Mounir Frikha

Dr. Mounir Frikha


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

5Years (2022-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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4 March 2023 in Electronics
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
EAEsra Abdullatif Altulaihan
Esra Abdullatif Altulaihan
AAAbrar Alismail
Abrar Alismail
MFMounir Frikha
Mounir Frikha
Websites are becoming increasingly effective communication tools. Nevertheless, web applications are vulnerable to attack and can give attackers access to sensitive information or unauthorized access to accounts. The number of vulnerabilities in web applications has increased dramatically over the past decade. Many are due to improper validation and sanitization of input. Identifying these vulnerabilities is essential for developing high-quality, secure web applications. Whenever a website is released to the public, it is required to have had penetration testing to a certain standard to ensure the security of the information. Application-level security vulnerability detection is possible for many commercial and open-source applications. However, developers are curious about which tools detect security vulnerabilities and how quickly they do so. The purpose of this study is to discuss penetration testing and how it can be implemented. This paper also explores the hazards and vulnerabilities associated with the web environment as well as the protective measures that can be taken. In addition, a comprehensive review and comparison of common web penetration testing tools is provided. The aim of this paper is to help web penetration testers choose a technology that is optimal for their requirements. The paper also sets out to guide and provide recommendations to users for choosing the best web penetration test tool and increasing their awareness of secure web environments. The study results indicate that not all web penetration testing tools offer the same features and that combining analysis tools can provide detailed information about web vulnerabilities.

22 June 2023 in Applied Sciences
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
RARazan Alajlan
Razan Alajlan
NANorah Arif Alhumam
Norah Arif Alhumam
MFMounir Frikha
Mounir Frikha
The Internet of Things (IoT) has become a pervasive technology with various applications ranging from smart homes and cities to industrial automation and healthcare. However, the increasing adoption of IoT devices has also raised significant concerns about cybersecurity and privacy. Blockchain, as a distributed and immutable ledger technology, has been proposed as a potential solution to enhance the security and privacy of IoT systems. Blockchain-based IoT systems offer several benefits, such as decentralization, transparency, and data integrity. However, they also pose unique cybersecurity challenges that need to be addressed for their secure and reliable deployment. In this paper, we review the existing literature and highlight the key challenges in cybersecurity for blockchain-based IoT systems. We categorize these challenges into three main areas: (i) IoT device security, (ii) blockchain security, and (iii) integration of IoT devices with blockchain (network security). Through an in-depth analysis, we present the current state of research and discuss potential solutions for each challenge. Additionally, we contribute by identifying future research directions to address these challenges and enhance the cybersecurity of blockchain-based IoT systems.

19 June 2023 in Applied Sciences
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
JBJawhara Boodai
Jawhara Boodai
AAAminah Mahdi Alqahatni
Aminah Mahdi Alqahatni
MFMounir Frikha
Mounir Frikha
Fifth generation (5G) wireless networks promise to revolutionize the way we communicate and connect to the internet. However, as with any new technology, 5G networks also bring new security challenges that need to be addressed. One of the key areas of concern is physical layer security, which refers to the protection of the physical layer of the network against attacks that could compromise its integrity and availability. In this systematic review, we examined the current state of research on physical layer security in 5G wireless networks. Our search identified 36 relevant studies that focused on various aspects of physical layer security, including threat models, vulnerabilities, and mitigation techniques. The findings of the review suggest that whereas some progress has been made in developing physical layer security solutions for 5G networks, such as advancements in multi-antenna systems, interference exploitation, secrecy metrics, and understanding the impact of fading channels, there is still much work to be performed. Further research is needed to develop more effective security solutions and risk assessment frameworks, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of existing solutions under different conditions and scenarios. Collaboration between industry, academia, and government agencies will also be essential to address the physical layer security challenges in 5G wireless networks. The idea of the proposal is physical layer security in 5G wireless networks. We conduct proper research on this paper and analyze 45 papers to understand this topic in depth. Our research’s integrity is built on a commitment to our core principles, which include objectivity, honesty, transparency, fairness, accountability, and stewardship. These managing ideologies aid in confirming that knowledge is innovative through the research zone.

15 September 2022 in Wireless Personal Communications
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
KSKarima Smida
Karima Smida
HTHajer Tounsi
Hajer Tounsi
MFMounir Frikha
Mounir Frikha
YSYeqiong Song
Yeqiong Song

2 March 2023 in Applied Sciences
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
MBMaryam Bubukayr
Maryam Bubukayr
MFMounir Frikha
Mounir Frikha
With the rapid growth of web networks, the security and privacy of online users are becoming more compromised. Especially, the use of third-party services to track users’ activities and improve website performance. Therefore, it is unavoidable that using personal information to create unique profiles may violate individuals’ privacy. Recently, several tools have been developed such as anonymity, anti-tracking, and browser plugins to ensure the protection of users from third-party tracking methods by blocking JavaScript programs and other website components. However, the current state lacks an efficient approach that provides a comprehensive solution. In this paper, we conducted a systematic analysis of the most common privacy protection tools based on their accuracy and performance by evaluating their effectiveness in correctly classifying tracking and functional JavaScript programs, then evaluating the estimated time the browser takes to render the pages for each tool. To achieve this, we automatically browsed the most 50 websites determined in 2022 and categorized them according to different fields to get the in-page (as part of HTML script tags), and all external JavaScript programs. Then we collected data and datasets of 1578 JavaScript elements and obtained six diverse Firefox profiles when the tools were enabled. The results found that Ghostery has the highest percentage of allowing most functioning scripts with the lowest average error rate (AER). While at the same time NoScript achieved the highest percentage of blocking most tracking scripts since it is the highest blocker of third-party services. After that, we examined the speed of the browser finding that, Ghostery improved the load time by 36.2% faster than the baseline, while Privacy Badger only reduced the load time by 7.1%. We believe that our findings can help users decide on a privacy tool that meets their needs. Moreover, researchers and developers can use our findings to improve the privacy of internet users by designing more effective privacy protection techniques.

14 May 2024 in Preprints.org
Verified
Preprint
Open access
PDF file
SMSeetah Hazza Al Marri
Seetah Hazza Al Marri
MFMounir Frikha
Mounir Frikha
Due to the rapid growth of the Internet of Things (IoT), securing communications between a huge number of devices has become very difficult. Access controls and authentication secure the connection between IoT devices and protect sensitive data from unauthorized users or malicious attackers. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review to emphasize the critical role of authentication and access control in securing IoT environments. This paper explores different types of access controls, like Attribute-Based Access Control and Role-Based Access Control. Furthermore, it demonstrates different authentication techniques, like passwords and biometrics. Based on the previous mechanisms, we discuss different IoT security challenges regarding authentication and access control mechanisms and highlight future directions. In addition, this paper investigates the integration between access control and authentication to safeguard IoT communications.