Resume

Security Researcher / Professor, Marymount University, Arlington, Virginia, USA (2022 – )

  • Conduct hands-on research in adversary emulation, threat intelligence (TI), threat detection …
  • Established a dedicated TI Lab equipped with industry tools to simulate real-world threat scenarios.
  • Help small businesses improve security posture using NIST RMF, MITRE ATT&CK, Cyber Kill chain, F3EAD … https://marymount.edu/blog/mu-receives-1-5-million-nsa-grant-to-build-cybersecurity-clinic/
  • Lead innovative research initiatives in defensive deception strategies, and secure communication protocols for network security and resiliency with focus on IoT/CPS.
  • Collaborate with industry partners (Recorded Future, EC-Council, government agencies) to identify real-world cybersecurity challenges and integrate industry perspectives into research projects.
  • Obtained external research grant to fund cybersecurity initiatives, enabling the expansion of research projects and the acquisition of state-of-the-art cybersecurity equipment. 

Independent Consultant (part-time), Digital Network Group, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, USA (2022 – )

  • Cybersecurity audit for SME’s, manage projects affiliated to cybersecurity solutions and workforce development for clients such as Maryland Department of Information technology (DoIT).
  • I have helped over 100 individuals’ transit to the fields of IT and Cybersecurity, with 100% success in mentorship of students to attain COMPTIA Network+, Security+, PenTest+ certifications …
  • Conduct bootcamps/workshops focused on developing practical skills in threat and vulnerability management, incident response, security operations and monitoring, software and application security, governance, risk and controls (GRC).

Security Researcher, Data Science and Cybersecurity Center, Howard University, DC (2018 – 2022)

  • Identifying new attack vectors and tactics employed by malicious actors targeting wireless networks.
  • Performed penetration testing on wireless networks to simulate real-world attacks.
  • Collaborated with the wireless security research community to enhance standards and practices collectively.
  • With affiliations with the US Army Research Laboratory and DoD Center of Excellence in AI/ML, I designed an end-to-end learning in communications systems for secure waveform transmission in the physical layer of wireless communication networks in the battlefield.
  • My doctoral research leveraged on deep learning and the principle of cyber-deception to propose a method for defending wireless networks from adversarial attacks. 
  • Led groundbreaking research projects, resulting in 10 published papers

Network Engineer/Instructor, Cisco Networking Academy/Covenant University, Nigeria (2014 – 2018)

  • Contributed significantly to the expansion of a scalable campus network, ensuring seamless connectivity and accommodating ~ 20% increase in student enrollment.
  • Implemented security measures through firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and regular security audits, resulting in ~ 40% reduction in security incidents (majorly from student activities).
  • Conducted preventive and corrective system maintenance to ensure optimal network performance; maintained an impressive 99.5% network uptime over 4 years.
  • Developed regular reports on network performance and security.
  • Conducted training sessions; improved overall network awareness and reduced incidents of misconfiguration.
  • Obtained CISCO and IBM University Instructor certifications to stay current with industry trends and technologies, ensuring the university network remains at the forefront of innovation.
  • Prepared students for CCNA /IBM certifications with > 90% success.
  • I was also a lecturer in the Department of Electrical and Information Engineering; taught Computer programming (SDLC/Python) and Computer Networking.

Telecommunications Network Operating Center (NOC) Engineer / Site Supervisor, Servetek Engineering Nigeria Limited, Lagos, Nigeria (2010 – 2013)

  • Monitored network traffic and telecommunications systems for signs of suspicious or malicious activity.
  • Analyzed security logs and alerts to identify and respond to potential security threats and vulnerabilities.
  • Diagnosed and resolved technical issues related to telecommunications equipment and networks.
  • Improved network availability from < 90% to 99.5% due to innovative preventive and corrective maintenance.
  • Developed and implemented incident response plans to address security incidents promptly.
  • Achieved a 99.9% network uptime by implementation of proactive monitoring and IR solutions.
  • Developed and enforced policies, automated process improvements leading to +15% operational efficiency
  • Saved OPEX due to 0% penalty for MTTR default.
  • Kept abreast of industry best practices and regulatory requirements to ensure compliance.
  • Coordinated with cross-functional teams (external security agencies, vendors, and law enforcement) to contain, mitigate, and recover from physical security breaches.

