Mohammed M. Al Ani Headshot

Mohammed M. Al Ani

Professor of Computing Security

RIT Dubai

Office Location
D-103

Mohammed M. Al Ani

Professor of Computing Security

RIT Dubai

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Recent Journal Publications

  • Mohammed M. Alani, HoneyTwin: Securing Smart Cities with Machine Learning-Enabled SDN Edge and Cloud-Based Honeypots, Journal of Parallel and Distributed Computing (Q2|IF 3.8), Elsevier. June 2024.(ScienceDirect)
  • Mohammed M. Alani, Lara Mauri, Ernesto Damiani, A two-stage cyber attack detection and classification system for smart grids, Internet of Things Journal (Q1|IF 5.9), Elsevier, Dec 2023.(ScienceDirect)
  • Mohammed M. Alani, Atefeh Mashatan, Ali Miri, XMal: A lightweight memory-based explainable obfuscated-malware detector, Computers & Security (Q1|IF 5.6), Elsevier, Aug 2023.(ScienceDirect)
  • Mohammed M. Alani, Ali I. Awad, Ezidine Barka, ARP-PROBE: An ARP spoofing detector for Internet of Things networks using explainable deep learning, Internet of Things Journal (Q1|IF 5.9), Elsevier, June 2023.(ScienceDirect)
  • Mohammed M. Alani, Ernesto Damiani, XRecon: An Explainbale IoT Reconnaissance Attack Detection System Based on Ensemble Learning , Sensors (Q2|IF 3.9), MDPI, June 2023.(MDPI)
  • Mohammed M. Alani, An explainable efficient flow-based Industrial IoT intrusion detection system, Computers & Electrical Engineering (Q2|IF 4.152), Elsevier, May 2023.(ScienceDirect)

     

Currently Teaching

CSEC-202
3 Credits
This course will teach students the core concepts needed to analyze unknown source code. Students will study a variety of low-level programming languages and how high-level programming language structures relate to low-level programming languages. Students will learn study tools and techniques used for both static and dynamic analysis of unknown binaries, providing the foundation for further study in malware analysis.
CSEC-310
3 Credits
This course will discuss cybersecurity defensive measures and their application to protecting computing endpoints. The course will focus on studying, analyzing, and understanding vulnerabilities and threats along with the preventative and detective controls necessary to mitigate risk. Defensive endpoint-based controls will be explored and applied with hands-on exercises.
CSEC-499
0 Credits
Students will gain experience and a better understanding of the application of technologies discussed in classes by working in the field of computing security. Students will be evaluated by their employer. If a transfer student, they must have completed one term in residence at RIT and be carrying a full academic load.
CSEC-731
3 Credits
This course discusses the processes and procedures to perform a technical security audit of web servers and web based applications. Students will not only explore Web Servers and Applications/Services threats, but also apply the latest auditing techniques to identify vulnerabilities existing in or stemming from web servers and applications. Students will write and present their findings and recommendations in audit reports on web servers and application vulnerabilities. To be successful in this course students should be knowledgeable in a scripting language and comfortable with the administration of both Linux and Windows platforms.
CSEC-744
3 Credits
Students will examine the areas of intrusion detection, evidence collection, network auditing, network security policy design and implementation as well as preparation for and defense against attacks. The issues and facilities available to both the intruder and data network administrator will be examined and evaluated with appropriate laboratory exercises to illustrate their effect. The students will be provided with an understanding of the principles and concepts of wired and wireless data network security. Students will perform a series of laboratory or homework experiments in order to explore various mechanisms for securing data networks including physical layer mechanisms, filters, applications and encryption. Students will engage in attack/defend scenarios to test their deployments against other teams. Students should be knowledgeable in networking technologies.
PUBL-363
3 Credits
Why are we still so bad at protecting computer systems? Is it because we don’t have good enough technology? Or because we lack sufficient economic incentives to implement that technology? Or because we implement technologies but then fail to use them correctly? Or because the laws governing computer security are so outdated? Or because our legal frameworks are ill-equipped to deal with an international threat landscape? All these reasons—and others— have been offered to explain why we seem to see more and more large-scale cybersecurity incidents and show no signs of getting better at preventing them. This course will examine the non-technical dimensions of this problem—the laws and other policy measures that govern computer security threats and incidents. We will focus primarily on U.S. policy but will also discuss relevant policies in the E.U. and China, as well as international tensions and norms. The central themes of the course will be the ways in which technical challenges in security can be influenced by the social, political, economic, and legal landscapes, and what it means to protect against cybersecurity threats not just by writing better code but also by writing better policies and laws.

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Website last updated: December 4, 2025