Wichita State University
Cybersecurity Projects | Engineering Open House
From single computers to large networks, the global need for cybersecurity expertise has never been greater. Through experiential and applied learning, students prepare for careers in computer analytics, cybersecurity, data analysis, game development and social media applications.
2026 Projects
Behavioral Events Analysis for Cybersecurity Organizations and Networks
MEMBERS: Austin Brotton, Bryden Young, Kreyton Anderson
ADVISOR: Joe Jabara
Organizations increasingly rely on employee access to sensitive systems and data,
but this access also introduces the growing risk of insider threats. Detecting these
threats is difficult, especially in large organizations where monitoring user activity
can overwhelm security teams and raise concerns about employee privacy. Existing solutions
often produce excessive false alerts, reducing their effectiveness and trust.
This project addresses the need for a more accurate and practical approach to insider
threat detection. The objective is to develop a behavioral-based monitoring system
that identifies unusual user activity while maintaining transparency and minimizing
unnecessary alerts. The approach focuses on analyzing patterns such as login behavior
and data access activity, then presenting these insights through a centralized dashboard
designed for security teams.
The resulting solution is a prototype dashboard that highlights high-risk behavior,
tracks trends, and correlates user activity with sensitive data interactions. A connected
monitoring system enables near real-time detection and reporting of suspicious actions.
The design emphasizes adaptability, allowing organizations to define normal behavior
patterns and tailor the system to their environment.
This work demonstrates a scalable and cost-effective method for improving threat detection
while addressing privacy and usability concerns. Future development will focus on
enhancing predictive capabilities, refining accuracy, and expanding integration with
existing security systems.
BlueShield
MEMBERS: Andrew Sauls, Daniel Halbleib, Mathias Benitez Vera
ADVISOR: Joe Jabara
The increasing reliance on Bluetooth-enabled devices in organizational environments
has introduced a significant and often overlooked security gap. Existing cybersecurity
solutions, such as Mobile Device Management (MDM), Endpoint Detection and Response
(EDR), and network monitoring tools, do not provide visibility or control over Bluetooth
activity at the device level. As a result, unauthorized devices can attempt to connect
or interact with sensitive systems without detection. This project proposes BlueShield,
a low-cost Bluetooth security proxy designed to monitor nearby devices, enforce allowlisting
and blocking policies, and generate audit-ready logs without requiring modifications
to host systems.
The design process was guided by interviews with cybersecurity professionals, academic
instructors, and industry specialists, which confirmed the need for a simple, portable,
and privacy-focused solution. Multiple design concepts were evaluated, with a Raspberry
Pi–based implementation using our own code, cost-effectiveness, and reliability. A
prototype approach was developed to validate key functionality, including real-time
device detection, enforcement of access control policies, and logging of unauthorized
attempts. Performance metrics such as detection time, blocking accuracy, and system
reliability were defined to evaluate effectiveness.
The results of this conceptual design demonstrate that BlueShield can address a critical
gap in current cybersecurity practices by providing independent, device-level Bluetooth
access control. Future development will focus on enhancing usability through dashboard
integration, improving detection capabilities, and conducting real-world testing in
operational environments. BlueShield offers a practical and scalable solution for
organizations seeking to secure their Bluetooth environments without the complexity
or cost of existing enterprise tools.
Click4Phish: Designing Alerts to Be Read, Not Ignored
MEMBERS: Vic Eck, Jessica Methman
ADVISOR: Gary Brooking
Around 30-40% of users will click on a phishing link, even with an email banner cautioning
them of its origins and contents. Click4Phish strives to solve this issue not by increasing
the training each person has to take, but by matching them with a security alert design
that they will actually pay attention to.
Universities and small companies will implement our human behavior analysis tool,
Click4Phish, to reduce the cost of human errors and ensure people are receiving important
information. Click4Phish uses a survey to measure how well users are able to remember
information contained within different designs of security alerts, email banners,
and in-line text.
A website which acts as a task-based training resource will implement these findings,
incorporating similar alerts as the mockups included in this project. Users will be
assigned a role based on their survey result. Depending on their role, the service
will offer altered security alerts that best match their preferences and patterns
of information recall. The website also features a dashboard that automatically logs,
aggregates, and analyzes any data from users using the website — used for compliance
metrics and to allow administrators to visualize the analytics.
The automation of data collection and visualization will allow for quick analysis
and help identify trends in user compliance across different alert types. It will
also provide a reusable platform that can be expanded or modified for future cybersecurity
awareness studies.
Ctrl+Alt+Delete
MEMBERS: Samuel Jackson, Marshal Jackson, Ashley Hernandez
ADVISOR: Gary Brooking
Digital Shock is an innovative educational application that aims to empower the young
generation of today with the knowledge and tools they need to safely maneuver the
digital world. As children and teens are being introduced to the internet at ever-younger
ages, the risks of a mismanaged digital footprint have never been higher. Digital
Shock is a growing concern that has been addressed by creating an entertaining and
easy-to-use application that teaches young users how to ensure their digital footprint
does not become a menace to themselves and those around them. Through interactive
education, the application teaches young users what they can safely share with others
online, what they need to keep private, and how their online activities affect their
lives in the real world.
