Sivaraman Eswaran

Dr. Sivaraman Eswaran

Ph.D., M.Eng., FHEA, SMIEEE
Senior Lecturer, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Program Coordinator, Bachelor of Computing (Cyber Security)

Contact Details
Location: Skylark 3 Room 309
Tel: +60 85 630 100 Ext: 2477
Fax: +60 85 630288
Email: sivaraman.eswaran@curtin.edu.my 

Google Scholar: rdVnrRoAAAAJ
SCOPUS: 57193857384
ORCID: 0000-0003-0858-148X
ResearchID: AAK-5628-2020
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sivaraman-eswaran-ph-d-0229a2198/

Backgrounds

Dr. Sivaraman Eswaran is a cybersecurity academic and researcher with extensive experience spanning higher education, industry-driven teaching, and applied security research. He currently serves as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Curtin University Malaysia, where he also coordinates the Bachelor of Computing (Cyber Security) program. In addition to his academic role, he serves as the leader of the Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation Cybersecurity Keylabs Working Group.

As a Principal Investigator and Co- Principal Investigator on major grants, he leads and contributes to multiple funded projects on OT/ICS cybersecurity, federated learning for healthcare, TinyML security, anomaly detection, and edge-AI solutions. He also actively drives cybersecurity outreach through community initiatives, Capture-the-Flag (CTF) hackathons, and academic-industry collaborations.

A Fellow of Advance HE (UK) and a Senior Member of IEEE, he has published widely in reputable journals and conferences in cybersecurity, AI, and secure healthcare systems. He is a CompTIA Security+ certified professional, and EC-Council Certified Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator. He is also a Microsoft Certified Professional and EMC Academic Associate. Furthermore, he is a registered volunteer in the National Security Database to assist and guide Cybercrime victims.

Academic History

  • Senior Lecturer, Curtin University, Malaysia (July, 2022 to Present)
  • Program Coordinator (Cyber Security), Curtin University, Malaysia (January, 2023 to Present)
  • Associate Professor, PES University, (August, 2018 to June, 2022)
  • Technical Instructor, IBM Career Education, (June, 2017 to July, 2018)
  • Assistant Professor, Dr.N.G.P. Institute of Technology, (June, 2011 to May 2017)

Awards

  1. Leader, Cybersecurity Keylabs Working Group, Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC), Sarawak, Malaysia, 2023
  2. HRD Corp Certified Trainer (Malaysia), 2023
  3. Fellow, Advance HE (United Kingdom), 2024
  4. Students’ Choice Award, Curtin Malaysia Student Council, 2023
  5. Senior Member, IEEE, 2021
  6. Qualified National Eligibility Test (NET) for Assistant Professor, Computer Science & Applications, University Grants Commission, India, 2018
  7. Qualified Tamil Nadu State Eligibility Test (TN-SET) for Assistant Professor, Computer Science & Applications, Government of Tamil Nadu, India, 2017
  8. CompTIA Security+ Certified Professional, 2020
  9. Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI) v9.0, EC-Council, 2020
  10. EMC Academic Associate – Cloud Infrastructure and Services, EMC2 Corporation, 2014

Research Interest

  • Cyber Security
  • Secure Healthcare Analytics

Subjects Taught

  • Penetration Testing and Defense
  • Intrusion Detection System and Incident Handling
  • Cyber Crime and Security Enhanced Programming
  • Fundamental Concepts of Data Security
  • Fundamental Concepts of Cryptography
  • Cyber Law and Ethics
  • Network Security
  • Information Security
  • Applied Cryptography

Research Funding & Research Projects

  1. Grant Name: Strategic Collaboration Research Grant (SCRG)
    Title of the Project: An Integrated Cyber Defense Platform for Proactive OT/ICS Cybersecurity in Industry 4.0.
    Amount & Funder: RM 227,190 & Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC)
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Duration/Status: November 2025 – October 2028 (3 years)/On-going

