Publications

2024

• Enhancing LLM Safety via Constrained Direct Preference Optimization
  Zixuan Liu, Xiaolin Sun, and Zizhan Zheng
  
• Improving Targeted Mass Spectrometry Data Analysis with Nested Active Machine Learning
  Duran Bao, Qingbo Shu, Bo Ning, Michael Tang, Yubing Liu, Noel Wong, Zhengming Ding, Zizhan Zheng, Christopher J. Lyon, Tony Hu, and Jia Fan
  Advanced Intelligent Systems
• Belief-Enriched Pessimistic Q-Learning against Adversarial State Perturbations [code]
  Xiaolin Sun and Zizhan Zheng
  International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR)

2023

• Robust Q-Learning against State Perturbations: a Belief-Enriched Pessimistic Approach
  Xiaolin Sun and Zizhan Zheng
  NeurIPS Workshop on Multi-Agent Security: Security as Key to AI Safety (MASEC)
• A First Order Meta Stackelberg Method for Robust Federated Learning
  Yunian Pan, Tao Li, Henger Li, Tianyi Xu, Quanyan Zhu, and Zizhan Zheng
  ICML Workshop on New Frontiers in Adversarial Machine Learning (AdvML-Frontiers)
• Pandering in a (Flexible) Representative Democracy
  Xiaolin Sun, Jacob Masur, Ben Abramowitz, Nicholas Mattei, and Zizhan Zheng
  Conference on Uncertainty in Artificial Intelligence (UAI)
• CoBF: Coordinated Beamforming in Dense mmWave Networks
  Ding Zhang, Panneer Selvam Santhalingam, Parth Pathak, Zizhan Zheng
  ACM International Conference on Measurement and Modeling of Computer Systems (SIGMETRICS)
• Learning to Backdoor Federated Learning [code]
  Henger Li, Chen Wu, Sencun Zhu, and Zizhan Zheng
  ICLR 2023 Workshop on Backdoor Attacks and Defenses in Machine Learning (BANDS)
• Does Delegating Votes Protect Against Pandering Candidates? (Extended Abstract)
  Xiaolin Sun, Jacob Masur, Ben Abramowitz, Nicholas Mattei, and Zizhan Zheng
  International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems (AAMAS)
• Towards Optimal Tradeoff Between Data Freshness and Update Cost in Information-update Systems
  Zhongdong Liu, Bin Li, Zizhan Zheng, Y. Thomas Hou, and Bo Ji
  IEEE Internet of Things Journal (IoTJ)
• Online Learning for Adaptive Probing and Scheduling in Dense WLANs
  Tianyi Xu, Ding Zhang, and Zizhan Zheng
  IEEE International Conference on Computer Communications (INFOCOM)

2022

• Learning to Attack Federated Learning: A Model-based Reinforcement Learning Attack Framework  [code]
  Henger Li*, Xiaolin Sun*, and Zizhan Zheng (*Co-primary authors)
  Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS)
• Robust Moving Target Defense against Unknown Attacks: A Meta-Reinforcement Learning Approach  [code]
  Henger Li and Zizhan Zheng
  Conference on Decision and Game Theory for Security (GameSec)
• Towards Optimal Tradeoff Between Data Freshness and Update Cost in Information-update Systems
  Zhongdong Liu, Bin Li, Zizhan Zheng, Y. Thomas Hou, and Bo Ji
  International Conference on Computer Communications and Networks (ICCCN)
• Placement and Allocation of Virtual Network Functions: Multi-dimensional Case
  Gamal Sallam, Zizhan Zheng, and Bo Ji
  IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing (TMC)
• Networked Beamforming in Dense mmWave WLANs
  Ding Zhang, Panneer Selvam Santhalingam, Parth Pathak, and Zizhan Zheng
  International Workshop on Mobile Computing Systems and Applications (ACM HotMobile)

