Karthika Subramani

I am a Lecturer in Computer Science at the University of Georgia, where I teach computer networks, cybersecurity, programming, and computing ethics. Previously, I was a Research Engineer II in the Astrolavos Lab at the Georgia Institute of Technology (2022–2025), working with Manos Antonakakis and Roberto Perdisci, and a Post-Doctoral Researcher in the NIS Lab at the University of Georgia. I hold a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Georgia (2021), where I was advised by Roberto Perdisci and Kyu Hyung Lee .

My research challenges the security assumptions behind everyday web and network technologies and assesses them through large-scale measurement. I focus on security through measurability: making the abuse of legitimate functionality observable at scale, and turning that evidence into defenses that preserve legitimate use. My work spans web push advertising, service worker attacks, phishing and CAPTCHA-bypass ecosystems, in-browser defenses against scareware, domain fronting on CDNs, smart-home traffic privacy, and DDoS detection at Internet exchange points. It has appeared at venues including IEEE S&P, ACM IMC, The Web Conference, IEEE EuroS&P, ACSAC, and DIMVA. I also serve on program committees including NDSS, WWW, and ACSAC.

Looking ahead, I am studying trust-signaling web features such as age-verification flows, abuse through AI-mediated interactions like embedded chatbots and browser agents, and the misuse of AI-generated websites for phishing and malware distribution. I care deeply about teaching and mentorship, and I am committed to making cybersecurity more accessible and inclusive.