Deception in Cybersecurity: How to Outsmart Hackers

My research focuses on cybersecurity, specifically cyber deception, an emerging field designed to trick hackers into revealing their tactics while keeping real systems safe. I study how to create fake but convincing computer systems that lure attackers, track their behavior, and collect valuable intelligence. Nature is full of deception techniques - for example, some butterflies have false eye spots to intimidate predators. I am particularly interested in how these natural deception strategies can be applied to cybersecurity. One part of my project involves designing fake computer systems that can mutate their behavior, constantly changing how they appear to hackers to keep them guessing.

Cybersecurity is not just about protecting computers—it’s about keeping people, businesses, and even entire countries safe from digital threats. My research helps make the internet a safer place by tricking hackers and exposing their tactics, making it harder for them to attack real systems. From a sustainability perspective, cyber deception reduces the need for constant, expensive security updates by shifting the risk back onto the attackers. Instead of just blocking threats, we confuse and mislead cybercriminals, forcing them to waste time and resources.

In school, I focused on math and physics, and while I always liked informatics, it wasn’t easy for me. For my bachelor's degree, I chose business informatics, a cross-disciplinary field combining computer science and management. During my studies, I completed several internships, but the one I enjoyed the most was working in a cybersecurity team at a bank. That experience inspired me to shift my focus to cybersecurity, leading me to move to Finland for my master’s degree in the field. After my master’s, I took a gap year, worked in the industry, and realized that I truly enjoyed the challenges of academia. That’s why I decided to apply for a PhD position. Over the past five years, my studies and work have taken me to seven different countries. This experience has not only expanded my knowledge but also shaped my personality, giving me a broader perspective on cybersecurity and technology.