2021

• Joint AP Probing and Scheduling: A Contextual Bandit Approach
  Tianyi Xu, Ding Zhang, Parth H. Pathak, and Zizhan Zheng
  Military Communications Conference (MILCOM)
• Coordinated Attacks Against Federated Learning: A Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning Approach
  Wen Shen, Henger Li, and Zizhan Zheng
  ICLR 2021 Workshop on Security and Safety in Machine Learning Systems (SecML), selected for travel award

2020

• Learning to Attack Distributionally Robust Federated Learning
  Wen Shen, Henger Li, and Zizhan Zheng
  NeurIPS-20 Workshop on Scalability, Privacy, and Security in Federated Learning (SpicyFL), selected for oral presentation
• Robust Sequence Submodular Maximization
  Gamal Sallam, Zizhan Zheng, Jie Wu, and Bo Ji
  Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS)
• Defending Against Stealthy Attacks on Multiple Nodes with Limited Resources: A Game-Theoretic Analysis
  Ming Zhang, Zizhan Zheng, and Ness B. Shroff
  IEEE Transactions on Control of Network Systems (TCNS)
• Towards Automatic Detection of Nonfunctional Sensitive Transmissions in Mobile Applications
  Hao Fu, Pengfei Hu, Zizhan Zheng, Aveek K. Das, Parth H. Pathak, Tianbo Gu, Sencun Zhu, Prasant Mohapatra
  IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing (TMC)
• Spatial-Temporal Moving Target Defense: A Markov Stackelberg Game Model  [code]
  Henger Li, Wen Shen, and Zizhan Zheng
  International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems (AAMAS)
• Structure Matters: Towards Generating Transferable Adversarial Images
  Dan Peng, Zizhan Zheng, Linhao Luo, and Xiaofeng Zhang
  European Conference on Artificial Intelligence (ECAI)

2019

• Placement and Allocation of Virtual Network Functions: Multi-dimensional Case
  Gamal Sallam, Zizhan Zheng, and Bo Ji
  IEEE International Conference on Network Protocols (ICNP)
• Optimal Timing of Moving Target Defense: A Stackelberg Game Model
  Henger Li and Zizhan Zheng
  Military Communications Conference (MILCOM)
• Characterizing Interference Mitigation Techniques in Dense 60 GHz mmWave WLANs
  Ding Zhang, Panneer Selvam Santhalingam, Parth Pathak, and Zizhan Zheng
  International Conference on Computer Communications and Networks (ICCCN)
• Keeping Context In Mind: Automating Mobile App Access Control with User Interface Inspection
  Hao Fu, Zizhan Zheng, Sencun Zhu, and Prasant Mohapatra
  IEEE International Conference on Computer Communications (INFOCOM)
• Structure-Preserving Transformation: Generating Diverse and Transferable Adversarial Examples
  Dan Peng, Zizhan Zheng, and Xiaofeng Zhang
  AAAI-19 Workshop on Artificial Intelligence for Cyber Security (AICS)

2018

• An Online Algorithm for Power-proportional Data Centers with Switching Cost
  Ming Zhang, Zizhan Zheng, and Ness B. Shroff
  IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC)
• Poster: Policy Design under Collusion
  Benjamin Sperisen, Stefano Barbieri, K. Brent Venable, and Zizhan Zheng
  ACM Conference on Economics and Computation (EC)
• Analysis of Thompson Sampling for Graphical Bandits Without the Graphs
  Fang Liu, Zizhan Zheng, and Ness B. Shroff
  Conference on Uncertainty in Artificial Intelligence (UAI)
• Online Partial Throughput Maximization for Multidimensional Coflow
  Sungjin Im, Maryam Shadloo, and Zizhan Zheng (alphabetical order)
  IEEE International Conference on Computer Communications (INFOCOM)

