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Dr. Tao Hou

Assistant Professor

University of North Texas

Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Email: Tao.Hou@unt.edu

Education

  • PhD, University of South Florida, 2022
    Major: Computer Science and Engineering

Professional Positions

    Academic - Post-Secondary

  • Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Texas State University. Texas State University. (2022 - 2024).

Professional Memberships

  • The Tau Beta Pi Association (TBP). (May 1, 2018 - Present).
  • Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). (September 1, 2016 - Present).
  • The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). (September 1, 2016 - Present).

Development Activities

  • Other (Junior Faculty Training), UNT College of Engineering Junior Faculty Training, College of Engineering. United States of America. (January 16, 2024).
  • Other (Faculty Development Program), Scholarship & Teaching Excellence Program (STEP), Texas State University. United States of America. (September 9, 2022).

Teaching

Teaching Experience

    University of North Texas

  • CSCE 5550 - Introduction to Computer Security, 2 courses.
  • CSCE 5552 - Cybersecurity Essentials, 1 course.
  • CSCE 5934 - Directed Study, 1 course.
  • CSCE 6940 - Individual Research, 3 courses.

Teaching at Other Institutions

  • Texas State University, CS 4371 Computer System Security, Fall 2023.
  • Texas State University, CS 7341 Cyberspace Security, Spring 2023.
  • Texas State University, CS 4371 Computer System Security, Fall 2022.

Awards and Honors

  • Best Paper Award, IEEE Global Conference on Signal and Information Processing. (May 1, 2019).

Research

Published Intellectual Contributions

    Book Chapter

  • Hou, T., Wang, T., Shen, D., Lu, Z., Liu, Y. (2020). Autonomous Security Mechanisms for High-Performance Computing Systems: Review and Analysis. Adaptive Autonomous Secure Cyber Systems. 109--129. Springer.

    • Conference Proceeding

  • Alanazi, H., Bi, S., Wang, T., Hou, T. (2023). Adaptive Feature Engineering via Attention-Based LSTM Towards High Performance Reconnaissance Attack Detection. IEEE Military Communications Conference (IEEE MILCOM'23).
  • Alanazi, H., Bi, S., Wang, T., Hou, T. (2023). Exquisite Feature Selection for Machine Learning Powered Probing Attack Detection. IEEE International Conference on Communications (IEEE ICC'23).
  • Shen, D., Hou, T., Lu, Z., Liu, Y., Wang, T. (2023). SecDINT: Preventing Data-oriented Attacks via Intel SGX Escorted Data Integrity. IEEE Conference on Communications and Network Security (IEEE CNS'23).
  • Chen, S., McCracken, J., Lu, K., Wang, T., Hou, T. (2023). Taking a Look into the Cookie Jar: A Comprehensive Study towards the Security of Web Cookies. National Workshop for REU Research in Networking and Systems (REUNS'23).
  • Bi, S., Hou, T., Wang, T., Liu, Y., Lu, Z., Pei, Q. (2022). DyWCP: Dynamic and Lightweight Data-Channel Coupling towards Confidentiality in IoT Security. ACM Conference on Security and Privacy in Wireless and Mobile Networks (ACM WiSec'22).
  • Hou, T., Bi, S., Wang, T., Lu, Z., Liu, Y., Misra, S., Sagduyu, Y. (2022). MUSTER: Subverting User Selection in MU-MIMO Networks. IEEE Conference on Computer Communications (IEEE INFOCOM'22).
  • Hou, T., Wang, T., Lu, Z., Liu, Y., Sagduyu, Y. (2022). Undermining Deep Learning Based Channel Estimation via Adversarial Wireless Signal Fabrication. Proceedings of the 2022 ACM Workshop on Wireless Security and Machine Learning. 63--68.
  • Hou, T., Bi, S., Mingkui, W., Wang, T., Lu, Z., Liu, Y. (2022). When Third-Party JavaScript Meets Cache: Explosively Amplifying Security Risks on the Internet. IEEE Conference on Communications and Network Security (IEEE CNS'22).
  • Hou, T., Wang, T., Lu, Z., Liu, Y., Sagduyu, Y. (2021). IoTGAN: GAN Powered Camouflage Against Machine Learning Based IoT Device Identification. IEEE International Symposium on Dynamic Spectrum Access Networks (IEEE DySPAN'21).
  • Luo, Z., Hou, T., Nguyen, T.T., Zeng, H., Lu, Z. (2020). Log Analytics in HPC: A Data-driven Reinforcement Learning Framework. IEEE Conference on Computer Communications (INFOCOM) DDINS Workshop.
  • Hou, T., Qu, Z., Wang, T., Lu, Z., Liu, Y. (2020). ProTO: Proactive Topology Obfuscation Against Adversarial Network Topology Inference. IEEE Conference on Computer Communications (IEEE INFOCOM'20).
  • Hou, T., Wang, T., Lu, Z., Liu, Y. (2019). I Know Your Activities Even When Data Is Encrypted: Smart Traffic Analysis via Fusion Deep Neural Network. Annual Computer Security Applications Conference (ACSAC), Poster Session.
  • Hou, T., Wang, T., Lu, Z., Liu, Y. (2019). Smart spying via deep learning: inferring your activities from encrypted wireless traffic. IEEE Global Conference on Signal and Information Processing (IEEE GlobalSIP'19).
  • Wang, T., Liu, Y., Pei, Q., Hou, T. (2015). Location-restricted services access control leveraging pinpoint waveforming. Proceedings of the 22nd ACM SIGSAC Conference on Computer and Communications Security. 292--303.

