Sashank Narain

Sashank Narain, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts Lowell in the Miner School of Computer & Information Sciences, housed within the Kennedy College of Sciences. His research spans cybersecurity with a strong focus on user privacy, mobile security, IoT security, and cyber-physical systems security. He has been instrumental in advancing the understanding of sensor-based side-channel attacks on smartphones and developing robust frameworks for privacy protection.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Information Assurance (2018), Northeastern University, Boston
• M.S. in Information Assurance (2012), Northeastern University, Boston
• B.S. in Information Technology (2007), University of Mumbai, India

Research Interests:

Dr. Narain's primary research delves into the implications of smartphone sensors on user privacy. He investigates how seemingly benign sensors like accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers can be exploited to infer sensitive information such as passwords and locations. His work highlights the stealthy nature of these sensors, which are often overlooked by mobile operating systems yet can serve as powerful spying tools. Beyond smartphones, he is actively developing security frameworks for drones and smart home devices like vacuum cleaners and refrigerators, aiming to mitigate privacy risks in ubiquitous computing environments.

His broader research interests encompass wireless and network security, particularly in analyzing vulnerabilities in contact tracing protocols, GPS spoofing attacks, and traditional threats like clickfraud and clickjacking. He is deeply involved in designing practical systems that enhance the security of Android devices, addressing gaps in current privacy protections.

Scientific Awards:

While no specific awards are listed in the provided text, his extensive publication record and ongoing research projects indicate significant recognition in the cybersecurity community.

Research Projects & Grants:

• Analysis and Mitigation of Privacy Breaches arising from Android Ad Libraries (Co-Investigator)
• Effects of Privacy Laws (GDPR and CCPA) on Android App Privacy Practices (Co-Investigator)
• Security and Privacy Analysis of Contact Tracing Protocols (Co-Investigator)
• System and Apparatus for Detecting Copycat Apps in Google Play Store (Co-Investigator)
• System for On-device Detection of Clickfraud attacks on Mobile Devices (Co-Investigator)

Labs & Teams:

Dr. Narain is associated with the iSAFER (Institute for Security, Assurance, and Forensics Engineering Research) at UMass Lowell, where he collaborates on cutting-edge cybersecurity research and educational initiatives.