Dr Francisco J. Aparicio Navarro

Dr Aparicio Navarro is a Senior Lecturer in Cyber Security and Programme Leader for the BSc (Hons) and MSc Digital Technology Solutions Degree Apprenticeship. He is an expert in Computer Network Security and Intrusion Detection. His research has advanced the state-of-the-art of network security by developing novel unsupervised Intrusion Detection Systems, and proposing statistical approaches to integrate Contextual Information and Situational Awareness into the cyber-attack detection process. Dr Aparicio Navarro worked as a Research Associate in the defence project UDRC, collaborating with the Dstl/MoD in the development of cyber security solutions for the networked battlespace, has delivered cyber security solutions for Connected Autonomous Vehicles, in partnership with Airbus, and has researched methods to detect Advanced Persistent Threats and Multi-Stage Attacks in networked environments. He has successfully led research and commercial projects, and has experience commercialising his research outputs. Dr Aparicio Navarro has presented his research at international conferences including IEEE MILCOM and IEEE ICC, flagship conferences for the IEEE Communications Society, and has been invited speaker at multiple international workshops and symposiums in Europe, America and the Middle East.

Research Skills / Expertise:

• Penetration Testing / Ethical Hacking
• Cyber Threat Intelligence
• Incident Response
• Data Mining, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
• Context and Knowledge Representation
• Computer Networks (Routing and Switching, CCNA)
• Intrusion Detection Systems
• Cross-layer Measurements and Data Fusion
• Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Full list of publications in Google Scholar

Selected Publications:

D. Kosmanos,  A. Pappas, L. Maglaras, S. Moschoyiannis, F. J. Aparicio-Navarro, A. Argyriou, H. Janicke, “A vovel intrusion detection system against spoofing attacks in connected electric vehicles,” in Elsevier Array, vol. 5, no. 100013, 2020, pp. 1-11.

D. Kosmanos, A. Pappas, F. J. Aparicio-Navarro, L. Maglaras, H. Janicke, E. Boiten, A. Argyriou, "Intrusion detection system for platooning connected autonomous vehicles," in Proc. of the 4th South-East Europe Design Automation, Computer Engineering, Computer Networks and Social Media Conference (SEEDA-CECNSM), 2019, pp. 1-9.

I. Ghafir, K. Kyriakopoulos, S. Lambotharan, F. J. Aparicio-Navarro, B. AsSadhan, H. BinSalleeh, D. M. Diab, “Hidden markov models and alert correlations for the prediction of advanced persistent threats,” in IEEE Access, vol. 7, 2019, pp. 99508-99520.

F. J. Aparicio-Navarro, K. Kyriakopoulos, I. Ghafir, S. Lambotharan, J. Chambers, “Multi-stage attack detection using contextual information,” in IEEE Military Communications Conference (MILCOM), 2018, pp. 920-925.

I. Ghafir, M. Hammoudeh, V. Prenosil, L. Han, R. Hegarty, K. Rabie, F. J. Aparicio-Navarro, “Detection of advanced persistent threat using machine-learning correlation analysis,” Elsevier Future Generation Computer Systems, vol. 89, 2018, pp. 349-359.

F. J. Aparicio-Navarro, K. Kyriakopoulos, Y. Gong, D. Parish, J. Chambers, “Using pattern-of-life as contextual information for anomaly-based intrusion detection systems,” IEEE Access, vol. 5, 2017, pp. 22177-22193.

