
Ahmed Ghappour
Associate Professor of Law
Data Science Faculty Fellow, Boston University Hariri Institute for Computing
BS, Rutgers University
JD, New York University School of Law
Biography
Ahmed Ghappour, an expert in criminal law and computer security, joined the full-time faculty of Boston University School of Law in 2017. He was previously a Visiting Assistant Professor at U.C. Hastings College of the Law where he taught Criminal Procedure and a seminar on Electronic Surveillance.
Ghappour’s research bridges computer science and the law to address contemporary challenges wrought by new technologies in the administration of criminal justice and national security. His recently published Stanford Law Review article, “Searching Places Unknown: Law Enforcement Jurisdiction on the Dark Web,” examines the foreign relations and national security implications of government hacking operations that use malware to pursue criminal suspects that use sophisticated cryptographic tools to anonymize their communications on the “dark web.” The article was competitively selected for presentation at the New Voices in National Security Law session of the 2017 American Association of Law Schools Annual Meeting, and the New Voices in International Law session of the 2017 American Society of International Law Annual Meeting.
Ghappour’s research and teaching interests stem from his experience litigating complex computer crime and national security cases. At U.C. Hastings, he founded the school’s Liberty, Security & Technology Clinic, which provided legal services to criminal defendants in espionage and computer crime cases. Prior to UC-Hastings, he taught the National Security Clinic at the University of Texas School of Law, represented Guantanamo detainees in their habeas corpus proceedings at Reprieve UK, and worked as a patent litigator at Orrick Herrington and Sutcliffe LLP. Formerly, Ghappour was a computer engineer focused on automation, diagnostics, distributed systems architecture and high performance computing.
- Profile Types
- Faculty, Full-Time Faculty, and Professors & Clinical Instructors
- Areas of Interest
- Criminal Law, Cybersecurity Law, Evidence Law, Foreign Relations & National Security Law, and Intellectual Property
- Profiles
- Ahmed Ghappour
Publications
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Ahmed Ghappour, Data Collection and the Regulatory State 49 Connecticut Law Review (2017)
Scholarly Commons -
Ahmed Ghappour, Searching Places Unknown: Law Enforcement Jurisdiction on the Dark Web 69 Stanford Law Review (2017)
Scholarly Commons -
Ahmed Ghappour, Tallinn, Hacking, and Customary International Law 111 AJIL Unbound (2017)
Scholarly Commons
In the Media
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PBS March 29, 2023
Majority of Americans Reject Anti-trans Bills, but Support for This Restriction Is Rising
Ahmed Ghappour is quoted.
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ABC News March 28, 2023
No Evidence of TikTok National Security Threat but Reason for Concern, Experts Say
Ahmed Ghappour is quoted.
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NBC News March 17, 2023
What a TikTok Ban Would Mean for Users
Ahmed Ghappour is quoted.
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Fight for the Future January 11, 2023
Open Source, Decentralized Tech Leaders Urge New Congress to Defend Privacy
Ahmed Ghappour is quoted.
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The Block September 15, 2022
Coinbase-backed Suit Against Treasury Set to Become Landmark Blockchain Case
Ahmed Ghappour is quoted.
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BeInCrypto March 23, 2022
Nym Taps Renowned Attorney Ahmed Ghappour as General Counsel
Ahmed Ghappour joins Nym Technologies as General Counsel.
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March 1, 2022
Ukraine Conflict Shows Wartime Norms Don’t Exist for Cyber Operations
Ahmed Ghappour is quoted.
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The Brink August 25, 2020
If TikTok and WeChat Bans Go into Effect, Will It Be a Crime to Use the Apps in the US?
Ahmed Ghappour interviewed.
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Vice July 11, 2020
The Secret Service Tried to Catch a Hacker With a Malware Booby-Trap
Ahmed Ghappour's work referenced.
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October 23, 2018
Targeted by Mueller, What Did Trump Confidante Roger Stone Actually Do?
Ahmed Ghappour quoted in ABC News.
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October 2, 2018
Why Cops Can Force You to Unlock Your Phone with Your Face
Ahmed Ghappour quoted in Wired.
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June 12, 2018
WannaCry Hero’s New Legal Woes Spell Trouble For White Hat Hackers
Ahmed Ghappour quoted in "WannaCry Hero's New Legal Woes Spell Trouble for White Hat Hackers," Wired.
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April 18, 2018
Can the Law Stop Ransomware?
Andrew Sellars and Ahmed Ghappour quoted in <em>Pressform</em>
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April 12, 2018
BU Cybersecurity Law Professor Reacts to Zuckerberg Testimony
Ahmed Ghappour interviewed on <em>WBZ</em>
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