Tran Viet Khoa, Ph.D.

Education

Doctor of Philosophy.

• University: University of Technology Sydney, Australia, Nov 2021 - May 2024.

• Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Hoang Dinh (UTS).

• Co-supervisors: Assoc. Prof. Diep Nguyen (UTS), Prof. Eryk Dutkiewicz (UTS), Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Linh Trung (VNU-UET), and Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Viet Ha (VNU-UET).

• Field of research: Cyberattack detection, Cybersecurity, Machine learning, Deep Learning, Blockchain, IoT security.  

Master of Science in Information, Systems and Technology, 2010.

• University: Paris-Sud University, France.

• Field of Study: Wireless Network and Communication.

Bachelor in Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering, 2008. 

• University: University of Engineering and Technology, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU-UET).

• Field of Study: Network Communication.

Academic experiences

• Research Associate, June 2019 - Nov 2021

  • Joint Technology and Innovation Research Centre (JTIRC).

  • Activities:

    • Performing research on the applications of the latest technologies in cybersecurity, machine learning, deep learning, blockchain, Internet of Things.

Industry experiences

• Cyber Security Engineer, January 2024 - now

  • University of Canberra, Australia.

  • Activities:

    • Coordinate cyber security research and teaching laboratory activities in close collaboration with academic and research staff.

    • Optimise, debug and test cyber security software and infrastructure used for teaching and research

    • Train and supervise staff and students in specialised software and hardware procedures.

    • Source, evaluate and purchase equipment, network components and software.

    • Monitor, publicise, and continuously improve safe practices and ensure the laboratory workplace meets the University’s workplace health and safety requirements.

    • Work closely with academic and technical staff to continuously improve and review teaching activities, notably in relation to course accreditation standards.

    • Establishing networking, cybersecurity, and IoT laboratories tailored for students studying and researching.

    • Carrying out network engineering and systems administration duties, with a particular emphasis on cybersecurity, for UC’s IT infrastructure.

    • Integrating cybersecurity research findings into real-world systems through practical implementation. 

• IT Manager, 2018-2019.

  • Company: Viet Logistics & Trade Transportation JSC (VIETFREIGHT).

  • Activities:

    • Manage the IT systems of the company

    • Advise the director to ensure the security and operation of the IT system.

• Senior Network and Security Engineer, 2012-2018.

  • Company: Viettel Networks Corporation, Viettel Group, Vietnam.

  • Activities:

    • Planning, designing, and maintaining high-level and low-level design for network infrastructures for IT (Information technology) systems in data centers and telecommunication networks, including configuration, integration templates, security policies, and integrity controls.

    • Operating, configuring, testing, debugging, logging and tracking various features and parameters in network infrastructure, firewalls and database systems. Address all problems relating to processes, procedures, and policies of firewalls, routers, switches, servers, and workstations to ensure they are implemented following the guidelines, documents (Low-Level Design), configuration templates, security policies and procedures.

    • Carrying out the setup and routine maintenance of backups and recovery processes, implementing and upgrading security signature, software, patches, operating system, and integrity safeguards.

    • Analysing and optimising the performance of network infrastructure, firewalls, and servers to ensure network security and the smooth operation of services. Monitoring and providing solutions to keep bandwidth and capacity utilisation of networks below predefined Key Performance Indicator (KPI) thresholds. The focus on services running on the network infrastructure includes mobile services (2G, 3G, 4G), broadband Internet, Virtual Private Networks (MPLS L2VPN/ L3VPN), and security.

    • Troubleshooting and analysis of root causes for critical network and security incidents occurring in network infrastructure, servers, and firewalls, including hardware and software, coordinating closely with vendors (Cisco, Juniper, Fortinet, etc.) to recommend and install long-term solutions for these problems. Monitoring contractual obligations, performance, and service level agreements. Responsible for system security and disaster recovery processes and management.

    • Monitoring network performance, capacity utilisation, network devices and server usages of network infrastructures and database systems on a monthly/quarterly basis. Regularly assess the computer site to identify future network needs and recommend improvements for upcoming servers and networks.

    • Teaming up with the software development teams to develop solutions for automating business requests and handling repetitive network configuration tasks, such as developing tools to facilitate the L2VPN/L3VPN services, as well as integrating new routers, firewalls, servers, and other network devices into network infrastructures.

    • Preparing documents, guidelines, policies, and procedures for system log, network security, configurations, monitoring alarms, maintenance execution, network device management and knowledge database of incidents in network infrastructures. Managing and enforcing network and database documentation, guidelines, policies, and procedures. Preparing and auditing the contingency planning.

    • Preparing documents and procedures such as slides, evaluation, and training materials about network infrastructures and security to train newly recruited engineers and classify skilled network and security engineers.

    • Leading teams in implementing complex projects in network infrastructures and security, ensuring effective project execution.