Our mission is simple: to empower the next generation of today with the tools and
knowledge they need to make more informed decisions online before they face the actual
threats of the digital world.
FlexiPiAccess
MEMBERS: Hon Luu, Jack Delmar, Koral Richardson
ADVISOR: Gary Brooking
FlexiPiAccess is a low-cost, modular, and privacy-focused document protection system
designed to address the growing need for secure management of critical estate and
legal documents. Families, legal professionals, and funeral service providers often
face significant challenges when accessing important records during time-sensitive
situations. Common issues include documents being stored in multiple locations, lack
of awareness among family members, outdated or unverified records, and concerns about
security and tampering. These challenges can lead to delays, confusion, and increased
stress during already difficult circumstances.
This project proposes a centralized digital platform that enables users to securely
upload, store, and manage essential documents such as wills, estate plans, insurance
policies, medical directives, and legal contracts. FlexiPiAccess incorporates encryption,
controlled access permissions, and tamper-resistant verification to ensure document
integrity and confidentiality. The system also supports mobile accessibility, allowing
authorized users to retrieve critical information quickly in emergencies.
The solution benefits multiple stakeholders: families gain peace of mind through organized
and secure storage, legal professionals access verified records efficiently, and funeral
service providers can streamline planning processes with immediate access to necessary
documentation. While challenges such as user trust, legal validation, and technology
adoption remain, the platform is designed to be scalable and adaptable to evolving
needs.
Overall, FlexiPiAccess improves accessibility, security, and reliability of sensitive
documents, reducing administrative burdens and ensuring critical information is available
when it matters most.
FortiScan
MEMBERS: Kevin Nguyen, Chance Dietrich
ADVISOR: Joe Jabara and Gary Brooking
Over 24,000 malicious mobile applications are blocked daily from app stores with over
760,000 data breaches occurring on mobile devices, demonstrating the need for proactive
and user-friendly mobile protection systems. The FortiScan project addresses a rapidly
growing cybersecurity concern among Android and IOS users: the prevalence of malicious
or vulnerable mobile applications that compromise personal and organizational data.
Our project aims to either passively or actively scan a user's smartphone device for
malicious apps. These scans return with a readable report displaying common vulnerabilities,
a general risk score, and excessive permissions used by apps on the user's device.
The tool can scan for unoptimal code, network misuse/behavior, permissions used, and
malware/viruses. We previously considered active monitoring and a pre-download checker
but opted for a passive scan that required user knowledge and input. FortiScan is
currently designed to ingest an APK or app data, scan it for flaws, and generate a
report that displays key findings with recommendations in plain text for a general
user. We believe our project helps the end user by making mobile security easier to
understand, highlighting potential risks before they can cause harm, and giving clear,
easy-to-understand recommendations that help with safer app usage. Overall, FortiScan
aims to bridge the gap between technical mobile app security analysis and user awareness
to turn complex results into practical user guidance and remediation.
Frequency Finder
MEMBERS: Juan Banales, Carson Brewer, Jerta Pierre
ADVISOR: Gary Brooking
With the proliferation of wireless devices in modern infrastructure, verifying radio
frequency (RF) shielding effectiveness is essential for ensuring security, privacy,
and system reliability. Existing solutions require a trade-off between low-cost tools
with limited accuracy and high-end laboratory systems that are costly, complex, and
unsuitable for field applications. Frequency Finder is introduced as an affordable,
portable, and user-centered RF shielding verification system that addresses this gap.
The system integrates a controlled Wi-Fi signal transmitter with a software-defined
radio receiver to enable precise measurement of signal attenuation within Faraday
enclosures. A custom scanning and data logging framework records signal data at consistent
intervals and filters ambient RF noise. Standardized enclosure designs and calibration
with known signal sources ensure repeatable and reliable measurements. The platform
utilizes open-source tools to enhance scalability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness.
Preliminary testing demonstrates the system's capability to detect differences in
shielding performance across various materials and enclosure configurations. Market
analysis identifies a significant opportunity between basic RF meters ($200–$500)
and laboratory-grade systems ($4,000+), positioning Frequency Finder as a practical
mid-range solution. The intuitive interface and portable design enhance accessibility
for engineers, organizations, and non-specialists.
Frequency Finder simplifies RF shielding verification by offering a rapid, affordable,
and portable solution that enables accurate measurement of signal leakage beyond laboratory
settings.
Honey Sentinel
MEMBERS: Alexander Pickett, Brec Buster
ADVISOR: Gary Brooking
Honey Sentinel is a deception platform built for small and mid-sized hospitals, designed
to detect ransomware attacks before they cause damage. Using honeypot technology,
the system deploys decoy services that attract and trap malicious actors, capturing
everything they do in a controlled environment. That data flows into an ELK Stack
backend powering custom dashboards that give security teams real-time, actionable
visibility into how an attack is developing.
