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 Telegraph, The Independent, TRT World, Tech Radar, Raconteur, Threat Post, Infosecurity Magazine, SC Magazine, Help Net Security, The Register, ZDNet, CSO, The Record, ComputerWeekly, IT Pro, 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.
- Oct.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new The Telegraph article: "Evil Corp: The Russian family business that cheated British taxpayers out of millions". [link]
- Oct.2024 --- New paper titled "Does Cyber Insurance promote Cyber Security Best Practice? An Analysis based on Insurance Application Forms" published in ACM Digital Threats: Research and Practice Journal. [pdf][doi]
- Sep.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new DarkTrace The Inference article: "Malware-as-a-Service: what you need to know about this persistent cyber threat". [link]
- Sep.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new Tech Monitor article: "How to tell the world you've just been hacked". [link]
- Sep.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new IT Pro article: "The importance of supply chain resilience". [link]
- Sep.2024 --- Media coverage of new Oh Behave! The Annual Cybersecurity Attitudes and Behaviors Report 2024-2025. [Infosecurity Magazine][Tech Monitor][CIO News][SC Media]
- Sep.2024 --- New whitepaper titled "Oh Behave! The Annual Cybersecurity Attitudes and Behaviors Report 2024-2025" by CybSafe and the National Cybersecurity Alliance. [pdf]
- Aug.2024 --- New paper titled "‘There was a bit of PTSD every time I walked through the office door’: Ransomware harms and the factors that influence the victim organization’s experience" published in the Journal of Cybersecurity. [pdf][doi]
- Aug.2024 --- New paper titled "The technification of domestic abuse: Methods, tools and criminal justice responses" published in the Criminology & Criminal Justice Journal. [pdf][doi]
- Aug.2024 --- New paper titled "Cyber Strategy in Practice: The Evolution of US, Russian and Ukrainian National Cyber Security Strategies through the Experience of War" published in The RUSI Journal. [pdf][doi]
- Aug.2024 --- New paper titled "Unmasking hate in the pandemic: A cross-platform study of the COVID-19 infodemic" published in the Big Data Research Journal. [pdf][doi]
- Jul.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new Raconteur article: "Hacking HR: how can people leaders ensure their operations are cybersecure?". [link]
- Jul.2024 --- Speaker at The 65th London International Youth Science Forum: "Generative AI: A Catalyst for Progress or a Source of Peril?". [link]
- Jul.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new Raconteur article: "Sleepless nights, PTSD and strokes: inside the human cost of ransomware". [link]
- Jul.2024 --- Media coverage of new RUSI Occassional Policy Paper on "‘Your Data is Stolen and Encrypted’: The Ransomware Victim Experience" in TechXplore, and TechTimes. [TechXplore][TechTimes]
- Jul.2024 --- New RUSI Occassional Policy paper titled "‘Your Data is Stolen and Encrypted’: The Ransomware Victim Experience" published in collaboration with the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies. [pdf][link]
- Jun.2024 --- New paper titled "Cybersecurity, cyber insurance and small-to-medium-sized enterprises: A systematic review" published in the Information and Computer Security Journal. [pdf][doi]
- Jun.2024 --- New paper titled "Embedding Privacy in Computational Social Science and Artificial Intelligence Research" published in International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media (ICWSM) Workshop Proceedings. [pdf][doi]
- Jun.2024 --- Speaker at Cambridge Cybercrime Centre: Seventh Annual Cybercrime Conference: "Ransomware Harms and the Victim Experience". [link]
- May.2024 --- Invited Speaker at The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) Digital Week, CyberKeys 2024. [link]
- May.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new Raconteur article: "AI worms: what your cybersecurity team needs to know". [link]
- May.2024 --- Invited Speaker at ISC2 London Chapter Meeting: "Attitudes and Behaviours in Cyber Security: What you need to know!". [link]
- May.2024 --- Guest Lecturer for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Chevening India, Western Balkans & Japan Cyber Security Fellowships Programme: "Cyber-attacks and Adversarial Behaviours: A human aspects perspective". [link]
- May.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new FinTech Global publication: "Parents prioritise online safety education when choosing children’s banks". [link]
- Apr.2024 --- Appointed to Google.org European Cybersecurity Seminars Advisory Committee, in collaboration with European Cyber Conflict Research Incubator (ECCRI). [link]
- Apr.2024 --- Invited Delegate at Global Cyber Security Capacity Centre 10th Anniversary Conference. [link]
- Apr.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new Fintech Times publication: "CybSafe Reveals Importance and Use of Cyber Training for Customers". [link]
- Mar.2024 --- Invited Speaker at Bournemouth University's Department of Psychology and Cyber Security Research Group's research seminar series: "Psychology and Cyber Security: A match made in H...". [link]
- Mar.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new International Banking Systems (IBS) Intelligence (IBSi) publication: "Is Cybersecurity the key to customer loyalty for banks?". [link]
- Mar.2024 --- Host and Speaker at the IMPACT Conference, a CybSafe conference in association with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA), MITRE, and SASIG. [link]
