CORE TEAM – Hellenic Cyber Security Team

Our Core Team

Prof. Christos Xenakis is a faculty member of the Department of Digital Systems of the University of Piraeus, Greece, and a member of the Systems Security Laboratory. He is also a steering committee member of the European Cyber Security Challenge (ECSC) and the leader of the Hellenic Cyber Security Team. He is a member of the editorial board of four Thomson Reuters indexed journals: a) Computers & Security Journal of the Elsevier publishing, b) Computer Communications Journal of the Elsevier publishing, c) IET Information Security of the Institute of Engineering and Technology and d) The Computer Journal of the Oxford University Press. His research interests are in the field of systems, networks and applications security. He has authored more than 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals and international conferences.

Dr. Apostolis Zarras is a research associate at the University of Piraeus and the Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas. Previously, he was a faculty member at the Delft University of Technology and Maastricht University and, before that, a postdoctoral researcher at the Technical University of Munich. He received his Ph.D. degree in IT Security from the Ruhr-University Bochum. He also holds a M.Sc. and a B.Sc. degree in Computer Science from the University of Crete. His research interests primarily revolve around systems, networks, and web security. Overall, his work is dedicated to advancing the field of Cybersecurity and safeguarding users and systems against potential cyber threats.

Stella Tsitsoula is a senior communications consultant with over 25 years of experience in media, public relations, and strategic communication, specializing in the technology and cybersecurity sectors. She collaborates with multinational organizations, Greek enterprises, and academic institutions to communicate emerging technologies, raise cybersecurity awareness, and develop strategic frameworks.

In 2003, she founded RED.comm, a high-tech communications agency that delivers specialized services to technology-driven companies. Since 2017, she has served as the Communications Director of the National Cybersecurity Team, representing Greece in the Pan-European Cybersecurity Competition organized by ENISA, while also being an active member of the competition’s organizing committee.

Stella is the Co-Founder of the Greek Chapter of Women4Cyber, the European non-profit initiative supported by ECSO (European Cybersecurity Organisation), which aims to promote the role of women in cybersecurity. Since 2020, she has also been a member of the Cyber Security Forum Initiative (CSFI), a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit focused on cybersecurity education, policy, and collaboration.

In 2023, she established the Hellenic Institute of Cybersecurity, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing public understanding of high-tech and digital security issues, both online and offline.

Since 2024, she has served on the Board of Directors of EDYTE – GRNET S.A., the national technology and research infrastructure body under the Greek Ministry of Digital Governance, providing network and cloud services to academic, research, public, and private sector entities.

As a public speaker and advocate, Stella frequently participates in conferences and panels to promote digital literacy and cybersecurity awareness, with a strong focus on diversity and inclusion in tech. She also regularly publishes articles on technology PR, women in technology, and cybersecurity challenges.

In recognition of her global impact, she was ranked #128 among the Top 200 Women in Tech and Cybersecurity worldwide by LinkedIn in 2025.

Stella began her career in journalism, working for leading Greek ICT publications. She holds a BSc in Computer Systems Engineering, an MA in Public Relations Management, an MBA, and is a certified ISO 9001:2015 Lead Auditor.

She is a proud mother of two daughters, Anna and Vicky.

Katerina Psychogyiou is a cybersecurity researcher specialising in risk assessment and the evaluation of artificial intelligence-based systems. She possesses strong skills in organising and teaching Network Security labs, as well as supervising undergraduate theses. She has excellent communication skills, experience in managing academic and technical operations, and analytical thinking supported by a background in physics.

In terms of education, she is currently completing her MSc in Digital Systems Security at the University of Piraeus , and holds a BSc in Physics from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Professionally, she works at the Systems Security Laboratory as a cybersecurity researcher, where she also supports the Greek team in the European Cybersecurity Challenge (ECSC). In parallel, she is also part of the team at InQbit, a research-driven company focused on innovation in cybersecurity, AI, and quantum technologies.

She holds certifications such as ISO 27001:2022 Lead Auditor (TÜV Austria Group, 2024), Network Security (Cisco, 2024), and IT & Cyber Security (E-Learning Program, University of Athens, 2023).