Alliance for the Internet of Things Innovation (AIOTI)
- Next Generation Internet (NGI)
- Electrotechnical Association of Slovenia
- Slovenian Society for Electronic Communications (SIKOM)
- Committee for updating the curriculum of the subject “Computer Systems and Networks” for secondary schools
- Committee for updating the curriculum of the subject “Electrical Engineering” for secondary schools
Member of the initial team that established the entities below
- Center of Excellence Information and Communication Technologies (CoE ICT)
- Technology Network Information and Communication Technologies (TM ICT)
- Ljubljana University Incubator (LUI)
- Digital Innovation Hub Slovenia (DIHS)
- Private, Public, People, Partnership Digital Innovation Hub (4PDIH)
- Makerlab Ljubljana
- Fablab network Slovenia
- ICT Academy (ICTA)