UCF is Securing Our Nation Through Cybersecurity

Yan Solihin, PhD

Professor and Director of Cyber Security & Privacy Cluster

(Interim) Chair of the Department of Computer Science

Yan Solihin has dedicated his career to the cyber race — people with good intentions trying to stay two steps ahead of “the other people.” Whenever a new smart device is introduced to the marketplace, Solihin sees it as another potential cyber gap.

“You can set up a computer with antivirus software and a firewall,” says Solihin, “but now a smart refrigerator could be the vulnerable point for an attacker to target.”

Solihin leads the university’s Cyber Security and Privacy Cluster — made up of an interdisciplinary group of researchers and scholars — which focuses its efforts on understanding and exploring existing ways to stay secure while also inventing new ones. The cluster also focuses on understanding the social implications new technology and the “Internet of Things” have on our daily lives. This research provides much-needed solutions to security and privacy challenges that may arise in business and in life.

“We live in a dangerous world and cyber attacks, such as ransomware and phishing, are increasing,” says Solihin. “Hackers are looking at all of the infrastructure that we have. They will keep probing for vulnerabilities which are often found in organizations that do not have enough trained professionals to provide oversight, protection and defense measures.”

Prior to joining UCF, Solihin worked as the program director of the Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) program at the National Science Foundation (NSF). It was there that he realized his drive to help ramp up cybersecurity capabilities across the nation — specifically, creating a strong pipeline of talent for industry leaders. Today, he sees UCF as a powerhouse university in the cybersecurity field. From advanced cybersecurity research and academics to the national success of the university’s cyberdefense competition team, Solihin enjoys having the opportunity to make a difference on the next generation of cybersecurity leaders. He also played a role in helping the university launch a master’s in cybersecurity and privacy which addresses the nation’s urgent workforce shortage in the field.

Solihin is an internationally recognized and published scholar in cybersecurity. He has authored more than 120 patent assets and frequently serves as a speaker at top industry conferences and seminars. As a renowned cybersecurity leader, Solihin has also received a number of accolades for his research and work, including being named an ACM Distinguished Speaker from 2019-2020, being inducted into the ISCA hall of fame in 2018, and becoming an IEEE fellow in 2017.