  2. Grant Name: Strategic Collaboration Research Grant (SCRG)
    Title of the Project: Blockchain-Secured Federated Learning for Early Cancer Detection in Distributed Healthcare Networks
    Amount & Funder: RM 147,900 & Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC)
    Role: Co-Principal Investigator
    Duration/Status: November 2025 – October 2028 (3 years)/Ongoing

  3. Grant Name: KPJU Research Grant Scheme
    Title of the Project: AI-Enabled NT-proBNP Diagnostic System for Early Heart Failure Detection: A Portable, Affordable, and Scalable Point-of-Care Solution
    Amount & Funder: RM 186,585 & KPJ Healthcare University
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Duration/Status: October 2025 to September 2028 (3 years)/On-going

  4. Grant Name: Strategic Collaboration Research Grant (SCRG)
    Title of the Project: Lightweight Cryptographic Framework for Secure TinyML Deployment in Industrial Edge Devices
    Amount & Funder: RM 147,900 & Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC)
    Role: Member
    Duration/Status: November 2025 – October 2028 (3 years)/On-going

  5. Grant Name: Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS)
    Title of the Project: A framework of graph-based representation model of insider detection scheme for multiple various data sources using a graph-based deep learning algorithm
    Amount & Funder: RM 59,900 & Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), Malaysia
    Role: Member
    Duration/Status: January 2024 – December 2025 (2 years)/On-going

  6. Grant Name: Curtin Malaysia Research Institute Collaborative Research Scheme
    Title of the Project: Edge and Fog Computing Solutions for Plant Disease Detection
    Amount & Funder: RM 20,000 & Curtin University Malaysia
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Duration/Status: December 2022 – November 2024/Completed

  7. Grant Name: Curtin Australia Cybersecurity Cross-Campus Seed Grant
    Title of the Project: Enhancing Cybersecurity through Entropy-Based Web Log and User Activity Anomaly Detection
    Amount & Funder: RM 12,473 & Curtin University Malaysia
    Role: Co-Principal Investigator
    Duration/Status: December 2022 – December 2023/Completed

  8. Grant Name: Curtin Malaysia Collaborative Research Scheme
    Title of the Project: Curtin University Malaysia’s Cybersecurity Readiness Evaluation using Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing
    Amount & Funder: RM 20,000 & Curtin University Malaysia
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Duration/Status: December 2022 – December 2023/Completed

  9. Grant Name: PES University Internal Research Grant 
    Title of the Project: Similarity Mapping of Substantial Metadata for Sustainable Cyber Crime Investigation
    Amount & Funder: INR 15.89 Lakhs
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Duration/Status: September 2020 – June 2022/Completed

Learning and Teaching Grants

  1. Project Leader: A Gamified Experiential Learning Model for Mastering Penetration Testing with VulnHub VMs. Funded by the Curtin Malaysia Teaching Support 2025 (OLT/CMTS/2025-025). (RM 1,100) Duration: 6 months, Status: Completed.
  2. Project Leader: CyberCare 2.0: A Community-Driven Hands-On Approach to Cybersecurity Awareness and Ethical Hacking for Secondary School Students. Funded by the Curtin Malaysia Community Engagement Fund 2025 (OLT/CMCE/2025-012). (RM 1,000) Duration: 1 year, Status: Completed.
  3. Project Leader: A Student-Led Investigation of NIST’s Lightweight Cryptography Finalists. Funded by the Curtin Malaysia Teaching Innovation Project 2024 (OLT/CMTIP/2024-031). (RM 1,800) Duration: 1 year, Status: Completed.
  4. Project Leader: Curtin CyberCare: A Community-Driven Project for Cyber Wellness in Miri Secondary Schools. Funded by the Curtin Malaysia Community Engagement Fund 2024 (OLT/CMCE/2024-001). (RM 700) Duration: 1 year, Status: Completed.
  5. Project Leader: Framing of Legal and Factual Issues in Court Cases. Funded by the Curtin Malaysia iSoLT Project (CMIP) 2024 (OLT/CMIP/2024-001). (RM 2,000) Duration: 6 months, Status: Completed.
  6. Project Leader: PTD-CTF: Gamifying Penetration Testing for Fun and Learning. Funded by the Curtin Malaysia Teaching Support 2023 (OLT/CMTS/2023-012). (RM 1,180) Duration: 6 months, Status: Completed.