• Network and Security Engineer, 2010-2012.

  • Company: EVN Telecom, Vietnam.

  • Activities:

    • Network Administrator of IP Network including routers and switches.

    • Operate and monitor IP networks to ensure smooth data services.

    • Analyze and provide solutions to incident problems in IP networks

    • Configure routers and support customers in building their networks.

Publications

• Preprint:

1. T. V. Khoa, D. H. Son, C-H. Nguyen, D. T. Hoang, D. N. Nguyen, T. T. T. Quynh, T. M. Hoang, N. V. Ha, E. Dutkiewicz, M. A. Alsheik, and N. L. Trung. “Collaborative Learning Framework to Detect Attacks in Transactions and Smart Contracts”, IEEE Transactions on Cognitive Communications and Networking, 2024. [minor revision].

2. T. V. Khoa, M. A. Alsheik, Y. Alem, and D. T. Hoang, "Balancing Security and Accuracy: A Novel Federated Learning Approach for Cyberattack Detection in Blockchain Networks", IEEE Transactions on Network and Service Management, 2024.  [major revision].

3. T. V. Khoa, D. H. Son, M. A. Alsheik, Y. Alem, and D. T. Hoang, "Privacy-Preserving Driver Drowsiness Detection with Spatial Self-Attention and Federated Learning",  IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics: Systems. [under review].

4. C. T. Nguyen, Y. M. Saputra, N. V. Huynh, N. T. Nguyen, T. V. Khoa, B. M. Tuan, D. N. Nguyen, D. T. Hoang, T. X. Vu, E. Dutkiewicz, S. Chatzinotas, B. Ottersten, “Enabling and emerging technologies for social distancing: a comprehensive survey and open problems”, arXiv preprint arXiv:2005.02816, 2020. 

• Journal papers (Published):

1. T. V. Khoa, D. H. Son, D. T. Hoang, N. L. Trung, T. T. T. Quynh, D. N. Nguyen, N. V. Ha, and E. Dutkiewicz. “Collaborative Learning for Cyberattack Detection in Blockchain Networks”. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics: Systems, vol. 54, no. 7, pp. 3920-3933, July 2024. (Q1, IF=8.6)

2. T. V. Khoa, D. T. Hoang, N. L. Trung, C. T. Nguyen, T. T. T. Quynh, D. N. Nguyen, N. V. Ha, and E. Dutkiewicz, “Deep Transfer Learning: A Novel Collaborative Learning Model for Cyberattack Detection Systems in IoT Networks”. IEEE Internet of Things Journal, vol. 10, no. 10, pp. 8578-8589, 15 May 2023. (Q1, IF=8.2).

3. C. T. Nguyen, Y. M. Saputra, N. V. Huynh, N. T. Nguyen, T. V. Khoa, B. M. Tuan, D. N. Nguyen, D. T. Hoang, T. X. Vu, E. Dutkiewicz, S. Chatzinotas, B. Ottersten, “A Comprehensive Survey of Enabling and Emerging Technologies for Social Distancing - Part I: Fundamentals and Enabling Technologies” IEEE Access, vol. 8, pp. 153479-153507, 2020 (Q1, IF=3.4). 

4. C. T. Nguyen, Y. M. Saputra, N. V. Huynh, N. T. Nguyen, T. V. Khoa, B. M. Tuan, D. N. Nguyen, D. T. Hoang, T. X. Vu, E. Dutkiewicz, S. Chatzinotas, B. Ottersten, “A Comprehensive Survey of Enabling and Emerging Technologies for Social Distancing - Part II: Emerging Technologies and Open Issues” IEEE Access, vol. 8, pp. 154209-154236, 2020 (Q1, IF=3.4). 

5. B. M. Tuan, T. V. Khoa, D. H. Son, N. L. Trung, T. T. T. Quynh, N. V. Ha, N. N. Hoa, and N. D. Tho. "A New Framework for Cyber Risk Assessment for Industry 4.0 and Recommendations for Vietnam." REV Journal on Electronics and Communications, vol 13, no. 3-4, 2024.

• Conference papers (Published):

1. M. Aljumaie, T. V. Khoa, Chi-Hieu Nguyen, D. T. Hoang, D. N. Nguyen, and E. Dutkiewicz, "Towards Secure Edge Computing: Advanced Machine Learning Techniques for Detecting Malicious Computing Tasks," IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM),  Cape Town, South Africa, 08-12 December 2024, pp. 1755-1760.

2. D. H. Son, B. D. Manh, T. V. Khoa, N. L. Trung, D. T. Hoang, H. T. Minh, Y. Alem, and L. Q. Minh, "Semi-Supervised Learning for Anomaly Detection in Blockchain-based Supply Chains," 2024 International Symposium on Communications and Information Technologies (ISCIT), Bangkok, Thailand, 23-25 September 2024, pp. 140-145.