    • Journal Article

  • Zibaeirad, A., Koleini, F., Bi, S., Hou, T., Wang, T. (2024). A Comprehensive Survey on the Security of Smart Grid: Challenges, Mitigations, and Future Research Opportunities. Other.
  • Salas-Nino, M., Ritter, G., Hamdan, D., Wang, T., Hou, T. (2024). The Evolution of Keylogger Technologies: A Survey from Historical Origins to Emerging Opportunities. Other.
  • Alvarado, M., Gayler, L., Seals, A., Wang, T., Hou, T. (2024). A Survey on Post-Quantum Cryptography: State-of-the-Art and Challenges. Other.
  • Hou, T., Wang, T. (2023). Dynamic and Lightweight Encryption towards Data Confidentiality in Medical loT Devices (MloT).
  • Luo, Z., Hou, T., Zhou, X., Zeng, H., Lu, Z. (2021). Binary Code Similarity Detection through LSTM and Siamese Neural Network. Other.
  • Hou, T., Wang, T., Lu, Z., Liu, Y. (2021). Combating Adversarial Network Topology Inference by Proactive Topology Obfuscation. Other.
  • Wang, T., Liu, Y., Hou, T., Pei, Q., Fang, S. (2016). Signal entanglement based pinpoint waveforming for location-restricted service access control. IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing. 15 (5) 853--867. IEEE.

    • Ph.D. Thesis

  • Hou, T. (2022). Securing Critical Cyber Infrastructures and Functionalities via Machine Learning Empowered Strategies. University of South Florida.

Contracts, Grants, Sponsored Research

    Grant - Research

  • Hou, T. (Principal), Wang, T. (Co-Principal), "Towards the Research and Education for Trustworthy and Resilient Artificial Intelligence of Things," sponsored by DoD Army Research Office (ARO), Federal, $222569 Funded. (2024).

Service

Professional Service

  • Committee Member, Technical Program Committee of IEEE CNS 2025. (February 15, 2025 - Present).
  • Committee Member, Technical Program Committee of NFOCOM DeepWireless 2025. (January 16, 2025 - Present).
  • Committee Member, Technical Program Committee of ICNC'25 AMCN. (September 5, 2024 - Present).
  • Committee Member, Technical Program Committee of ICNC'25 ECB. (August 16, 2024 - Present).
  • Committee Member, Program Committee of USENIX Security 2025. (August 8, 2024 - Present).
  • Committee Member, Program Committee of USENIX Security 2024. (August 6, 2024 - Present).
  • Committee Member, Artifact Evaluation Committee of ACSAC 2024. (April 25, 2024 - Present).
  • Committee Member, Technical Program Committee of IEEE CNS 2024. (February 26, 2024 - Present).
  • Committee Member, Program Committee of ACSAC 2024. (February 16, 2024 - Present).
  • Committee Member, Technical Program Committee of NFOCOM DeepWireless 2024. (January 18, 2024 - Present).