About Me
I am a computer engineer with special interests in Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity. I currently work as an Assistant Professor, teaching and performing research on some of the newest and most innovative AI and cybersecurity developments. I received the Ph.D. degree at the University of South Florida (USF) with the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, FL, in 2021. I also received the M.Sc. and B.Sc. degree in Computer and Electrical Engineering from Tennessee Tech University, TN, in 2018 and 2016, respectively. I present and publish peer-reviewed research in classic and post-quantum cryptographic engineering, AI-enhanced cybersecurity and threat detection, machine learning and data mining security, and emerging security and privacy measures for deeply embedded systems.
In my spare time you can find me reading the most recent security and AI technology related news, implementing new projects for my research and my students, posting on X, or out on the tennis courts reminding myself of the good ol’days.
Publications
Journal Articles
- A. Cintas-Canto, J. Kaur, M. Mozaffari-Kermani, R. Azarderakhsh, “ChatGPT vs. Lightweight Security: First work implementing the NIST cryptographic standard ASCON,” arXiv e-prints, arXiv-2306.08178, 2023.
- A. Cintas Canto, J. Kaur, M. Mozaffari Kermani, and R. Azarderakhsh, “Algorithmic security is insufficient: A comprehensive survey on implementation attacks haunting post-quantum security,” arXiv e-prints, arXiv-2305.13544, 2023.
- J. Kaur, A. Cintas Canto, M. Mozaffari Kermani, and R. Azarderakhsh, “A comprehensive survey on the implementations, attacks, and countermeasures of the current NIST lightweight cryptography standard,” arXiv preprint, arXiv:2304.06222, 2023.
- A. Cintas Canto, M. Mozaffari Kermani, and R. Azarderakhsh, “Reliable architectures for finite field multipliers using cyclic codes on FPGA utilized in classic and post-quantum cryptography,” IEEE Transactions on Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) Systems, vol. 31, no. 1, pp. 157-161, 2023.
- A. Cintas Canto, A. Sarker, J. Kaur, M. Mozaffari Kermani, and R. Azarderakhsh, “Error detection schemes assessed on FPGA for multipliers in lattice-based key encapsulation mechanisms in post-quantum cryptography,” IEEE Transactions on Emerging Topics in Computing, accepted, to appear 2023.
- A. Cintas Canto, M. Mozaffari Kermani, and R. Azarderakhsh, “Error detection constructions for ITA finite field inversions over GF(2^m) on FPGA using CRC and hamming codes,” IEEE Transactions on Reliability, vol. 72, no. 2, pp. 651-661, 2023.
- A. Sarker, A. Cintas Canto, M. Mozaffari Kermani, and R. Azarderakhsh, “Error detection architectures for hardware/software co-design approaches of number theoretic transform,” IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design Integr. Circuits Syst., vol. 42, no. 7, pp. 2418-2422, 2023.
- A. Cintas Canto, M. Mozaffari Kermani, and R. Azarderakhsh, “Reliable constructions for the key generator of code-based post-quantum cryptosystems on FPGA,” ACM Journal on Emerging Technologies in Computing Systems, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 1-20, 2022.
- A. Cintas Canto, M. Mozaffari Kermani, and R. Azarderakhsh, “CRC-based error detection constructions for FLT and ITA finite field inversions over GF(2^m),” IEEE Transactions on Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) Systems, vol. 29, no. 5, pp. 1033-1037, 2021.
- A. Cintas Canto, M. Mozaffari Kermani, and R. Azarderakhsh, “Reliable architectures for composite-field-oriented constructions of McEliece post-quantum cryptography on FPGA,” IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design Integr. Circuits Syst., vol. 40, no. 5, pp. 999-1003, 2020.
- A. Cintas Canto, M. Mozaffari Kermani, and R. Azarderakhsh, “Reliable CRC-based error detection constructions for finite field multipliers with applications in cryptography,” IEEE Transactions on Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) Systems, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 232-236, 2020.
Conference Papers
- A. Cintas Canto, M. Mozaffari Kermani, R. Azarderakhsh, and K. Gaj, “Reliable Code-Based Post-Quantum Cryptographic Algorithms through Fault Detection on FPGA,” in 2023 IEEE Nordic Circuits and Systems Conference (NorCAS), accepted, 2023.
- A. Cintas Canto, M. Mozaffari Kermani, R. Azarderakhsh, and K. Gaj, “CRC-Oriented Error Detection Architectures of Post-quantum Cryptography Niederreiter Key Generator on FPGA,” in 2022 IEEE Nordic Circuits and Systems Conference (NorCAS), pp. 1-7, 2022.
Awards
NSF EPIIC Grant Award (2023, $400,000)
- Recipient of the award as a Senior Key Personnel, leveraging my specialized expertise in AI and Cybersecurity to employ human-centered design approaches and transformative leadership principles in the development and enhancement of comprehensive curriculums across Doctoral, Master’s, Undergraduate, and Certificate programs.
START Grant, Marymount University (2022, $5,200)
- Awarded annually to two faculty members with a scholarly project exhibiting high potential for future external grant funding.
Teaching
Marymount University (Assistant Professor)
- IT 112 – Introduction to Computer Systems (Spring 2023; Fall 2023, 2022)
- IT 129 – Python Scripting (Spring 2023)
- IT 229 – Advanced Python Applications (Spring 2023, 2022; Fall 2021)
- IT 560 – Applications of Cryptography (Spring 2023, 2022; Fall 2023, 2022, 2021)
- IT 566 – Computer Scripting Techniques (Fall 2021)
- IT 797 – Advanced Topics in Cybersecurity (Fall 2023)
- IT 800 – Beginning Applied Research (Fall 2022; Spring 2022)