Developing security systems using network programmability.
[Placeholder abstract]
Traditional network security relies on static, perimeter-based controls that struggle to keep pace with dynamic threats and increasingly fluid infrastructure. This talk explores how network programmability — through SDN controllers, programmable data planes (P4), and APIs exposed by modern network fabric — enables security teams to build systems that detect and respond in real time rather than relying on periodic rule updates.
We'll walk through practical patterns: using SDN control planes to dynamically reroute or quarantine suspicious traffic, leveraging P4-programmable switches for line-rate anomaly detection without offloading to slower control-plane processing, and building intent-based security policies that compile down to enforceable network state. A live demo will show an automated pipeline that ingests threat signals, computes a network-level response, and pushes updated flow rules to programmable switches in under a second — no manual firewall ticket required.
[Placeholder abstract]
Traditional network security relies on static, perimeter-based controls that struggle to keep pace with dynamic threats and increasingly fluid infrastructure. This talk explores how network programmability — through SDN controllers, programmable data planes (P4), and APIs exposed by modern network fabric — enables security teams to build systems that detect and respond in real time rather than relying on periodic rule updates.
We'll walk through practical patterns: using SDN control planes to dynamically reroute or quarantine suspicious traffic, leveraging P4-programmable switches for line-rate anomaly detection without offloading to slower control-plane processing, and building intent-based security policies that compile down to enforceable network state. A live demo will show an automated pipeline that ingests threat signals, computes a network-level response, and pushes updated flow rules to programmable switches in under a second — no manual firewall ticket required.
Bio: Dr. Israat Haque is a Professor in the Faculty of Computer Science at Dalhousie University and the Director of the Programmable and Intelligent Networking (PINet) Lab. Her work applies network programmability, system-level monitoring, and data-driven techniques to strengthen the security, sustainability, and performance of IoT, 6G, and AI systems, particularly in complex and dynamic environments. Dr. Haque has been recognized for both technical leadership and impact. She was named an ACM/IEEE N2Women Rising Star (2021) and received Digital Nova Scotia’s Thinking Forward Award (2022) for developing highly skilled technology and security talent. In 2024, she received the Alumni Award from the University of Alberta. Dr. Haque has also been named among the 100 Brilliant and Inspiring Women in 6G 2026. She is an active contributor to the IEEE and ACM research communities and has served as an editor for IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology and IEEE Communications Magazine.