Cyberwar: An explainer

What your smart TV knows about you – and how to stop it harvesting data

Stalkerware: What it is, how it affects you and how to keep yourself safe

Safer Wireless Charging for Connected Electric Vehicles

Cyber and AI Experts Bring Ideas to Life to Help Combat National Security Concerns

Cyber Security Academic Startup Accelerator Programme

Cybersecurity: Future Challenge & Network Defenses

Cyber Defence and Anomaly Detection in Communication Networks

Network Security, Intrusion Detection Systems, Cyber Situational Awareness, Machine Learning

BSc (Hons) Digital Technology Solutions Apprenticeship - Programme Leader

MSc Digital Technology Solutions Specialist Apprenticeship - Programme Leader

Academic Year 2021/22:

CTEC2914 - Penetration testing (BSc) - Module Leader

CTEC5804 - Penetration Testing & Incident Response (MSc) - Module Leader

CTEC5603 - Artificial Intelligence for Cyber Security  (MSc) - Module Leader

CTEC5894 - Penetration Testing & Incident Response  (DL) - Module Leader

CTEC5300 - Network Security and Ethical Hacking (7Safe; MSc) - Module Leader

CTEC5302 - Cyber Security (7Safe; MSc) - Module Leader

CTEC2309 - Penetration Testing - Apprenticeship (BSc)

CTEC2316 - Linux Security - Apprenticeship  (BSc)

Previous Teaching:

(Computer Networks, CCNA)

CTEC3605 - Multi-Service Networks 1 (BSc)

CTEC3606 - Multi-Service Networks 2 (BSc)

Ethical Hacking - Certified Security Testing Associate (CSTA), 7Safe

Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)

• SACRED: System of Automatic and Configurable Web Crawler Detection (Innovate UK) - 10001821 - (Co-Investigator)
• Installation and Configuration of Cloud-based Environment - NCSC/GCHQ - (Principal Investigator)
• INSURE: Intrusion Detection System for Public Hotspot Cyber Security  - Phase 2 (Innovate UK) - 133894  - (Principal Investigator)
• INSURE: Intrusion Detection System for Public Hotspot Cyber Security - Phase 1 (Innovate UK) - 105350  - (Principal Investigator)
• FLOURISH: Empowerment through Trusted Secure Mobility (Innovate UK & Airbus) - 102582 - (Co-Investigator)
• Signal Processing Solutions for the Networked Battlespace (Dstl & EPSRC) - EP/K014307/1 & EP/K014307/2 (Research Associate)
• Cross Layer Techniques for Intrusion Tolerant Networks (EPSRC) - EP/H005005/1 (PhD Student)

• Cyber Security Consultancy
• Penetration Testing / Ethical Hacking
• Vulnerability Assessment
• Incident Response

• Maysa Hashemi Tabar, Cyber Threat Intelligence for Proactive Detection of Advanced Persistent Threats (1st supervisor)

• Ioannis Vourgidis, Looking Around Corners: Making Roads Safer for the Vulnerable (2nd supervisor)

Completed PhD Supervision:

• Dr Raphael Martin Juergen Riebl, (2021) Quality of Service in Vehicular AdHoc Networks: Methodical Evaluation and Enhancements for ITS-G5

Topic Editor Team: Sensors, MDPI Journal

Guest Editor:

Special Issue  - Fog/Edge Computing Cyber Security  - Sensors, MDPI Journal

Special Issue  - Innovative Authentication Methods  - Computers, MDPI Journal

Programme Committee:

Program Chair - 3rd IEEE Symposium on Software Engineering for Smart Systems (SSESS) 2019, Leicester, UK

Invited Speaker:

UK ACE-CSR National Winter School (2020), [online]

CyberASAP Demo Day (2020), Level 39, Canary Wharf, London, UK

Workshop on Machine Learning for Cyber Security (2019), Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK

Faculty of Technology Research Seminar Series (2018), De Montfort University, Leicester, UK

Workshop in Cybersecurity and Future Challenges (2018), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Data Science and Signal Processing Meeting (2017), The Alan Turing Institute, London, UK

Workshop in Anomaly Detection (2016), ANII, Montevideo, Uruguay

Media and Press Comments:

BBC Radio - Interview on Stalkeware, 06 Dec 2021

The Guardian - Article on Smart TV users' surveillance, 30 Jan 2022