Academic Record

  • Ph.D. Computer Science (Security of Networked Cyber Physical Systems/Intelligent systems), Howard University, Washington, DC (2022)
  • Masters in Information and Communication Engineering, Covenant University, Nigeria
  • Bachelor in Electrical Engineering (Networking and Telecommunications), Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria

Technical Skills

  • Operating systems: Windows (Active Directory), Linux.
  • Networking: LAN/WAN, TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, HTTPS
  • Programming Languages: Python, PowerShell, SQL, MATLAB,
  • Security tools/technologies: Nessus, Burpsuite, Snort, Wireshark, Tcpdump, Nmap, Metasploit, Kali, Splunk…
  • Machine/Deep Learning: Numpy, Pandas, Keras, Scikit-Learn, Jupyter, Pytorch and modern ML algorithms
  • Cloud Technologies: Microsoft Azure, AWS
  • Others: GIT, LaTeX, MS Office suite

Certifications

  • Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
  • CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+)
  • CompTIA Security+
  • Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
  • Top 3% TryHackMe

Selected Professional Affiliations

  • International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC)², Washington DC Chapter
  • Member, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Washington DC Chapter
  • Member, National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
  • Member, Communications Society, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
  • Member, Computer Society, Association of Computing Machinery (ACM)

Journal, Conference and Workshop Articles

  1. Felix O. Olowononi, Danda B. Rawat, Charles A. Kamhoua, “Deep Reinforcement Learning for Deception in IRS-Assisted UAV Communications”, 2022 IEEE Military Communications Conference (MILCOM), November 2022, Maryland, USA (Accepted for presentation)
  2. Felix O. Olowononi, Danda B. Rawat, Charles A. Kamhoua, “Deep Learning for Secure Transmission in Wireless Communication Networks,” WS22 IEEE ICC 2022 the 4th International Workshop on Data Driven Intelligence for Networks and Systems, May, 2022, Seoul, South Korea
  3. Felix O. Olowononi, Ahmed H. Anwar, Danda B. Rawat, Jaime C. Acosta and Charles A. Kamhoua, “Deep Learning for Cyber Deception in Wireless Networks,” Proc. of the 17th International Conference on Mobility, Sensing and Networking (MSN 2021), December 13-15, 2021, Exeter, UK
  4. Felix O. Olowononi, Danda B. Rawat and Chunmei Liu, “Federated Learning with Differential Privacy for Resilient Vehicular Cyber Physical Systems,” Proc. of the IEEE Consumer Communications & Networking Conference (IEEE CCNC 2021), 9-12 January 2021, Las Vegas, NV, USA.
  5. Felix O. Olowononi, Danda B. Rawat and Chunmei Liu, “Resilient Machine Learning for Networked Cyber Physical Systems: A Survey for Machine Learning Security to Securing Machine Learning for CPS,” in IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials, Vol. 23, No. 1, pp: 524 -552, First quarter 2021
  6. Felix O. Olowononi, Danda B. Rawat, and Chunmei Liu, “Trust-Based Adversarial Resiliency in Vehicular Cyber Physical Systems Using Reinforcement Learning, Proc. of the Eighth International Symposium on Security in Computing and Communications (SSCC’20), Oct 14 – 17, 2020, Chennai India.
  7. Felix O. Olowononi, Danda B. Rawat and C. Liu, “Dependable Adaptive Mobility in Vehicular Networks for Resilient Mobile Cyber Physical Systems,” Proc. of the IEEE ICC 2020 Workshop on Secure and Dependable Software Defined Networking for Sustainable Smart Communities, 7-11 June 2020, Dublin, Ireland.