3. T. V. Khoa, D. H. Son, D. T. Hoang, N. L. Trung, T. T. T. Quynh, D. N. Nguyen, N. V. Ha, and E. Dutkiewicz, ``Real-time Cyberattack Detection with Collaborative Learning for Blockchain Networks,'' 2024 IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC), Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 21-24 April, 2024, pp. 1-6.

4. D. H. Son, T. T. T. Quynh, T. V. Khoa, H. T. Dinh, N. Linh Trung, N. V. Ha, D. Niyato, D. N. Nguyen, and E. Dutkiewicz, “An effective framework of private ethereum blockchain networks for smart grid” 2021 International Conference on Advanced Technologies for Communications (ATC), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Oct. 2021, pp. 312-317. [Best student paper award].

5. T. V. Khoa, Y. M. Saputra, D. T. Hoang, N. L. Trung, D. N. Nguyen, N. V. Ha, and E. Dutkiewicz. “Collaborative learning model for cyberattack detection systems in IoT industry 4.0”, 2020 IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC), Seoul, South Korea, 25-28 May, 2020, pp. 1-6.

6. T. T. T. Quynh, T. V. Khoa, L. V. Nguyen, N. Linh-Trung, “Network Coding with Multimedia Transmission: A Software-Defined-Radio based Implementation”, The 3rd International Conference on Recent Advances in Signal Processing, Telecommunications & Computing (SigTelCom 2019), Hanoi, Vietnam, March 21-22, 2019, pp. 109-113.

Published datasets 

• Blockchain Network Attack Traffic dataset (BNAT).

• Blockchain Transaction-based Attacks Dataset (BTAT).

Professional activities 

Peer review:

• IEEE Transactions on Cybernetics.

• IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security.

• IEEE Transactions on System, Man, and Cybernetics: Systems.

• IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing (TMC).

• IEEE Transactions on Cognitive Communications and Networking (TCCN).

• IEEE Internet of Things Journal.

• IEEE Systems Journal.

• IEEE Access.

TPC member:

• IEEE International Conference on Communications (IEEE ICC), 2023

• IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (IEEE WCNC), 2023

• International Symposium on Communications and Information Technologies (ISCIT), 2023, 

• IEEE 27th International Workshop on Computer-Aided Modeling and Design of Communication Links and Networks (IEEE CAMAD), 2022, 

• IEEE/CIC International Conference on Communications in China (IEEE ICCC), 2023. 

Presentations

• Presenter at SEDE showcase, UTS, Australia, Oct. 2022. 

• Presenter at 2020 IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC),  Seoul, Korea (South), May 2020.

• Presenter at 2024 IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC),  Dubai, UAE, April 2024.

Awards

• Macquarie Cloud Services' Best Choice Award, UTS Tech Festival 2024 - Cybersecurity Showcase, Jun 2024.

• Best student paper award, ATC, Oct 2021.

• UTS Collaborative Research Degree Program Scholarship, 2021.

• UTS Vietnam National University Scholarship, 2021.

• Excellent engineer of Viettel Networks in 2017. 

• Pôle Universitaire Francais à Hanoi (PUF Hanoi) scholarship for Master student, Sep. 2009.

• Third prize in student science research competition, Sep 2008.

Projects

• Cyber-Attack Detection and Information Security for Industry 4.0, Sep 2019 - Sep 2022, Role: Researcher.

• Restructuring and modernizing Viettel IP Monitoring Network, Feb 2017 - Nov 2017, Role: Project leader.

Certifications

• Cisco IoT Security Course Completion Certificate, 2022.

• Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Service Provider written (CCIE SP written), 2016.

• Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Routing & Switching written (CCIE R&S written), 2015. 

• Juniper Networks Certified Associate - Junos (JNCIA-Junos), 2016.

• Cisco Certified Network Associate Routing and Switching (CCNA) , 2006.

Interests 

• Playing piano.

• Practicing martial art and calisthetics.

• Swimming.

• Traveling.

References

• Prof. Janine Deakin,

Executive Dean.

Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Canberra, ACT, Australia.

Address: Kirinari St, Bruce ACT 2617.

Email: janine.deakin@canberra.edu.au.

• Assoc. Prof. Hoang Dinh

School of Electrical and Data Engineering, Faculty of Electrical and Engineering,

University of Technology Sydney, Australia 

Address: Room 202, Level 8, Building 11, Broadway, Ultimo 2007, Australia

Email: hoang.dinh@uts.edu.au

• Mr. Van Thanh Tran

Head of IP section, Deputy Director of Global Technical Center, Viettel Networks Corporation (Viettel Networks) 

Viettel Group.

Address: Lot B1C, Small industrial and handicraft cluster, Dich Vong Hau ward, Cau Giay District, Hanoi, Vietnam 

Email: thanhtv11@viettel.com.vn