CoEIA Professor Delivers a Keynote at the International Conference on Computing

Under the patronage of H.E. the Minister of Education, Dr. Hamad bin Muhammad Al Sheikh, the International Conference on Computing (ICC 2019) was organized and hosted by Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University (PNU) from 10 to 12 December 2019 at its convention center. The conference brought together academics, researchers, professionals and students to discuss the latest research in data science, cybersecurity, IoT and information and communication technologies.

In the opening ceremony, PNU Rector Dr. Einas Al-Eisa said the Kingdom is investing heavily in human capital in pursuit of Vision 2030, with education, research and innovation among the top priorities for becoming a knowledge-based country. Dr. Hanan Al-Mengash, Dean of the College of Computer and Information Sciences at PNU, affirmed that the conference offers a platform to present the latest research, international experience and developments in computing and information technology in support of digital transformation and the Kingdom's vision.

The first keynote, "Forces of Change in the Digital Age", was presented by Prof. Kamal Youcef-Toumi of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), who discussed the impact of digital transformation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) on life, society and industry.

The next keynote, "Cybersecurity Challenges and Solutions in Hyper-Connected 5G-Based IoT Ecosystem", was presented by Prof. Muhammad Khurram Khan of the Center of Excellence in Information Assurance (CoEIA) at King Saud University. He explained that computers are no longer limited to desktops and laptops but are spreading into every area of life with the Internet of Things, which unites the physical and virtual worlds through everyday things such as cars, refrigerators and home appliances.

He added that 5G networks, with ultra-high speed, massive bandwidth and super-low latency, are the building block of a more IoT-friendly ecosystem in automotive, healthcare, energy, aerospace and defense, industrial and consumer electronics. However, dependence on billions of connected devices could lead to unexpected cybersecurity risks with serious consequences. He presented several cybersecurity challenges in this connected world, along with some of his research contributions, innovations and future trends.

Other keynote speakers included Prof. Omer Rana (Cardiff University, UK), Prof. Stephanie E. August (Loyola Marymount University, USA) and Prof. Norma Alias (UTM). The conference also featured workshops on data science, cybersecurity and IoT, and an exhibition by sponsors including Huawei, Cisco, HP, Citrix and Nutanix.