  8. Felix O. Olowononi, Danda B. Rawat, Moses Garuba and Charles Kamhoua, “Security Engineering with Machine Learning for Adversarial Resiliency in Mobile Cyber Physical Systems,” Proc. of the SPIE 2019 Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Multi-Domain Operations Applications, Baltimore, MD, USA, April 14 – 18, 2019
  9. Felix O. Olowononi, Charles Ndujiuba (2017), “Migration from Microwave to Millimeter-wave for Next Generation Mobile Communication Systems”, Communications on Applied Electronics (CAE), 6(7), February 2017. Published by Foundation of Computer Science (FCS), NY, USA
  10. Nsikan Nkordeh, Oluyinka Oni, Felix Olowononi, Ibinabo Bob-Manuel, “Nigeria’s Power Generation: Analyzing the Cost Implication of Poor Generation on the Running Cost of Telecom Business in Nigeria”, Proceedings of the World Congress on Engineering and Computer Science (WCECS) 2017, October 25-27, 2017, San Francisco, USA
  11. Nsikan Nkordeh, Oluyinka Oni, Felix Olowononi, Ibinabo Bob-Manuel, “Impact of Social Media on the Reading Culture of Nigerian Youths; Is the Social Media platform providing an Alternative Source of Education?”, Proceedings of the World Congress on Engineering and Computer Science (WCECS) 2017, October 25-27, 2017, San Francisco, USA
  12. Nsikan Nkordeh, Ibinabo Bob-Manuel, Felix Olowononi, “The Nigerian Telecommunication Industry: Analysis of the First Fifteen Years of the Growths and Challenges in the GSM Market (2001 – 2016)”, Proceedings of the World Congress on Engineering and Computer Science (WCECS) 2017, October 25-27, 2017, San Francisco, USA
  13. Victor Matthews, Felix O. Olowononi, Emmanuel Adetiba, Oluyinka Oni, “A Conceptual Semi-Humanoid Wireless Robotic Lecturer for Distance Learning”, Communications on Applied Electronics (CAE), 5(5), July 2016. Published by Foundation of Computer Science (FCS), NY, USA
  14. Matthew Kwatri Luka, Felix O. Olowononi, Joseph Stephen Soja, Power Line Communications: A Platform for Sustainable Development”, 3rd International Conference on African Development Issues (CU-ICADI 2016), held at African Leadership Development Center, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria, ISSN: 2449-075X
  15. Agboje Oboyerulu Edevbie and Felix O. Olowononi, “Comparative Analysis of GPON and DSL Access Technologies for Enhancing Broadband Internet Penetration in Nigeria”, International Journal of Applied Information Systems 10(8):16-21, April 2016. Published by Foundation of Computer Science (FCS), NY, USA.
  16. Ademola Abdulkareem, Dike U. Ike, Felix O. Olowononi, “Development of a Radio Frequency Identification Based Attendance Management Application with A Pictorial Database Framework”, International Journal of Research in Information Technology (IJRIT), Volume 2, Issue 4, April 2014, Pg: 621- 628 ISSN: 2001-5569
  17. Matthew Victor Olugbemiga, Felix O. Olowononi, Dike Ike, “On the Implementation of IP Video Surveillance Systems”, Journal of Information and Communication Technology (JICT), Vol 3, Issue 5, May 2013
  18. Victor O. Matthews, Felix O. Olowononi, Emmanuel Adetiba, “Implementation of a Wireless Bank Surveillance System with a Nomadic Monitoring Unit”, International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research (IJSER), Volume 4, Issue 10, October-2013 476 ISSN 22295518
  19. Ibikunle Frank, Felix O. Olowononi, “Application of MIMO Technology to systems Beyond 3G”, International Journal of Informatics and Communications Technology (IJ-ICT), Vol 1, No 2 (2012)

Book Chapter

  1. Felix O. Olowononi, Danda B. Rawat, and Chunmei Liu, “Trust-Based Adversarial Resiliency in Vehicular Cyber Physical Systems Using Reinforcement Learning”, Security in Computing and Communications, Book Series: Communications in Computer and Information Science, published by Springer Singapore, ISBN: 978-981-16-0422-5