CLOSED: PhD offer in the area of measurements for cybersecurity

Cybersecurity Institute at Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Software and Intelligent Systems (LSI) Carnot Institute and Grenoble Informatics Laboratory (LIG) invite applications for a PhD Student position in the area of measurements for cybersecurity and Domain Name System (DNS) abuse.

• Position: PhD Student Université Grenoble Alpes
• Contract: fixed-term 36 months
• Start date: ASAP
• Location: Grenoble, Rhône-Alpes, France
• Hosting institution: Drakkar group, LIG Laboratory, Université Grenoble Alpes
• Scientific advisors: Maciej Korczyński and Andrzej Duda @LIG/UGA
• Project partners: Cybersecurity Institute at Univ. Grenoble Alpes, LSI Carnot Institute and ICANN
• Application deadline: 31/07/2019 (applications submitted after the deadline will be evaluated until the position is filled)

Job description

The candidate will join a research project about cybersecurity and domain name abuse. The goal of the project is to develop large-scale Internet measurement and classification/statistical methods in the fight against Internet-scale attacks, such as phishing, malware drive-by-downloads, and spam. The successful candidate will collect and statistically analyze empirical data, and will work on real-world security problems that will help operators such as domain registries and hosting providers to effectively mitigate security incidents. The candidate will study the behavior of malicious actors and of potential victims of cybersecurity incidents and will design secure systems and propose effective policies to prevent domain name abuse. The PhD student will collaborate with the researchers from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), domain registry operators, and security organizations.

The PhD student will be part of a team working on worldwide measurements of cyber crime, network attacks and IoT security. We have collaborated on projects with industry players such as AFNIC, SIDN Labs, ICANN, law enforcement or STMicroelectronics. We offer an excellent working environment, strong support for personal development and career planning, cutting-edge research topics, and strong industry collaborations.

Skills and Expertise

The position requires strong competences in programming (Python, C/C++, R/MATLAB) and excellent written and oral communication skills in English. Research experience in the field of network security and data analytics is considered as a plus as well as industry experience as a software engineer.

The candidate must have a master’s degree (or equivalence) in network or information security, computer science, telecommunication engineering or in a related study with excellent results. The candidate must have a high motivation for research, and enjoy working in an international team.

Location and Hosting Institution

The LIG laboratory is located in Grenoble, the capital of the Alps. Grenoble is one of France’s major scientific and industrial centers for computer science and applied mathematics. The city lies amidst three mountain ranges and offers exceptional quality of life, with extensive public transportation and dedicated bike ways.

The Drakkar group investigates various aspects of network protocols, cybersecurity, Internet-scale measurements and multimedia applications. The LIG lab has just moved to the brand new IMAG building, thus offering a very high standard work environment.

Funding Institutions

The Grenoble Alps Cybersecurity Institute aims at undertaking ground-breaking interdisciplinary research in order to address cybersecurity and privacy challenges. The main technical focus is on low-cost secure elements, critical infrastructures, vulnerability analysis and validation of large systems, including practical resilience across the industry and the society. The approach to cybersecurity is holistic, encompassing technical, legal, law-enforcement, economic, social, and intelligence-related aspects with strong partnerships with the private sector and national and international cooperation with leading institutions in France and abroad.

The Software and Intelligent Systems (LSI) Carnot Institute groups together ten world-class university teams and laboratories in Grenoble within the digital sector. Its research teams are heavily immersed in the industrial and socio-economic fabric of the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region. The Institute works closely with local stakeholders through a research-industry interface and a development hub to provide an efficient response to the expectations of both SMEs and intermediate-sized enterprises.

The proposed research project is at the heart of the themes of Grenoble Alps Cybersecurity Institute and LSI Carnot Institute.

How to Apply and Contact Information

Applicants should send a detailed curriculum vitae along with a letter of application, last diploma, transcripts for undergraduate and graduate studies to maciej.korczynski@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr. Email subject must start with "[DNS abuse]". References or letters of recommendation are appreciated.