Small hospitals are one of the most targeted sectors for ransomware. A single successful
attack can divert ambulances, delay surgeries, and result in catastrophic recovery
costs. Most of these organizations cannot afford enterprise deception platforms that
cost tens of thousands per year, and they do not have large security teams to manage
complex tooling. Honey Sentinel is built with that reality in mind.
The hybrid architecture combines low-interaction honeypots that catch early ransomware
behavior like RDP probing, credential stuffing, and network scanning, with high-interaction
environments that let attackers reveal their full approach before they ever reach
a real system. Both feed into a single visualization layer so security teams see a
clear picture of what is happening and when, without digging through raw logs or manually
correlating events.
Built entirely on open-source technology, Honey Sentinel delivers enterprise-grade
threat detection at a fraction of the cost, making proactive security accessible to
the organizations that need it most.
Phishing Email Detection and Awareness Tool
MEMBERS: Huy Ho, Safaa Kanaan
ADVISOR: Gary Brooking
Small and medium-sized businesses increasingly face evolving phishing threats but
often lack affordable, easy-to-use cybersecurity solutions. This creates a need for
accessible tools that both proactively protect organizations and provide user-focused
security measures for identifying and responding to attacks.
The purpose of this project is to develop an all-in-one phishing awareness training
platform that integrates email security, user education, and guided response tools.
The central thesis is that businesses will adopt this solution due to its simplicity,
affordability, and effectiveness in reducing cybersecurity risks while improving employee
confidence and awareness of phishing threats.
To achieve this, our team configured a cloud-based environment using Linode, including
Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) and Mail Delivery Agent (MDA) services, and began testing
email delivery with cloud systems to simulate real-world scenarios. A structured user
navigation flow was implemented on the website to guide users through phishing detection
and response. Additionally, quiz formats are being developed to assess user awareness,
with a focus on maintaining simplicity while tracking performance over time.
The current outcome is a partially functional platform featuring core infrastructure,
guided workflows, and foundational training components. These results demonstrate
the feasibility of combining training, testing, and response tools into a unified
solution for small businesses while highlighting its potential for practical implementation.
In conclusion, the project shows strong potential as a practical cybersecurity solution.
Future work should focus on improving system reliability, refining user experience,
and expanding assessment capabilities to enhance effectiveness and scalability, ensuring
the platform can adapt to evolving cybersecurity challenges.
Pi Sentinel
MEMBERS: Jenny Ho, Sophia Hunt, Abraham Vargas
ADVISOR: Joe Jabara
Modern homes contain dozens of connected devices, yet most homeowners have no visibility
into their network traffic. Pi Sentinel addresses this gap by delivering enterprise-grade
intrusion
detection to non-technical users at consumer cost.
Built on a Raspberry Pi in a headless configuration, the device passively monitors
home network
traffic using the Suricata intrusion detection engine. Alerts are surfaced through
a local
dashboard requiring no ongoing user interaction or cloud dependency.
Pi Sentinel's core innovation is the adaptation of open-source security tooling onto
low-cost
hardware, making network monitoring accessible without technical expertise. All processing
occurs on-device, ensuring privacy compliance with FCC and GDPR standards.
The system provides homeowners with real-time awareness of suspicious device behavior,
closing the visibility gap between consumer needs and professional network security
— simply,
affordably, and privately.
RedBlue Virtual Labs
MEMBERS: Jason Kurtz, Cecilia Bonilla, Yesenia Arzate
ADVISOR: Joe Jabara
RedBlue Virtual Labs addresses the need for affordable and effective hands-on cybersecurity
education in universities, homeschool programs, and rural schools where resources
such as technical expertise or infrastructure may be limited. These limitations make
it difficult to provide safe, controlled environments for students to practice real-world
cybersecurity skills, resulting in programs that are often heavily theoretical and
limit experiential learning opportunities needed to identify modern cybersecurity
threats in today’s evolving cybersecurity landscape.
This project develops a virtual lab platform that enables students to interact with
isolated environments designed for cybersecurity practice through the browser or by
VPN. The platform includes preset lab scenarios that provide guided course instruction
in topics such as network scanning, vulnerability analysis, and basic exploitation
through structured instructional materials.
Initial implementation includes automated provisioning of user lab environments, separate
access-controlled web portals for course content and lab access, and a completed lab
instruction module that guides students through utilizing the Metasploit Framework.
Testing demonstrates stable system performance, consistent remote access, and a reliable
workflow supporting both guided instruction and lab interaction.
RedBlue Virtual Labs presents an affordable and practical approach to supporting cybersecurity
education by increasing opportunities for experiential learning. Future work will
focus on expanding lab scenarios, improving instructional materials, and implementing
quality-of-life features while enhancing system scalability and reliability to support
a wider range of users.