I am a Reader in Cyber Security at the University of Kent, the Director of Science and Research at CybSafe, a Visiting Fellow in Defence and Security at Cranfield University, and an Associate Fellow at RUSI.

My research explores the interdisciplinary nature of cyber security, privacy and trust. This especially considers the impact of new technologies on these areas. As a result of this broad remit I have the pleasure of working across various domains including computing, psychology, and computational social science. I regularly contribute to mainstream media, and have written for, or featured in, the Wall Street Journal, The BBC (and BBC Radio 4), The Washington Post, Newsweek, Wired, The Independent, TRT World, Tech Radar, Raconteur, Threat Post, Infosecurity Magazine, SC Magazine, Help Net Security, The Register, ZDNet, CSO, The Record, Symantec Blogs, Naked Security and The Conversation.

I am open for research collaboration opportunities, new PhD students, invited talks/presentations, and media commentary. Please contact me.

Recent news.

  • media  Feb.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new Washington Post article: "11-nation operation takes down world’s ‘most harmful’ cybercriminal group". [link]
  • speaker  Feb.2024 --- Invited Speaker on the ITSPmagazine Podcast: "The Untold Impact of Cyber Insurance on Businesses | Human-Centered Cybersecurity Series". [link]
  • media  Feb.2024 --- New article in The Conversation: "Cybercriminals are creating their own AI chatbots to support hacking and scam users". [link]
  • media  Feb.2024 --- New article in The Financial Times, Banking Risk and Regulation publication: "Banks will only take cyber more seriously if they see an attack as a certainty". [link]
  • media  Feb.2024 --- New article in the University of Kent News: "Cyber expert tips for safe online dating this Valentine’s Day". [link]
  • media  Feb.2024 --- Expert Contributor on Greatest Hits Radio Kent station story covering Internet Safety Day and Romance Scams. [link]
  • speaker  Feb.2024 --- Guest Lecturer at Cardiff University's Cybersecurity Operations Module on: "Cyber-attacks & Adversarial Behaviours". [link]
  • media  Jan.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new Police Professional article: "Global ransomware threat expected to rise with AI, NCSC warns". [link]
  • media  Jan.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new Dark Reading article: "Hook Younger Users With Cybersecurity Education Designed for Them". [link]
  • media  Jan.2024 --- Expert Contributor on Greatest Hits Radio Kent station story covering cyber attacks on Southern Water and Kent Council in Kent, UK. [link]
  • media  Jan.2024 --- Research featured in new University of Kent article: "Research by cyber expert informs UK national security ransomware report". [link]
  • article  Jan.2024  --- Research informed new Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy (appointed by the UK House of Lords and the House of Commons) policy report titled "A hostage to fortune: ransomware and UK national security", which is intended to influence UK Government Policy. [report][article]
  • media  Jan.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new Tech Informed article: "2024 Informed: Ten cyber security trends". [link]
  • media  Dec.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new Cyber Security Hub article: "How ransomware extortion is evolving". [link]
  • media  Dec.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new Silicon Republic article: "Joy to the world of books: Recommendations from tech leaders". [link]
  • speaker  Dec.2023 --- Invited Speaker at ISC2 London Chapter Meeting: "Attitudes and Behaviours in Cyber Security: What you need to know!". [link]
  • media  Nov.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new Security on Screen article: "Research uncovers a distinct gap in workplace cybersecurity prioritisation". [link]
  • speaker  Nov.2023 --- Invited Speaker at UK Finance's Digital Tech and Cyber - Product and Services Board Meeting: "The Human Aspect of Cyber Security". [link]
  • speaker  Nov.2023 --- Invited Speaker at Centre for Cyber Security, Communications and Network Research (CSCAN)'s Cyber security research seminar series: "Ransomware and the role of Cyber insurance". [link]
  • media  Nov.2023 --- Author of new Infosecurity article: "Oh, Behave! Report 2023: Cybersecurity Progress is Being Made, But There Is a Long Way to Go". [link]
  • media  Nov.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new Cyber Security Hub article: "Play ransomware being sold as-a-service". [link]
  • speaker  Nov.2023 --- Invited Speaker at University of Hertfordshire's Department of Psychology seminar series: "Cybersecurity and its interplay with Psychology". [link]