Other Grants

  1. Organizer: Curtin Malaysia Capture the Flag Hackathon 2025, sponsored by SAINS Sdn. Bhd., Sarawak, Malaysia (RM 2,000).
  2. Organizer: Curtin Malaysia Capture the Flag Hackathon 2024, sponsored by the Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation, Sarawak, Malaysia (RM 11,000).
  3. Organizer: Curtin CyberCare: A Community-Driven Initiative for Cyber Wellness in Miri Secondary Schools 2024, supported by the IEEE Pre-University STEM Grant (USD 500).
  4. Organizer: Curtin Malaysia Capture the Flag Hackathon 2023, sponsored by SAINS Sdn. Bhd., Sarawak, Malaysia (RM 2,000).

Publications

A. Journal Publications

2025

  1. Merchant, A., Panchami, V., Justine, S., Eswaran, S. (2025). An efficient lightweight authentication scheme for smart healthcare in IoMT applications. Discover Computing, 28, 261 (SCI).
  2. Wong, W. K., Juwono, F. H., Eswaran, S., & Motelebi, F. (2025). Intrusion detection system model: a white-box decision tree with feature selection optimization. Neural Computing and Applications, 37, pp.5655-5670 (SCI, IF: 4.5, Q2).
  3. Lee, C. H., Lim, K. H., & Eswaran, S. (2025). A comprehensive survey on secure healthcare data processing with homomorphic encryption: attacks and defenses. Discover Public Health, 22(1), 1-29 (ESCI & Scopus).
  4. Gopalakrishnan, A., Kulkarni, N. P., Raghavendra, C. B., Manjappa, R., Honnavalli, P., & Eswaran, S. (2025). PriMed: Private federated training and encrypted inference on medical images in healthcare. Expert Systems, 42(1), e13283 (SCI, IF: 2.3, Q2).

2024

  1. Nugroho, H., Chew, J.X., Eswaran, S., & Tay, F.S. (2024). Resource-optimized cnns for real-time rice disease detection with ARM cortex-M microprocessors. Plant Methods, 20, 159 (SCI, IF: 4.4, Q1).
  2. Xan, C. J., Nugroho, H., Eswaran, S., & Siang, T. F. (2024). Effective Edge Solution for Early Detection of Rice Disease on ARM-M Microcontroller. IEEE Access, 12, pp. 148267-148280 (SCI, IF: 3.6, Q2).
  3. Giri, M., Eswaran, S., & Honnavalli, P. (2024). Automated and Interpretable Fake News Detection with Explainable Artificial Intelligence. Journal of Applied Security Research, 19(4), 1-21, pp.628-648 (ESCI & Scopus).
  4. Shanmugam, V., Ling, H. C., Gopal, L., Eswaran, S., & Chiong, C. W. (2024). Network-aware virtual machine placement using enriched butterfly optimisation algorithm in cloud computing paradigm. Cluster Computing, 27(6), 8557-8575 (SCI, IF: 4.1, Q1).
  5. Munirathinam, R., Tamilnidhi, M., Thangaraj, R., Eswaran, S., Chandrasekaran, G., & Kumar, N. S. (2024). Automatic multiclass classification of laryngeal cancer using deep convolution neural networks. Electronics Letters, 60(1), e13070 (SCI, IF: 0.8, Q4).
  6. Mahalakshmi, V., Shenbagavalli, P., Raguvaran, S., Rajakumareswaran, V., & Sivaraman, E. (2024). Twitter sentiment analysis using conditional generative adversarial network. International Journal of Cognitive Computing in Engineering, 5, 161-169. (Scopus, Q1).

