Teaching
PhD and Bachelor/Master Theses
Finished PhD Students
As first advisor:
- Tobias Schmidbauer: Novel Sophisticated Network-level Covert Channels, FernUniversität in Hagen. Defended: Apr-19, 2023. (Second advisor: Jörg Keller, FernUniversität in Hagen).
So far, I was reviewer for four additional PhD student evaluations.
Bachelor/Master Theses
I am currently offering thesis topics within, but not limited to, the following areas:
- network covert channels / network steganography / network
information hiding
- Implementation and evaluation of selected countermeasures for network covert channels.
- You can take my online class before writing a thesis on this topic.
- security of smart buildings / Internet of Things (IoT) / smart cities
- design and implementation of extensions for selected open source software projects
- topics under the umbrella of my funded projects
All mentioned topics require either network-level programming skills, knowledge of network protocols and/or skills in information security. In general, I support the open source publication of developed code (under the condition of a good code quality). As shown below, I support the publication of scientific results. Moreover, I encourage my students to give public talks about their work. Good written and oral communication in the English language, coupled with relevant skills in the chosen research field are considered a strong advantage.
As a researcher who encourages collaboration, progress and originality, I do not sign any NDAs (“Sperrvermerke”) anymore (starting April, 2019). I strongly encourage my potential students to gain valuable experience in researching and presenting their original work. Once you started to work on a thesis under my supervision, please send email requests as early as possible as my response time (not just for students, but for all emails) is currently about 1 week (Nov, 2023).
Outstanding Theses
I have mentored excellent students in the role of major supervisor for the following theses. While the works of several students have led to peer-reviewed publications, the following students provided above-average scientific contributions.
- Mr Peter Backs: Automatisches Routing in einem Mikroprotokoll für Covert-Channel Netze, Master’s thesis, University of Hagen,
2011/12.
- contribution to international workshop paper (ISTP’12); first author
- Mr Matthias Naumann: Kontrollprotokolle für steganografische Kanäle, Master’s thesis, University of Hagen, 2013/2014.
- contribution to paper in ranked international journal (Wiley SCN); first author
- Ms Jaspreet Kaur: Countering Covert Channel-internal Control Protocols with Covert Channel-internal Control Protocols, Master’s
thesis, University of Bonn, 2014.
- key contribution to best paper award-winning international workshop paper (IWCC’15) + paper in ranked international journal (Wiley SCN); first author each
- Ms Eva Anhaus: Data Leakage Protection für Gebäude,
Bachelor’s thesis, University of Hagen, 2014.
- key author of national workshop paper (D-A-CH Security’15); first author
- Mr Sebastian Zillien:
- Detection of Re-transmission-based Network Covert Channels, Bachelor’s thesis, Worms University of Applied Sciences, 2018.
- key contribution to international conference paper (NordSec’18); first author
- Reconnection-based Covert Channels in Wireless Networks, Master’s thesis, Worms University of Applied Sciences, 2020.
- key contribution to ranked international conference paper (IFIP SEC’21); first author
- thesis was awarded the IHK-Preis 2021 zur Förderung des akademischen Nachwuchses
- Detection of Re-transmission-based Network Covert Channels, Bachelor’s thesis, Worms University of Applied Sciences, 2018.
- Mr Florian Link: Die Umsetzung einer Detektionsmethode für Network Covert Channels am Beispiel des Size Modulation Pattern, Master’s thesis, Worms University of Applied Sciences, 2019.
- contributed key results to paper in a ranked international journal (J.UCS), second author
- Mr Tobias Schmidbauer: Nutzung von ARP und NDP Caches zum Datenaustausch zwischen zwei nicht direkt miteinander verbundenen Systemen, Master’s Thesis, University of Hagen, 2019.
- key contribution to international workshop paper (CUING’19); first author
- Later became my PhD student and successfully defended his thesis in the meantime.
University-level Teaching
I teach at Worms University of Applied Sciences and the University of Hagen. Previously, I gave classes at the University of Bonn, the NTNU COINS PhD Summer School, HS Biberach (Akademie) and the Augsburg University of Applied Sciences.
FernUniversität in Hagen (since 2011/since 2021)
- Seminar on Network Steganography (M.Sc. program; anticipated for summer term 2024)
- Seminar 01952 ``Metriken für Software-Qualität und -Sicherheit’’ (Part II, 15 seminar students).
- 01731 Network Steganography (M.Sc. program; since winter term 2021)
- 01599b Information Security Practicum (M.Sc. program; winter term 2022/23, examining group 2)
- Theses advisor (since 2011)
Worms University of Applied Sciences (since 2016)
In Worms, I teach (or taught) the following courses (starting winter term 2016):
- Security of Distributed Systems and the Internet-of-Things (M.Sc., 2023-now)
- Network Information Hiding (M.Sc., starting winter term 2023)
- Cryptography (B.Sc., 2016-now)
- Mobile Security (M.Sc., 2018-2023)
- Security and Privacy in the Internet of Things (M.Sc., 2016-now)
- Network Security (B.Sc., 2017-now)
- Computer Networks/Networks and Information Security (B.Sc., 2016-2020)
- Operating Systems (B.Sc., 2016-2023)
- Machine Learning (B.Sc., occasionally)
- MSc Seminar II (M.Sc., 2016/occasionally)
- Inofficial free online class: Network Information Hiding
- Research Seminar in Computer Science (2019-now)
- Team-oriented project (B.Sc., occasionally)
NTNU/COINS PhD Summer School (2018)
I contributed a full-day lecture on my covert channel research to the COINS PhD summer school on Lesvos (Metochi monastery annex).
Akademie at Biberach University of Applied Sciences (2017-2021)
- Part of Building Automation Networks, M.Eng. program (summer 2017-summer 2021)
University of Bonn (2014-2016)
- Advanced IT-Security (M.Sc. program; contributed selected lectures on network security over multiple semesters summer 2015-summer 2016)
- Master Lab advisor (summer 2015-summer 2016)
- Master’s Project with Seminar advisor (winter 2014/15)
- Advisor of several theses and seminar students (summer 2014-summer 2016)
Augsburg University of Applied Sciences (2011-2014)
- Data Communication (summer 2011-summer 2014)
- Tunneling and Covert Channels (winter 2013/14)
- Project Groups (co-supervision; summer 2011-summer 2013)
- Environmental Computer Science (co-supervision; summer 2013)
- Research Methodology 101 (part of Startklar program; winter 2012/13)
- Linux Basics (for bureau of women’s representative; several years in a row)