  • speaker  Nov.2023 --- Guest Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) Cyberpsychology course: "Cybersecurity, cybercrime and psychology". [link]
  • media  Nov.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new TechFinitive article: "ChatGPT is a year old today but not all cybersecurity experts are celebrating". [link]
  • speaker  Nov.2023 --- Guest Lecturer at Cranfield University's Critical Networks & Cyber-Physical Systems Course: "The Internet of Things (IoT) and Cybersecurity". [link]
  • speaker  Nov.2023 --- Guest Lecturer for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Chevening Western Balkans Cyber Security Fellowship Programme: "Cyber-attacks and Adversarial Behaviours: A human aspects perspective". [link]
  • media  Nov.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new cyber security awareness video from Institute of Cyber Security for Society (iCSS): "Why does cyber security matter for everyone?". [link]
  • media  Oct.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new Infosecurity Magazine podcast: "Combatting Phishing in the Era of AI and Deepfakes". [link]
  • media  Oct.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new Dark Reading article: "From Snooze to Enthuse: Making Security Awareness Training 'Sticky'". [link]
  • media  Oct.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new CSO Online article: "UK NCSC begins rollout of free DNS security service for schools". [link]
  • speaker  Oct.2023 --- Invited Speaker at GOETEC Annual Conference: "Developing the UCISA Cyber Incident Communications Toolkit". [link]
  • media  Oct.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new BetaNews article: "Why lack of training can put cybersecurity at risk". [link]
  • media  Oct.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new Dark Reading article: "10 Tips for Security Awareness Training That Hits the Target". [link]
  • speaker  Oct.2023 --- Invited Speaker at CyberSecurity Live Conference: "Is cyber insurance helping to mitigate the threat of ransomware?". [link]
  • media  Oct.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new SecurityBrief article: "Gen Z & millennials: the most vulnerable to cybercrimes". [link]
  • research project  Sep.2023 --- New research grant started: "Enhancing Cyber Resilience of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises through Cyber Security Communities of Support" by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) / EPSRC Cybersecurity Research Institutes Research Projects Call. [link]
  • speaker  Sep.2023 --- Speaker at International Cyber Expo 2023: "Oh, Behave! The Annual Cybersecurity Attitudes and Behaviors Report 2023". [link]
  • speaker  Sep.2023 --- Invited Speaker at SANS CISO Network UK Summit 2023: "Ransomware and Cyber Insurance". [link]
  • speaker  Sep.2023 --- Expert lead for REPHRAIN Workshop on Ethics and Consent in Research. [link]
  • media  Aug.2023 --- Media coverage of new RUSI Occassional Policy Paper on "Cyber Insurance and the Ransomware Challenge" in Recorded Future News, SC Magazine, and Infosecurity. [The Record][SC Magazine][Infosecurity][Politico]
  • article  Aug.2023  --- New RUSI Occassional Policy paper titled "Cyber Insurance and the Ransomware Challenge" published in collaboration with the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies. [pdf][link]
  • media  Aug.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new Tech Radar Pro article: "Workers are spilling more secrets to AI than to their friends". [link]
  • media  Aug.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new Beta News article: "Employees share more secrets with AI than they would in a bar". [link]
  • speaker  Jul.2023 --- Keynote Speaker at 2023 The Cyberpsychology Section Annual Conference: "Cyber security and Cyber Psychology" [link]
  • speaker  Jul.2023 --- Infosecurity Magazine Webinar Panel Member: "Don't Take the Bait: Collaborative Intelligence to Build Phishing Resilience". [link]
  • speaker  Jul.2023 --- Invited Speaker at Institute of Chartered Accountants of Barbados (ICAB) BB ICAB seminar: "'Shielding the digital fort': Understanding cybersecurity's vital role". [link]
  • speaker  Jul.2023 --- Invited Speaker on BEHAVE Podcast: "Interdisciplinary Security". [Spotify][Apple podcasts iTunes]
  • role  Jul.2023 --- Hosted and Organised (acting as Organising Chair) of the 17th IFIP International Symposium on Human Aspects of Information Security & Assurance (HAISA) 2023. [link]
  • role  Jul.2023 --- Hosted Research Visitor Professor Dutt, IIT Mandi, India. [link]