2017

• The Impact of Stealthy Attacks on Smart Grid Performance: Tradeoffs and Implications
  Yara Abdallah, Zizhan Zheng, Ness B. Shroff, Hesham El Gamal, and Tarek M. El-Fouly
  IEEE Transactions on Control of Network Systems (TCNS)
• A Stackelberg Game and Markov Modeling of Moving Target Defense
  Xiaotao Feng, Zizhan Zheng, Derya Cansever, and Prasant Mohapatra
  Conference on Decision and Game Theory for Security (GameSec)
• Concurrent Channel Probing and Data Transmission in Full-duplex MIMO Systems
  Zhenzhi Qian, Fei Wu, Zizhan Zheng, Kannan Srinivasan and Ness B. Shroff
  ACM International Symposium on Mobile Ad Hoc Networking and Computing (MobiHoc)
• LeakSemantic: Identifying Abnormal Sensitive Network Transmissions in Mobile Applications
  Hao Fu, Zizhan Zheng, Somdutta Bose, Matt Bishop, and Prasant Mohapatra
  IEEE International Conference on Computer Communications (INFOCOM)
• A Signaling Game Model for Moving Target Defense
  Xiaotao Feng, Zizhan Zheng, Derya Cansever, Ananthram Swami, and Prasant Mohapatra
  IEEE International Conference on Computer Communications (INFOCOM)
• When to Reset Your Keys: Optimal Timing of Security Updates via Learning [technical report]
  Zizhan Zheng, Ness B. Shroff, and Prasant Mohapatra
  AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AAAI)

2016

• Stealthy Attacks with Insider Information: A Game Theoretic Model with Asymmetric Feedback
  Xiaotao Feng, Zizhan Zheng, Derya Cansever, Ananthram Swami, and Prasant Mohapatra
  International Conference for Military Communications (MILCOM)
• Trust Exploitation and Attention Competition: A Game Theoretic Model
  Hao Fu, Hongxing Li, Zizhan Zheng, Pengfei Hu, and Prasant Mohapatra
  International Conference for Military Communications (MILCOM)
• FlowIntent: Detecting Privacy Leakage from User Intention to Network Traffic Mapping
  Hao Fu, Zizhan Zheng, Aveek Kumar Das, Parth H. Pathak, and Prasant Mohapatra
  IEEE International Conference on Sensing, Communication and Networking (SECON)
• Online Multi-Resource Allocation for Deadline Sensitive Jobs with Partial Values in the Cloud
  Zizhan Zheng and Ness B. Shroff
  IEEE International Conference on Computer Communications (INFOCOM)
• VSync: Cloud Based Video Streaming Service for Mobile Devices
  Eilwoo Baik, Amit Pande, Zizhan Zheng, and Prasant Mohapatra
  IEEE International Conference on Computer Communications (INFOCOM)

2015

• A Game Theoretic Model for Defending Against Stealthy Attacks with Limited Resources
  Ming Zhang, Zizhan Zheng, and Ness B. Shroff
  Decision and Game Theory for Security (GameSec)
• Stealthy Attacks Meets Insider Threats: A Three-Player Game Model
  Xiaotao Feng, Zizhan Zheng, Pengfei Hu, Derya Cansever, and Prasant Mohapatra
  International Conference for Military Communications (MILCOM)
• Provably Delay Efficient Data Retrieving in Storage Clouds
  Yin Sun, Zizhan Zheng, C. Emre Koksal, Kyu-Han Kim, and Ness B. Shroff
  IEEE International Conference on Computer Communications (INFOCOM)
• Ensuring Predictable Contact Opportunity for Scalable Vehicular Internet Access On the Go
  Zizhan Zheng, Zhixue Lu, Prasun Sinha, and Santosh Kumar
  IEEE/ACM Transactions on Networking (TON)

2014

• Stealthy Attacks and Observable Defenses: A Game Theoretic Model Under Strict Resource Constraints
  Ming Zhang, Zizhan Zheng, and Ness B. Shroff
  IEEE Global Conference on Signal and Information Processing (GlobalSIP) (invited)
• Online Welfare Maximization for Electric Vehicle Charging with Electricity Cost
  Zizhan Zheng and Ness B. Shroff
  ACM International Conference on Future Energy Systems (e-Energy)
• Submodular Utility Maximization for Deadline Constrained Data Collection in Sensor Networks
  Zizhan Zheng and Ness B. Shroff
  IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control (TAC)
• Maximizing System Throughput by Cooperative Sensing in Cognitive Radio Networks
  Shuang Li, Zizhan Zheng, Eylem Ekici, and Ness B. Shroff
  IEEE/ACM Transactions on Networking (TON)

