Mr. Kaya Emre Arikan | Mobile security | Best Researcher Award

Kaya Emre Arikan at Gazi University, Turkey

Kaya Emre Arıkan is a cybersecurity expert and researcher specializing in ethical hacking, penetration testing, and digital forensics. With a background in Electrical & Electronics Engineering and advanced degrees in Computer Forensics and Information Security Engineering, he has extensive experience in cybersecurity risk assessment and system protection. He is currently a Cybersecurity System Engineer at Aselsan A.Ş., designing and implementing secure architectures. Arıkan has contributed to major cybersecurity projects in both government and private sectors and has received multiple certifications, including OSCP, OSEP, OSWE, CEH, and CHFI. He has also been recognized in the Ericsson Hall of Fame for cybersecurity contributions.

Publication Profile

Google Scholar

Orcid

Educational Details

• Ph.D. (Ongoing) – Information Security Engineering, Gazi University, Ankara (2020 – Present)
• M.Sc. – Computer Forensics, Gazi University, Ankara (2017 – 2019)
  • Thesis: Vulnerability Analysis of Android Applications of Public Institutions in Turkey (GPA: 3.75)
• B.Sc. – Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Gazi University, Ankara (2006 – 2011) (GPA: 3.13)

Professional Experience

Kaya Emre Arıkan is a cybersecurity expert with over a decade of experience in system security, network protection, and ethical hacking. Currently, he serves as a Cybersecurity System Engineer at Aselsan A.Ş., where he designs cybersecurity architectures, manages risk assessments, conducts penetration testing, and oversees cybersecurity operations.

Previously, he worked as a Senior System & Network Security Specialist at Turkey’s Ministry of Health – General Directorate of Health Information System, where he optimized security devices, managed next-generation firewalls (NGFW), and collaborated with the Incident Response team. His early career includes roles as a Cybersecurity Consultant (Student Mentor) at Offensive Security and an Engineer at Aselsan A.Ş., providing support for secure communication systems.

He also has experience in the private sector, having worked as a Network Specialist at Bilsangrup Bilişim, supporting corporate and defense projects.

Research Interest

• Cybersecurity architecture and risk management
• Penetration testing and ethical hacking
• Vulnerability analysis of mobile applications
• Digital forensics and cyber threat intelligence
• Network security optimization and firewall management

Author Metrics & Recognitions

• Certifications:

  • Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)
  • OffSec Experienced Penetration Tester (OSEP)
  • Offensive Security Web Expert (OSWE)
  • EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
  • Cisco CCNP, CCNA CyberOps
  • Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI)

• Awards & Honors:

  • Ericsson Hall of Fame (2023) – Recognized for contributions to security vulnerability reporting
  • 2nd Place in Secure Code Development Competition (Endpoint Labs & Checkmarx)

• Conference Participation:

  • BlackHat MEA (2022 & 2023, Riyadh) – SOC-200 and WEB-200 Training

Top Noted Publication

1. AndroCom: A Real-World Android Applications’ Vulnerability Dataset to Assist with Automatically Detecting Vulnerabilities

• Journal: Applied Sciences
• Publication Date: March 1, 2025
• DOI: 10.3390/app15052665
• Contributors: Kaya Arıkan, Ercan Yilmaz
• Summary: This study presents AndroCom, a comprehensive dataset of real-world Android applications, designed to aid in the automatic detection of vulnerabilities. The dataset provides a valuable resource for researchers and cybersecurity professionals in enhancing automated security analysis tools for Android applications.

2. Detection of SSL/TLS Implementation Errors in Android Applications

• Journal: Gazi Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi Part C: Tasarım ve Teknoloji
• Publication Date: June 27, 2021
• DOI: 10.29109/gujsc.878053
• Contributors: Kaya Emre CİBALIK, Cemal KOÇAK
• Summary: This research focuses on detecting SSL/TLS implementation errors in Android applications, which are critical security flaws that can lead to data breaches and man-in-the-middle attacks. The study explores various security lapses in cryptographic protocols and suggests improved validation methods for securing mobile applications.

Conclusion