Michael Nowatkowski, PhD
Associate Professor | Augusta University
Augusta, GA, UNITED STATES
A leading cybersecurity expert available to discuss online security, ransomware, and device security topics.
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Biography
Dr. Michael Nowatkowski is an Associate Professor with the School of Computer and Cyber Sciences. He also serves as the Head of
the Cyber Program of Study.
Areas of Expertise (9)
Hardware and Embedded Systems
Cellular and Mobile Technology
Defensive Cyber Operations
Cyber Operations Education
TCP/IP Protocol Analysis
Control System Security
Medical Device Security
Information Assurance
Electronics
Education (4)
Georgia Institute of Technology: Ph.D., Electrical and Computer Engineering 2010
Georgia Institute of Technology: M.S., Electrical and Computer Engineering 2000
Air Force Institute of Technology: TOOC, Teleprocessing Operations Officer Course 1991
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology: B.S., Electrical Engineering 1990
Affiliations (7)
- Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
- Eta Kappa Nu, National Electrical and Computer Engineering Honor Society
- InfraGard - InfraGard is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and members of the private sector for the protection of U.S. Critical Infrastructure
- International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC)²
- American Radio Relay League, ARRL (Amateur Extra, KO4ASU)
- Military Cyber Professionals Association
- Signal Corps Regimental Association
Links (4)
Media Appearances (19)
AI power needs grow; data centers could use more electricity than some cities
The National Desk tv
2024-11-25
Geoff Harris and Michael Nowatkowski, PhD, break down how much power artificial intelligence data centers will need to run.
AI will likely boost data center power demand over 150% by 2030
The National Desk tv
2024-08-13
Data center power demand will grow 160% by 2030, largely because of artificial intelligence, a new study from Goldman Sachs Research says. Chrysta Castaneda, a lawyer with expertise in the energy industry said the amount of bandwidth needed to run an AI search is much greater than people realize. "So much more computers are needed and so much more electricity is needed to run the computers," Castaneda said. According to The International Energy Agency, a single-use ChatGPT question requires 2.9-watt hours of electricity compared to the 0.3-watt hours for a Google search. A professor of cyber sciences at Augusta University, Michael Nowatkowski, said using all this additional power for AI could create some problems. That could cause more severe brownouts or even loss of power depending on the demand placed on the power grid," said Nowatkowski. Fariba Mamaghani with Tulane University's Business School said the price of the power market can be determined by the demand. So if demand goes up, so too will prices.
New cyberattack targets iPhone users, Apple ID information
The National Desk tv
2024-07-05
A warning has been issued to all iPhone users after tech experts uncovered a new cyberattack targeting Apple IDs. In this case it's an Apple ID. Your Apple ID is what really opens your phone and you can really think of it as like a master key," said Michael Nowatkowski, cyber institute director at Augusta University. Here's how the scam works: cyber criminals will send you a text message, claiming to be from Apple. They will then ask you to click on a link to access an "important message" about iCloud. Urgent warning for people with iPhones. Geoff Harris reports why this new cyberattack is a lot more clever than before, July 5, 2024. (TND) You will click on a link and it will go to what appears to be a legitimate page but it's really just something that's been recreated," said Nowatkowski. From there, the fake website will then ask users to hand over their Apple ID information. That would give someone access to your contacts, your payment information," said Nowatkowski. Ramnath Chellappa is a professor of information systems at Emory University. He said to better protect yourself, set up two-factor authentication that requires a password and verification code from an outside device.
Augusta University hosts cyber and robotics themed camp
The Augusta Press online
2024-07-29
Augusta University once again opened its doors on the Summerville Campus from June 24-28 to interest local children in the importance of computer and cyber sciences by participating in the VICEROY Kids Camp. Celebrating its third year, VICEROY camp – otherwise known as the Virtual Institutes for Cyber and Electromagnetic Spectrum Research and Employ – is an extension of AU’s college program and offers children a variety of lessons and activities. With almost 50 attendees from across the Greater Augusta area, ranging from fourth to eighth grade, Camp VICEROY freely teaches children about cybersecurity, cyber ethics, programming, how to use micro:bits to build electronics, programming basics and more. “They learn about password length and how to protect their accounts online … and we’re trying to get them used to how to convert instructions for a computer to code,” said Camp Director and university professor Michael Nowatkowski.
Students competing and learning in the world of Cyber
WJBF tv
2024-05-14
We are focusing on all things cyber on this edition of The Means Report. Dr. Michael Nowatkowski heads up the Cyber Institute at Augusta University. He talks to us about recent cyber competitions. These games help students sharpen their cyber skills. He also discusses the huge need for employees in the cyber industry. AU is getting these students ready for the workforce. Watch our interview and be sure to join us every Monday at 12:30pm for The Means Report on WJBF NewsChannel 6.
Augusta University camp for kids interested in cybersecurity
WJBF tv
2023-06-28
This week, Augusta University is hosting a camp for kids that could prepare them for a future career. It’s called VICEROY Kids Camp, and it’s geared towards children with an interest in cybersecurity. The idea is to create more interest in cyber security careers as well as teach kids to protect themselves from hackers.
