Manasa K.

Experience

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  Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences, UMass Amherst

  Oct 2022 - Dec 2022

  Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)

  - Investigated the NSF SaTC (Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace) CORE Medium Collaborative Granton ”The Impact of IPv6 on Information Controls and Censorship Circumvention”, under the guidance of Professor Amir Houmansadr.- Mastered and mobilized the Shadowsocks protocol — a client software that helps bypass internet censorship and offers more security than traditional VPNs.- Redesigned the Shadowsocks protocol to fit specific needs (in progress).- Proficient in installing an application on a server and setting up a VPN.- Documented research and presented the same. Show less

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  Heat Initiative

  Jun 2023 - Aug 2023

  Primary Student Intern

  - Undertook a campaign calling on Apple to detect, report and remove CSAM from iCloud, resulting in9,000 protest emails to Apple, creation of a shareholder resolution letter, and the publication of NYT and Forbes articles.- Deployed keyword-driven search methodologies to effectively identify relevant cases in news articles, court records, DoJ press releases, and interviews with law enforcement.- Documented 334 reports of child victimization used as primary evidence in campaign website, billboards, and advertisements.- Analyzed data and created a comprehensive inquiry roster for team’s future interviews with law en-forcement.- Scrutinized court records and gained familiarity with legal terminology. Show less

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  U.S. Department of Homeland Security

  Jan 2024 - May 2024

  Student Intern

  - Student Volunteer Program (SVP). - Supporting a Federal Agency on complex cyber federal cases. Worked with Special Agents on a one-to-one basis facilitating transnational cases that involved a spectrum of cybercrimes including cryptocurrency, child exploitation, ransomware, malware, network intrusions and smuggling of contraband into the United States. - Used my own cyber skills to deter and detect nefarious actors on the Dark Web and Clearnet. Assisted with Defensive Tactics and first aid training. Worked on open-source collection against criminal organizations.- In the process of employing Computer Vision and Data Science techniques to identify video sequence change detection to assist Special Agents with investigations. Show less

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  MITRE

  May 2024 - now

  Network Engineering Intern

  - Designed a network simulation in NS3 for a military weapon system part of Command and Launch systems.- Developed a program to automate network setup from node connection files; configured network structures of all sizes; facilitated message transmission in NS3 by incorporating the OSPF routing protocol.- Reduced simulation time and overhead compared to existing simulation; increased project manpower by rectifying licensing concerns.- Additionally: Devised a STIX visualization for a framework describing offender tactics and techniques in cases of cyber abuse against children. Show less