Yousra Aafer

Purdue University West Lafayette, University of Waterloo

Papers

Total Citations

225

H-Index

About

Yousra Aafer is a leading researcher in the security of cyber-physical systems, with a primary focus on robotic vehicles (RVs) such as drones and ground rovers. Her work addresses the unique vulnerabilities that arise when software-controlled systems interact with the physical world. Aafer’s most influential contribution is the detection of attacks against robotic vehicles, a 2018 paper with 184 citations that systematically identifies how cyber or physical attacks can disrupt RVs despite their robustness against natural disturbances. She further advanced the field by introducing the concept of "Cyber-Physical Inconsistency" vulnerabilities, which target safety checks like crash detection by manipulating environmental conditions (e.g., placing obstacles with specific weights). This work, published in 2020, has garnered 22 citations and highlights her innovative approach to uncovering hidden risks. Additionally, her research on software-based real-time recovery from sensor attacks (19 citations) demonstrates a practical focus on mitigation. Aafer’s contributions are critical for ensuring the safe deployment of autonomous systems, and her work is widely cited by researchers in security, robotics, and embedded systems. Her achievements underscore her role as a key figure in safeguarding next-generation cyber-physical technologies.