2023

  1. Thangaraj, R., Pandiyan, P., Ramakrishnan, J., Nallakumar, R., & Eswaran, S. (2023). A deep convolution neural network for automated Covid-19 disease detection using chest X-ray images. Healthcare Analytics, 100278, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.health.2023.100278 (Scopus).
  2. Gopalakrishnan, A., Kulkarni, N. P., Raghavendra, C. B., Manjappa, R., Honnavalli, P., & Sivaraman, E. (2023). PriMed: Private federated training and encrypted inference on medical images in healthcare. Expert Systems. https://doi.org/10.1111/exsy.13283 (SCIE, IF: 2.812).
  3. Sivaram, J., Narrain, J. M., Honnavalli, P., & Eswaran, S. (2023). Adversarial machine learning: the rise in AI-enabled crime. Computer Fraud & Security, 2023(2), https://doi.org/10.12968/S1361-3723(23)70007-9 (Scopus).
  4. Eswaran, S., Honnavalli, P. (2023). Private 5G networks: a survey on enabling technologies, deployment models, use cases and research directions. Telecommunication Systems, 82(1), pp.3-26, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11235-022-00978-z (SCIE, IF: 2.336).

2022

  1. Kansal, K., Krishna, P. S., Jain, P. B., Surya, R., Honnavalli, P., & Eswaran, S. (2022). Defending against adversarial attacks on covid-19 classifier: A denoiser-based approach, Heliyon, Vol. 8, No. 10, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11209 (SCIE, IF: 3.776).
  2. Chegu, S., Reddy, G. U., Bhambore, B. S., Adeab, K., Honnavalli, P., & Eswaran, S. (2022). An improved filter against injection attacks using regex and machine learning. Network Security, 2022(9), https://doi.org/10.12968/s1353-4858(22)70055-4 (Scopus).

2021

  1. Eswaran, S., Rani, V., D., D., Ramakrishnan, J., & Selvakumar, S. (2021). An enhanced network intrusion detection system for malicious crawler detection and security event correlations in ubiquitous banking infrastructure. International Journal of Pervasive Computing and Communications, 18(1), 59–78, https://doi.org/10.1108/ijpcc-04-2021-0102 (Scopus, ESCI).
  2. Daniel D., Preethi N., Jakka, A., & Eswaran, S. (2021). Collaborative Intrusion Detection System in Cognitive Smart City Network (CSC-Net). International Journal of Knowledge and Systems Science, 12(1), pp.60–73, https://doi.org/10.4018/ijkss.2021010105 (Scopus, ESCI).
  3. Eswaran, S., Srinivasan, A., & Honnavalli, P. (2021). A threshold-based, real-time analysis in early detection of endpoint anomalies using SIEM expertise. Network Security, 2021(4), 7–16, https://doi.org/10.1016/s1353-4858(21)00039-8 (Scopus).

