The Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security (CERIAS)

The Center for Education and Research in
Information Assurance and Security (CERIAS)

Vijayanth Tummala - Researcher in Cybersecurity and Human-AI Interaction domain

Students: Spring 2026, unless noted otherwise, sessions will be virtual on Zoom.

Evaluating The Impact of Cyberattacks On AI-based Machine Vision Systems: A Case Study of Threaded Fasteners

Jan 21, 2026

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Abstract

AI-driven machine vision systems are becoming essential in mechanical engineering applications such as fastener classification, yet their increasing connectivity exposes them to adversarial cyberattacks. Model evasion attacks like FGSM can subtly alter input images and cause misclassification, raising concerns about reliability in automated manufacturing.

This talk focuses on the role of Explainable AI and human-in-the-loop strategies in detecting and mitigating such attacks. In the presented case study, an EfficientNet-B0 fastener classification model is examined using Grad-CAM visualizations to determine whether shifts inactivation patterns can reveal adversarial manipulation. The study evaluates how FGSM-generated images affect model accuracy and confidence while assessing the XAI system's ability to highlight abnormal regions of attention and the potential for human-in-the-loop approaches to be utilized with XAI techniques as a practical path to strengthening the resilience of AI-based machine vision systems in manufacturing.


About the Speaker

Vijayanth Tummala
Dr. Vijayanth Tummala is a Researcher in Cybersecurity and Human-AI Interaction. His research spans artificial intelligence and cybersecurity across interdisciplinary areas, including AI and Cybersecurity leadership, AI literacy, and computer vision applications. He was one of only seven recipients to receive the Best Paper Award in the AI track at ASME's IMECE conference held in November 2024, which features over 2,400 submissions annually. Previously, he held key leadership roles, including leading the NSA CAE-CD designation, launching graduate programs as part of a $1.5 million EDA grant received by his previous employer, and partnering with the Allen County High-Tech Crimes Unit.


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