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Ahmed Nagi Nasr⚓︎

Cybersecurity Researcher @ Estonian Maritime Academy - TalTech
System Administrator @ High Performance Computing Center - TalTech
Email: ahmed@ahmdngi.io | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ahmdngi/ | Website: notes.ahmdngi.io/

Education⚓︎

PhD Degree in Maritime Cybersecurity
Tallinn University of Technology - Tallinn, Estonia
Jan. 2024 - Present

Master's Degree in Environmental Engineering and Management
Tallinn University of Technology - Tallinn, Estonia
Sept. 2021 - Jun. 2023 | CGPA: 4.9

Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering
Zagazig University - Zagazig, Egypt
Sept. 2009 - Jun. 2014 | CGPA: Good

Experience⚓︎

Estonian Maritime Academy - TalTech | Cybersecurity Researcher
Tallinn, Estonia | Jan. 2024 - Present
- Advanced Threat Detection and Analysis.
- Integration of Cybersecurity Tools.
- Data Encryption and Secure Communication.
- Training and Awareness Programs for Maritime Cybersecurity.
- Continuous Monitoring and Real-Time Threat Intelligence.
- Cybersecurity Research and Development.
- Log Analysis & Visualization.

IT College - TalTech | System Administrator
Tallinn, Estonia | Jun. 2022 - Present
- GPFS and BeeGFS: Parallel file system deployment and performance tuning.
- TrueNAS deployment, management, and maintenance.
- Skilled in troubleshooting and providing support for HPC (High-Performance Computing) systems.
- Cloud Computing: Resource deployment, management, and optimization.
- Bash Scripting: Automation and efficiency enhancement.
- Documentation: Clear and concise documentation creation.
- Linux System Administration: Installation, configuration, troubleshooting (CentOS, Rocky, RHEL).
- Ansible for resources management, system configuration, depolyment and orchestration.

Starship | Robot Operator
Tallinn, Estonia | Sept. 2021 - Dec. 2022
- Overseeing the robots during their autonomous operations.
- Remotely operate/guide the robot in a safe and sensible manner in certain situations.
- Communicate any issues to the on-ground field assistants in real-time.
- Control robot while establishing new mapping paths.
- Log and report any issues to relevant teams.

Manar Al Omran | Senior Project Engineer
Dammam, Saudi Arabia | Jan. 2015 - July 2021
- Project planning, scheduling, and progress monitoring in addition to resource management.
- Finding solutions and implementing corrective actions to ensure quality.
- Well-experienced in project management for Saudi Aramco.
- Supervise and review the preparations of design.

Skills⚓︎

  • Programming Languages: Python, Java, Bash, GO.
  • Tools / Platforms: Ansible, Zabbix, Wazuh (SIEM/XDR), ELK Stack, Grafana, OpenStack, Terraform, Packer, rsyslog, Git.
  • Databases: MySQL, MariaDB.

IT Projects⚓︎

Proxmox Backup Server Installation and Setup
“Datastore Configuration, Client Integration, Scheduled Backups, Remote Sync, Access Control”
The project focused on deploying Proxmox Backup Server on dedicated hardware to establish a secure, high-performance backup solution for virtualized environments. The setup involved configuring backup datastores, integrating with existing Proxmox VE nodes, and implementing scheduled backup routines for virtual machines and containers. This system provides deduplicated, encrypted backups with remote sync capabilities, ensuring reliable disaster recovery, streamlined data retention, and efficient storage usage across departments.

As part of the implementation, I adapted the official Proxmox Backup Client package to function on non-Debian operating systems expanding its usability across diverse environments. These modifications, documented in my Github repository, enabled broader platform compatibility without altering the core functionality of the client. The final system supports the Proxmox Backup API, allowing flexible scheduling, remote uploads, and encrypted backups outside of the traditional Proxmox ecosystem. The system now supports remote sync jobs, role-based access control, and routine snapshot backups, significantly improving disaster recovery capabilities and data resilience across departments.

TrueNAS Installation and Setup
“ZFS, NFS, Storage Pools (VDEVs), RAID Configuration, Network Shares (SMB/NFS)”
The project aimed to set up TrueNAS on a dedicated server, configure storage pools, and integrate it into the existing network infrastructure. The TrueNAS system serves as a centralized storage solution for backup, file sharing, and data management across different departments, providing both data integrity and high availability.