Conference Proceedings

  1. Justine, S., Panchami, V., & Eswaran, S. (2025). A review on blockchain-based authentication and key agreement schemes in VANET. Human-Centric Integration of Next-Generation Data Science and Blockchain Technology, pp. 99-108.
  2. Brown, J., Pham, D. S., Soh, S. T., Motalebi, F., Eswaran, S., & Almashor, M. (2025). ICS-SimLab: A Containerized Approach for Simulating Industrial Control Systems for Cyber Security Research. In 2025 IEEE Conference on Communications and Network Security (CNS), pp. 1-6.
  3. Yun, M. C. C., & Eswaran, S. (2025). A Survey on 5G Wireless Network Intrusion Detection Systems Using Machine Learning Techniques. Digital Forensics in the Age of AI, pp. 195-218.
  4. Zuo, H., Lim, K. H., Sivaraman, E., & Phang, J. T. S. (2024). Eye Movement Analysis using Virtual Reality in Early Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease. In 2024 International Conference on Image Processing, Computer Vision and Machine Learning (ICICML), pp. 1690-1694.
  5. Zuo, H., Lim, K. H., Eswaran, S., & Lease, B. A. (2024). Development of Serious Game Theory Framework in Virtual Reality for Alzheimer’s Patients. In 2024 International Conference on Green Energy, Computing and Sustainable Technology (GECOST), pp. 190-194.
  6. Garg, D., Kumar, A., Eswaran, S., Djenouri, Y., & Srivastava, G. (2024). POPD: Partial occluded pedestrian detection using a multimodal deep learning approach. In 2024 International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN), pp. 1-7.
  7. Ramasami, M. V., Thangaraj, R., Kumar, S. M., & Eswaran, S. (2023). Exploratory Data Analysis of Walmart Outlets Sales using Data Analytics Techniques. In 2023 International Conference on Digital Applications, Transformation & Economy (ICDATE), pp. 1-4.
  8. Singhal, R., Modi, H., Srihari, S., Gandhi, A., Prakash, C. O., & Eswaran, S. (2023). Body Posture Correction and Hand Gesture Detection Using Federated Learning and Mediapipe. In 2023 International Conference for Innovation in Technology (INOCON), pp. 1-6.
  9. A. Puranik, A. V. Akkihal, P. B. Honnavalli & S. Eswaran (2022). CoreMedi: Secure Medical Records Sharing Using Blockchain Technology. In 2022 International Conference on Data Analytics for Business and Industry (ICDABI), Sakhir, Bahrain, pp. 33-37.
  10. Yalamuri, G., Honnavalli, P., & Eswaran, S. (2022). A Review of the Present Cryptographic Arsenal to Deal with Post-Quantum Threats. Procedia Computer Science, 215, pp.834–845.
  11. Pawar, Y. S., Honnavalli, P., & Eswaran, S. (2022). Cyber Attack Detection on Self-Driving Cars Using Machine Learning Techniques. In 2022 IEEE 3rd Global Conference for Advancement in Technology (GCAT).
  12. Srastika, N. Bhandary, S. R. S, P. Honnavalli & S. Eswaran (2022). An Enhanced Malware Detection Approach using Machine Learning and Feature Selection. In 2022 3rd International Conference on Electronics and Sustainable Communication Systems (ICESC), pp. 909-914.
  13. Mani, R. G., Parthasarathy, R., Sivaraman, E., & Honnavalli, P. (2022). A Survey on Digital Image Forensics: Metadata and Image Forgeries. Workshop on Applied Computing 2022, Chennai, CEUR Workshop Proceedings, pp. 22-55.

HDR Supervision

  • HDR Student Name: Veeramani Shanmugam (PhD)
    Project: Multi-Objective Awareness Schemes for Virtual Machine Placement in Cloud Computing using Reinforced Evolutionary Algorithm
    Status: Completed & Awarded
  • HDR Student Name: Zuo Haiwei (PhD)
    Project: Improve Older Adult Well-Being in Virtual Reality using Serious Games Theoretical Framework, Curtin University Malaysia
    Status: Milestone 2 Completed
  • HDR Student Name: Chian Jui Lee (MPhil)
    Project: A Robust and Privacy-Preserving AI Framework for Medical Imaging
    Status: Milestone 2 Completed
  • HDR Student Name: Shareef Mahomed (MPhil)
    Project: Intrusion Detection System for OT systems using LSTM and Explainable AI
    Status: Milestone 1 Completed

