Network and Systems Engineering Cyber Security
Centre of Expertise Cyber Security
Introduction
To accelerate digitalisation, networks and systems must facilitate collaboration between people and organisations while safeguarding cyber resilience. New technologies play a crucial role in protecting both existing and emerging networks and systems. This is achieved by detecting threats early and taking effective countermeasures. By approaching the situation from an attacker’s perspective, the most effective defences can be developed.
About the research group
The research group Network and Systems Engineering Cyber Security focuses on three lines of research:
- Data-centric security
To better protect networks and systems, we must secure not just the environment but the information itself. Dividing data into different compartments offers limited protection and can be inefficient. Data-centric security ensures that the right information is accessible at the right time to the right people—without compromising security or ease of use. - Cyber-resilient systems
Our infrastructures rely on various technologies, such as IT, OT, and IoT, each requiring a different approach. We explore new methods to detect threats more quickly and reduce their impact. Due to the diverse nature of these technologies, threats are often more difficult to identify. That’s why we develop methods focused on detecting and countering attacks within these systems. - Offensive techniques for better defence
By launching controlled attacks on networks and systems, we can identify weaknesses in their security. This allows us to uncover vulnerabilities and develop new techniques that detect threats more rapidly and improve the cyber resilience of networks and systems.
About the professor
dr. ir. Gerard Hoekstra
Gerard Hoekstra is professor of Network & Systems Engineering Cyber Security at The Hague University of Applied Sciences. He is also responsible for Sovereign Security Solutions within the Cyber Defence Solutions division at Thales Netherlands. Gerard has ten years of experience in the telecommunications industry and has held various research and product line management roles within the Secure Communications & Information Systems unit at Thales Netherlands.
He conducted his NWO Casimir PhD research part-time at the Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) and obtained his doctorate from the Faculty of Applied Mathematics at VU University Amsterdam. Until 2015, he remained affiliated with CWI as a part-time postdoctoral researcher.
Team
Within our research group, researchers, lecturer-researchers and students work closely with practice partners to conduct research. Together they are committed to translating the results of the research -knowledge and insights- into the practice of education and the region.