2013

• Maximizing Social Welfare in Operator-based Cognitive Radio Networks under Spectrum Uncertainty and Sensing Inaccuracy
  Shuang Li, Zizhan Zheng, Eylem Ekici, and Ness B. Shroff
  IEEE International Conference on Computer Communications (INFOCOM)
• Maximizing Information in Unreliable Sensor Networks under Deadline and Energy Constraints
  Srikanth Hariharan, Zizhan Zheng, and Ness B. Shroff
  IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control (TAC)

2012

• On the Efficiency-vs-Security Tradeoff in the Smart Grid
  Yara Abdallah, Zizhan Zheng, Ness B. Shroff, and Hesham El Gamal
  IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC)
• Maximizing System Throughput Using Cooperative Sensing in Multi-Channel Cognitive Radio Networks
  Shuang Li, Zizhan Zheng, Eylem Ekici, and Ness B. Shroff
  IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC)
• Maximizing a Submodular Utility for Deadline Constrained Data Collection in Sensor Networks
  Zizhan Zheng and Ness B. Shroff
  IEEE International Symposium on Modeling and Optimization in Mobile, Ad Hoc, and Wireless Networks (WiOpt)
• Maximizing System Throughput by Cooperative Sensing in Cognitive Radio Networks
  Shuang Li, Zizhan Zheng, Eylem Ekici, and Ness B. Shroff
  IEEE International Conference on Computer Communications (INFOCOM)
• Sparse WiFi Deployment for Vehicular Internet Access with Bounded Interconnection Gap
  Zizhan Zheng, Prasun Sinha, and Santosh Kumar
  IEEE/ACM Transactions on Networking (TON)

Before 2012

• Perpetual and Fair Data Collection for Environmental Energy Harvesting Sensor Networksx
  Ren-Shiou Liu, Kai-Wei Fan, Zizhan Zheng, and Prasun Sinha; IEEE/ACM Transactions on Networking (TON), 2011
• Maximizing the Contact Opportunity for Vehicular Internet Access.
  Zizhan Zheng, Zhixue Lu, Prasun Sinha, and Santosh Kumar; INFOCOM 2010
• Towards Automatic Tuning of Adaptive Computations in Autonomic Middleware
  Ying Zhang, Gang Huang, Xuanzhe Liu, Zizhan Zheng, and Hong Mei; The 9th International Workshop on Adaptive and Reflective Middleware (ARM), 2010
• Demo Abstract: An Affordable, Long-Lasting, and Autonomous Theft Detection and Tracking System
  Somnath Mitra, Zizhan Zheng, Santanu Guha, Animikh Ghosh, Prabal Dutta, Bhagavathy Krishna, Kurt Plarre, Santosh Kumar, and Prasun Sinha; ACM SENSYS 2009
• Trap Coverage: Allowing Coverage Holes of Bounded Diameter in Wireless Sensor Networks
  Paul N. Balister, Zizhan Zheng, Santosh Kumar, and Prasun Sinha; INFOCOM 2009
• Alpha Coverage: Bounding the Interconnection Gap for Vehicular Internet Access
  Zizhan Zheng, Prasun Sinha, and Santosh Kumar; INFOCOM 2009 (mini-conference)
• Buffer Coding for Reliable Transmissions over Wireless Networks
  Zizhan Zheng and Prasun Sinha; Elsevier Computer Communications (COMCOM), 2009.
• Steady and Fair Rate Allocation for Rechargeable Sensors in Perpetual Sensor Networks
  Kai-Wei Fan, Zizhan Zheng, and Prasun Sinha; ACM SENSYS 2008
• Distributed Roadmap Aided Routing in Sensor Networks [technical report]
  Zizhan Zheng, Kai-Wei Fan, Prasun Sinha, and Yusu Wang; IEEE MASS 2018 (short paper)
• XBC: XOR-based Buffer Coding for Reliable Transmissions over Wireless Networks
  Zizhan Zheng and Prasun Sinha; IEEE BROADNETS 2007