Invited Speakers

  • Tutorial Session on “The OT/IT Convergence: Asset and Network Visibility for Proactive OT/ICS Cybersecurity in Industry 4.0”, International Conference on Emerging Trends in Information Systems and Informatics (ICETISI 2025), Universitas Nasional, Indonesia.
  • Tutorial Session on “Cyber Investigator’s Toolkit: A Practical Guide to CTI, SOC Operations, and Network Trace Decoding”, International Conference on Green Energy, Computing and Sustainable Technology (GECOST 2025), Curtin University Malaysia.
  • Keynote Session on “Post-Quantum Cryptography Readiness: Are We Prepared for the Quantum Threat?”, International Conference on Emerging Technologies in Science and Engineering (ICETSE 2025), Akshaya Institute of Technology, India.
  • Keynote Session on “Smart Farming 4.0: The Role of Digital Twins, AI, and Blockchain in Agricultural Transformation”, International Conference on “Innovative Computing & Communication in The Field of Life Sciences, Agriculture and Technology (2025), Chaudhary Charan Singh University, India.
  • Keynote Session on “Intelligent Automation in Industry 4.0”, International Conference on Intelligent Automation & Next Gen Innovations (ATNEXGEN’25), PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore, India.
  • Guest Lecture on “AI & Blockchain: Shaping the Future of Secure Intelligent Systems”, Dr. N.G.P. Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, India.
  • Guest Lecture on “The Role of SIEM in Security Operation Center”, KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore, India 2024.
  • Guest Lecture on “A Deep Dive into Privacy-Preserving Artificial Intelligence Techniques”, Coimbatore Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, 2024.
  • Keynote Session on “Cryptographic Frontiers with Post-Quantum Cryptography, Homomorphic Encryption, and Lightweight Cryptography”, International Conference onBigData, Virtual Reality, Information & Communication Technologies (2023), BVRIT HYDERABAD College of Engineering for Women, Hyderabad, India.
  • Guest Lecture on “Cyber Threat Hunting and Intelligence: A Hands-On Approach”, SRM University, Delhi-NCR, 2023.
  • Guest Lecture on “Exploring Emerging Technologies, Trends, and the Research Landscape in Cybersecurity”, SRM University, Delhi-NCR, 2023.
  • Guest Lecture on “Security Onion for Real-Time Threat Detection and Response”, VIT University, Chennai, 2023.
  • Guest Lecture on “Research Frontiers in Cyber Security”, VIT University, Chennai, 2023.
  • Guest Lecture on “Uncovering Hidden Gems: A Deep Dive into Open-Source Intelligence Techniques”, 2023, Reva University, Bangalore, India.
  • 5 Days Workshop on “Switching and Routing Protocols – A Hands-on Approach”, 2022, PSGR Krishnammal College for Women, Coimbatore, India.
  • Guest Lecture on “Network Visibility using Security Onion: A Cyber Threat Intelligence-based Approach”, 2022, VIT, Vellore, India.
  • Guest Lecture on “Cyber Threat Intelligence: Opportunities, Solutions and Research Challenges”, 2022, Madanapalle Institute of Technology & Science, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Professional Activities

  • Founder & Lead Organizer, Curtin Malaysia Capture the Flag (CTF) Hackathon – 2023, 2024 & 2025
  • Co-Organizer, CyberGuard 2024 – Cybersecurity Bootcamp, SMK Chung Hua Miri – June 2024
  • Technical Program Committee member in GECOST (2022, 2024, 2025), GEn-CITy (2023, 2024, 2025), ICDATE 2023, ICNWC (2023, 2024, 2026), ICRTAC 2023, ICESIC 2024, MCCT 2023, ICMPC 2025
  • Publication Co-Chair in GECOST (2022, 2024)
  • Technical Program Committee Chair in GECOST 2025
  • Scientific & Publication Committee in GlobeCoReS 2025
  • Guest Editor for the International Journal of Digital Crime and Forensics (IGI Global), Special Issue on Advanced Digital Forensic Techniques for Digital Traces (2021).
  • Guest Editor for the Journal of Applied Security Research (Taylor & Francis), Special Issue on AI for Cybercrime Detection & Prevention: Opportunities, Challenges, and Solutions (2024).
  • Reviewer for: IEEE Transactions on Cybernetics, Tsinghua Science and Technology, IEEE Transactions on Big Data, IEEE Internet of Things Journal, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics, Expert Systems, ACM Transactions on Multimedia Computing Communications and Applications, IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems, etc.

Professional Affiliations

  • Fellow HEA, Advance HE, UK (PR285295)
  • Senior Member, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) (96395190)
  • Life Member, Computer Society of India (01077682)
  • Life Member, Indian Society for Technical Education (72952)
  • HRD Corp Certified Trainer, Malaysia