HPC Accounting
“Databases, SLURM Accounting, GPFS Block Usage”
I built an HPC resource accounting system that automatically gathers cluster job and file system usage data via Python, securely transfers it over SSH, and stores primary records in a central database. It periodically updates usage metrics—such as CPU, GPU, memory, and storage then generates detailed usage and cost summaries. This setup streamlines and simplifies monitoring, billing, and resource management in HPC environments.

Academic Projects⚓︎

CyberSecPro: Hands-On Cybersecurity Education Framework

Role: Cybersecurity Researcher
Timeline: 2024-2025
Techniques: OSINT, Penetration Testing, Vulnerability Assessment, Social Engineering

Overview
CyberSecPro is an EU-funded initiative (€6.7M) to enhance Higher Education Institutions' role in delivering practical, working-life cybersecurity skills. The project focuses on developing hands-on training frameworks for securing critical infrastructure and driving trustworthy digital transformation.

My Contributions
- Conducted comprehensive OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) attacks to identify exposed attack surfaces and information leakage.
- Performed penetration testing on simulated critical infrastructure environments.
- Developed and executed offensive security methodologies for vulnerability assessment.
- Contributed to creating practical training modules for workforce cybersecurity upskilling.

DigiMaris: Smart Marine Pollution Monitoring & Digital Response Service

Role: Cybersecurity Researcher
Timeline: 2025–Present
Techniques: IoT Security, Data Integrity, Network Hardening, Risk Assessment

Overview
DigiMaris is an Interreg Central Baltic-funded project (€2.9M) focused on enhancing marine oil spill response between Finland and Estonia. The initiative develops autonomous Small Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) equipped with advanced sensors and a unified digital service platform to provide real-time monitoring and cross-border environmental protection in the Gulf of Finland.

My Contributions
- Security of Autonomous Systems: Evaluatio of the cybersecurity posture of Small Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs), focusing on the protection of telemetry and command-and-control (C2) links.
- Data Integrity Assurance: Protocols development to ensure the integrity and authenticity of sensor data transmitted from mobile marine platforms to land-based digital service centers.
- Vulnerability Assessment of IoT Sensors: Conducted security analysis on specialized environmental sensors and IoT gateways to mitigate risks of data spoofing or unauthorized access.
- Interoperable Service Hardening: Contributed to the secure architecture of the unified digital service platform, ensuring safe cross-border data exchange between Finnish and Estonian emergency response agencies.

Certifications⚓︎

IT
- Red Hat System Administration I & II 8.2 - Redhat RHCSA & RHCE Linux Training & Certification Center.
- CCNA: Introduction to Networks - Cisco.
- Data Science Professional Certificate - IBM Coursera.

Project Management, HSE and Green Building
- Project Management Professional (PMP) - Project Management Institute.
- NEBOSH - UK National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health.
- LEED Green Associate - Green Business Certification Inc.
- IOSH Managing Safely Course - Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.
- Cradle to Cradle Certified Catalyst - Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.
- Scaffolding Supervisor - Saudi Aramco.
- Work Permit Receiver - Saudi Aramco.

Languages⚓︎

  • Arabic - Native proficiency.
  • English - Full professional proficiency.
  • Estonian - Limited working proficiency.

Publications⚓︎

  • Nasr, Ahmed Nagi; Leiger, Roomet; Zaitseva-Pärnaste, Inga; Kujala, Pentti (2024). Exploring Historical Maritime Cyber-Attacks and Introducing Maritime Security Operations Center as a Solution to Mitigate Them. In: Theory and Practice of Shipbuilding: Proceedings of the 26th Symposium (SORTA 2024), Zadar, Croatia, 2-5 October 2024. (235−245). IOS Press. (Progress in Marine Science and Technology; 9).
    DOI: 10.3233/PMST240042
  • Nasr, Ahmed Nagi; Vaarandi, Risto; Zaitseva-Pärnaste, Inga; Kujala, Pentti (2025). Maritime Security Operations Center (M-SOC): Systematic Literature Review, Research Gaps and Future Areas to Investigate. TransNav the International Journal on Marine Navigation and Safety of Sea Transportation, 19 (4), 1141−1155.
    DOI: 10.12716/1001.19.04.11
  • Shahin, Mahtab;Nagi Nasr, Ahmed; Malhi, Avleen; Bauk, Sanja; Valdez Banda, Osiris; Kujala, Pentti; Soe, Ralf-Martin; Wang, Shan (2026). Hybrid Physics–AI Digital Twin Framework for Shared Mooring Systems in Deepwater Floating Offshore Wind Farms. Journal of Marine Science and Application, 1−25.
    DOI: 10.36227/TECHRXIV.176703996.62757261/V1