Cyber Sleuth Cracks Code
Grad Tackles Cybercrime With AI
During high school at Paxon School for Advanced Studies in Jacksonville, Kevin Kostage developed a fascination with computers and a budding interest in forensics, sparked by a course he took shortly before graduating. When he started exploring college options, he saw Florida Gulf Coast University as a place where he could pursue both of those interests — and even continue his passion for gymnastics through a student club.
FGCU was “the perfect fit for me,” said Kostage, who graduated in spring 2025 with a software engineering degree and a minor in forensic studies. He was named the Student of the Year among software engineering majors.
He participated in the prestigious Research Experiences for Undergraduates program at the University of Missouri, where he will pursue a Ph.D. in computer science. At FGCU, he interned with Homeland Security Investigations and helped develop Net Spider, a web-scraping tool used in cybercrime investigations. The app has contributed to criminal investigations and arrests and the rescue of trafficking victims.
Kostage mentored the Net Spider team in 2024-25, earning awards at FGCU’s Eagle X showcase. He co-authored five academic papers and continues research on two more. His advisor, Chengyi Qu, praised his impact on cybersecurity and distributed AI. He remains connected to FGCU through the EagleCyberNest lab and Qu, now his co-advisor.