  • research project  Jun.2023 --- New research grant awarded: "Enhancing Cyber Resilience of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises through Cyber Security Communities of Support" by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) / EPSRC Cybersecurity Research Institutes Research Projects Call. [link]
  • role  Jun.2023 --- Appointed to the Editorial Board of the Elsevier Computers & Security Journal [link]
  • article  June.2023  --- New paper titled "Learning from cyber security incidents: A systematic review and future research agenda" published in Computers & Security. [pdf][doi]
  • speaker  Jun.2023 --- Invited Speaker at Technische Universiteit Delft's Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management Cybersecurity seminar: "Between a rock and a hard(ening) place: Cyber insurance in the ransomware era". [link]
  • speaker  May.2023 --- Invited Speaker at International Cyber Security Center of Excellence (INCS-CoE) Expert Community Seminar, Cybercrime and Ransomware: "Cyber insurance and ransomware". [link]
  • article  May.2023  --- New paper titled "Between a rock and a hard(ening) place: Cyber insurance in the ransomware era" published in Computers & Security. [pdf][doi]
  • speaker  May.2023 --- Invited Inspirational Speaker at the Levelling up: Maths for Black Heritage Students Programme (from the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA) and the London Mathematical Society (LMS)). [link]
  • speaker  May.2023 --- Host for Cyber security webinar: "The ultimate people-centric webinar on ransomware prevention". [link]
  • role  May.2023 --- External Examiner PhD at the University of Nottingham. [link]
  • award  May.2023  --- Nominated for University of Kent Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Award. [link]
  • speaker  Apr.2023 --- Invited Speaker at ASTIN Cyber Workshop (ACW) Meeting (Lloyds of London): "Cyber insurance in the ransomware era". [link]
  • article  Apr.2023  --- New paper titled "Preparing for future cyber crises: lessons from governance of the coronavirus pandemic" published in Policy Design and Practice Journal. [pdf][doi]
  • media  Apr.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new Help Net Security article: "How to transform cybersecurity learning and make content more engaging". [link]
  • media  Apr.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new Silicon Republic article: "Cybersecurity researcher wants users to make smarter security decisions". [link]
  • role  Mar.2023 --- Appointed as the Chair of The Research Institute for Sociotechnical Cyber Security (RISCS) Advisory Board. [link]
  • speaker  Mar.2023 --- Host for The IMPACT Conference, spotlighting the latest academic research on the human aspect of cybersecurity. [link]
  • speaker  Mar.2023 --- Invited Speaker at The Research Institute for Sociotechnical Cyber Security (RISCS) Launch event: "Cyber Security, Insurance and Ransomware". [link]
  • media  Mar.2023 --- Research featured in University News: "Kent research inspires Cyber Incident Communications Toolkit for universities". [link]
  • speaker  Mar.2023 --- Invited Speaker at UCISA Webinar: "Cyber Incident Communications Toolkit". [link]
  • article  Mar.2023  --- New paper titled "How cyber insurance influences the ransomware payment decision: theory and evidence" published in The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice. [pdf][doi]
  • speaker  Mar.2023 --- Invited Expert Contributor at Computer Misuse-Facilitated Fraud event. [link]
  • article  Feb.2023  --- New paper titled "Perspectives of non-expert users on cyber security and privacy: An analysis of online discussions on Twitter" published in Computers & Security. [pdf][doi]
  • speaker  Feb.2023 --- Invited Speaker at Local Government Association (LGA) Cyber security and the crisis communications response Webinar. [link]
  • media  Feb.2023 --- Interviewed Live on BBC Radio Kent on the increase in QR Code scams and protection measures. [link]
  • article  Feb.2023  --- New paper titled "A Survey of User Perspectives on Security and Privacy in a Home Networking Environment" published in ACM Computing Surveys. [pdf][doi]
  • role  Mar.2023 --- External examiner PhD in the University of Oxford. [link]
  • article  Jan.2023  --- New written evidence submitted to The Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy (JCNSS) Call for Evidence for inquiry into Ransomware. [evidence][call]
  • media  Jan.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new SC Magazine UK article: "Crystal ball cyber predictions for 2023". [link]
  • speaker  Jan.2023 --- Invited Speaker at 2023 SC Unlocks series: "Is Cyber Insurance Right for Your Organization?" [link]
  • role  Jan.2023  --- Panel Member and Judge for the Third Annual EPSRC/UKRI SPRITE+ Sandpit. [link]
  • role  Jan.2023  --- Judge for 2023 SC Awards. [link]