New program aims to fill a need in the cybersecurity workforce
WJBF News online
2021-06-07
The field of cybersecurity continues to grow, but that growth is outpacing qualified candidates for the jobs. The National Cybersecurity Workforce Development Program – CyberSkills2Work – is coming to Augusta University. Steve Weldon and Dr. Michael Nowatkowski join The Means report to talk about the program, the needs in cybersecurity, and what the future holds in that field.
1,759 local jobs unfilled: Cybersecurity opportunities expand amid national labor shortage
Augusta Chronicle print
2022-04-21
Amid a national shortage of cybersecurity workers, employers are scrambling not only to fill jobs but to keep the employees they already have. Alongside Americans doing their banking, home security, doctors' visits and even crafting with digital technology – blockchain, 3-D printing, artificial intelligence, and mobile apps, to name a few types – is the demand that people’s private data stays private, and these tools remain functional. But the likelihood of hiring a qualified candidate for one of those jobs is a lot lower than that of finding Minecraft on a middle schooler's tablet.
Cybersecurity expert on ways you can protect yourself from scammers
WJBF News online
2021-01-20
Dr. Michael Nowatkowski is an associate professor at Augusta University’s School of Computer and Cyber Sciences. He says there are red flags that can help you spot a scammer. If someone claims to be contacting you from the government, and they ask for confidential personal information, it is likely not legitimate. “The government is never going to call you and ask you for that information,” Dr. Nowatkowski said. “And they’re especially not going to ask you to give them any money.”
Prescription for protection: Researchers study better safeguards for health care data
The Augusta Chronicle online
2020-09-18
Can a $500 electronic blood pressure monitor bring a billion-dollar hospital organization to its knees? Absolutely, says Dr. Michael Nowatkowski, an associate professor with Augusta University’s School of Computer and Cyber Sciences.
Janet Peischel's The Internet Marketer: TikTok: The social app that comes with Pentagon warning
Napa Valley Register online
2020-01-27
Michael Nowatkowski, an associate professor of cyber sciences at Augusta University and senior research fellow at the Army Cyber Institute, said TikTok poses a greater risks than other social-media companies because of ByteDance’s Chinese ownership.
Augusta named one of the capitals for cybersecurity
WRDW.com online
2019-05-06
"Increased vulnerabilities and risks associated with not having anyone do those jobs," said Michael Nowatkowski, the cybersecurity program director.
Hackers Can Leave Hospitals in Critical Condition
Augusta Magazines online
2018-06-13
Dr. Michael Nowatkowski, associate professor of Information Security at Augusta University, says the black market pays big bucks for sensitive medical information, which is a prime reason cybercriminals are willing to put in the effort to break in. “Fraudulent activity with credit cards can be picked up fairly quickly, but it can be years before a medical fraud scheme is detected,” said Nowatkowski.
5 tips to thwart medical device attacks
CSO Online online
2018-05-31
“Prior to network connectivity, these devices were protected by physical security. Only authorized medical personnel were allowed in the room with the patient. If changes to the infusion pump operations were made, they were made by pressing buttons on the device,” says Michael Nowatkowski, information security professor at the Augusta University Cyber Institute.
Augusta denies it was hacked, group says it has more info
The Augusta Chronicle online
2018-04-30
“It could prevent us from looking at new research areas,” said Dr. Michael Nowatkowski, associate professor of information security. “It could prevent us from partnerships with companies that do this sort of investigation.”
Atlanta cyber attack: Hartsfield-Jackson wi-fi still down
Atlanta Journal Constitution online
2018-03-26
“What makes it maybe more of a danger at an airport is simply the concentration of the number of people in that area, so that would just expose you to more potential hazards, more people that might want to take advantage of your system,” Nowatkowski said.
Augusta University introduces girls to city's growing cyber world through coding classes
WRDW.com online
2017-06-29
"There's a lot of good ideas that everybody can bring to that workforce," Nowatkowski says. "To think that half of our population is not potentially interested or going to come into that workforce really puts us at a disadvantage."
CSRA power grid has little to fear from Russian hackers
The Augusta Press online
2022-03-13
Michael Nowatkowski, assistant professor at Augusta University’s College of Computer and Cyber Science, agrees and says that the biggest cyber threat to the average Augustan is not from the Russian military, but rather from scammers looking to profit off of the carnage in Ukraine. “Anytime something like this or a natural disaster happens, you always have people taking advantage of the crisis by attempting to use people’s generosity to commit identity theft,” Nowatkowski said. According to Nowatkowski, the best protection is not to engage anyone soliciting donations over the internet. Instead, he advises those who want to help Ukranians to use a known entity such as the Red Cross.
Cyber News Now: Augusta University researching vulnerabilities in medical devices
WFXG tv
2022-04-18
Augusta University is researching cybersecurity vulnerabilities in medical devices. Faculty and students are hacking into the technologies to find cybersecurity shortfalls. Devices like infusion pumps have been donated to the research effort from hospital surplus as well as from Phillips. People rely on experts to improve their health at the hospital. Part of this includes using medical devices. However, those devices could have vulnerabilities. "They've [hospitals] started connecting these devices to networks. So, now they're similar to internet of things devices." said Michael Nowatkowski, Associate Professor. Nowatkowski says the risk lies in the connection. "If you are able to spoof a response back to the medical device, you could get it to talk to you potentially instead of the actual health record the device intends to talk to."
Answers (4)
Articles (9)
Medical Devices: Reverse Engineering for Innovation and Advancement in Healthcare
Institute of Electrical and Electronics EngineersDillon Tauscher; Michael Nowatkowski, PhD; Jeffrey Morris, PhD; David Baldwin
2024-04-24
Research suggests medical devices are particularly vulnerable to wireless attacks- whether using conventional or non-conventional protocols. This study provides analysis and comparison of several selected medical devices that will model a functional wireless network, communicating between patient and host. Results enable the identification and detection of attack vectors or vulnerabilities in devices and categorically allow for placement into a model akin to the Purdue/TCP/IP models-focusing on Medical Internet of Things (MIoT). The interconnectivity of multiple devices lends itself to a variety of security issues, including man-in-the-middle attacks. Interception, jamming, and altering of traffic from embedded, wearable, and bedside devices. These have serious consequences regardless of initial intent- as human life and safety are at stake. This study will not only contribute to the advancement of medical device security, but also to improve patient safety, data privacy, and reliability of interconnected healthcare technologies and delivery.
Jack Voltaic Critical Infrastructure and Public-Private Partnerships
ACI Technical ReportsMichael Nowatkowski, et al.
2019 This report summarizes the U.S. Army Cyber Institute’s (ACI’s) work to date on Jack Voltaic (JV), a research project that focuses on critical infrastructure and public-private partnerships (PPPs). JV research, which includes contributions from academia, industry, and government, explores how to synchronize Department of Defense (DoD)/U.S. Government and private sector capabilities in a cyberspace attack response. JV is a research framework that enables the Army to recognize the impacts of cyberspace operations from a municipal and critical infrastructure perspective.
Hardware Reverse Engineering Tools and Techniques
2019 SoutheastConThomas Gordon, Eric Kilgore, Nick Wylds, Michael Nowatkowski
2019 The immediate goal of this work is to determine uses for different hardware reverse engineering tools, compare and contrast which tools correspond with desired tasks, and provide an outline to achieve hardware reverse engineering goals for students or entry level engineers.
The Unforeseen in Unmanned Vehicles
2018 IEEE International Symposium on Technology in Society ProceedingsPaul Maxwell & Michael Nowatkowski
2018 The development of unmanned vehicle technology is rapidly proceeding and will result in numerous advances in autonomous vehicles. Most of the research effort to date focuses on the safe and effective operation of these vehicles that will allow them to integrate into society.
Optimizing Summer Externships
2014 ASEE Annual Conference & ExpositionMichael Nowatkowski, et al.
2014 Summer immersive experiences provide students the opportunity to explore the limits of their engineering education and develop a depth in a field of study. For institutions that centrally manage these experiences, ranging from experiments conducted at other academic locations to research and development with industry partners, to procurement and development with government laboratories and program offices, it can be difficult to ensure that all participants are receiving quality experiences.
Guidelines for Cyber Hygiene in Online Education
Proceedings of the DLA2018 ConferenceGeorgianna Laws, Michael Nowatkowski, John Heslen, Sharn Vericella
2018 Online education brings access and convenience to higher-education learners all over the world. At the same time, the cyber environment creates unprecedented privacy and security dilemmas to all involved in online education. This paper invites online administrators, faculty, and students to go beyond the information-security protection afforded by higher-education IT departments and consider cyber hygiene as a personal responsibility—a mindset to be incorporated into one’s portfolio of preventative lifestyle habits in and out of the virtual classroom.
Key terrain in cyberspace: Seeking the high ground
2014 6th International Conference on Cyber Security (CyCon)David Raymond, Tom Cross, Gregory Conti & Michael Nowatkowski
2014 In military doctrine, key terrain refers to areas which, if seized, afford an advantage to an attacker or defender. When applied to geographic terrain, this definition is clear. Key terrain might include a hill that overlooks a valley an enemy wants to control or a crossing point over a river that must be traversed before launching an attack.
Vehicular network pseudonym distribution in congested urban environments
2012 Proceedings of IEEE SoutheastconJoseph Benin, Michael Nowatkowski, Henry Owen
2012 As vehicular networks (a.k.a. VANETs) continue to mature, the benefits they promise come closer to reality. For this to happen, both security and privacy must be provided. Particularly in dense urban environments, novel methods of distributing the often changing identity (pseudonyms or PNs) of the vehicles is necessary in order to ensure vehicles have sufficient PNs.
Vehicular network simulation propagation loss model parameter standardization in ns-3 and beyond
2012 Proceedings of IEEE SoutheastconJoseph Benin, Michael Nowatkowski & Henry Owen
2012 Vehicular Networks (VANETs) continue to mature and their installation is becoming a reality. Meanwhile, simulation has become an indispensable tool for validating design and providing insight into how complex systems work. Yet the results of a simulation are only as good as the simulator's configuration.
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