- Feb.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new Washington Post article: "11-nation operation takes down world’s ‘most harmful’ cybercriminal group". [link]
- Feb.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new ComputerWeekly article: "Users love their cyber teams, but find them frustrating". [link]
- Feb.2024 --- Invited Speaker on the ITSPmagazine Podcast: "The Untold Impact of Cyber Insurance on Businesses | Human-Centered Cybersecurity Series". [link]
- Feb.2024 --- New article in The Conversation: "Cybercriminals are creating their own AI chatbots to support hacking and scam users". [link]
- 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]
- Feb.2024 --- New article in the University of Kent News: "Cyber expert tips for safe online dating this Valentine’s Day". [link]
- Feb.2024 --- Expert Contributor on Greatest Hits Radio Kent station story covering Internet Safety Day and Romance Scams. [link]
- Feb.2024 --- Guest Lecturer at Cardiff University's Cybersecurity Operations Module on: "Cyber-attacks & Adversarial Behaviours". [link]
- Jan.2024 --- New paper titled "“I don't think we're there yet”: The practices and challenges of organisational learning from cyber security incidents" published in Computers & Security. [pdf][doi]
- Jan.2024 --- New RUSI Occassional Policy paper titled "The Scourge of Ransomware: Victim Insights on Harms to Individuals, Organisations and Society" published in collaboration with the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies. [pdf][link]
- Jan.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new Police Professional article: "Global ransomware threat expected to rise with AI, NCSC warns". [link]
- Jan.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new Dark Reading article: "Hook Younger Users With Cybersecurity Education Designed for Them". [link]
- Jan.2024 --- Expert Contributor on Greatest Hits Radio Kent station story covering cyber attacks on Southern Water and Kent Council in Kent, UK. [link]
- Jan.2024 --- Research featured in new University of Kent article: "Research by cyber expert informs UK national security ransomware report". [link]
- 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]
- Jan.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new Tech Informed article: "2024 Informed: Ten cyber security trends". [link]
- Dec.2023 --- New paper titled "Supporting Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in using Privacy Enhancing Technologies" published in 5th International Conference on HCI for Cybersecurity, Privacy and Trust (HCII). [pdf][doi]
- Dec.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new Cyber Security Hub article: "How ransomware extortion is evolving". [link]
- Dec.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new Silicon Republic article: "Joy to the world of books: Recommendations from tech leaders". [link]
- Dec.2023 --- Invited Speaker at ISC2 London Chapter Meeting: "Attitudes and Behaviours in Cyber Security: What you need to know!". [link]
- Nov.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new Security on Screen article: "Research uncovers a distinct gap in workplace cybersecurity prioritisation". [link]
- Nov.2023 --- Invited Speaker at UK Finance's Digital Tech and Cyber - Product and Services Board Meeting: "The Human Aspect of Cyber Security". [link]
- 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]
- 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]
- Nov.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new Cyber Security Hub article: "Play ransomware being sold as-a-service". [link]
- Nov.2023 --- Invited Speaker at University of Hertfordshire's Department of Psychology seminar series: "Cybersecurity and its interplay with Psychology". [link]
- Nov.2023 --- Guest Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) Cyberpsychology course: "Cybersecurity, cybercrime and psychology". [link]
- Nov.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new TechFinitive article: "ChatGPT is a year old today but not all cybersecurity experts are celebrating". [link]
- Nov.2023 --- Guest Lecturer at Cranfield University's Critical Networks & Cyber-Physical Systems Course: "The Internet of Things (IoT) and Cybersecurity". [link]
- 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]
- 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]
- Oct.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new Infosecurity Magazine podcast: "Combatting Phishing in the Era of AI and Deepfakes". [link]
- Oct.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new Dark Reading article: "From Snooze to Enthuse: Making Security Awareness Training 'Sticky'". [link]
- Oct.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new CSO Online article: "UK NCSC begins rollout of free DNS security service for schools". [link]
- Oct.2023 --- Invited Speaker at GOETEC Annual Conference: "Developing the UCISA Cyber Incident Communications Toolkit". [link]
- Oct.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new BetaNews article: "Why lack of training can put cybersecurity at risk". [link]
- Oct.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new Dark Reading article: "10 Tips for Security Awareness Training That Hits the Target". [link]
- Oct.2023 --- Invited Speaker at CyberSecurity Live Conference: "Is cyber insurance helping to mitigate the threat of ransomware?". [link]
- Oct.2023 --- Expert Contributor to new SecurityBrief article: "Gen Z & millennials: the most vulnerable to cybercrimes". [link]
- 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]
- Sep.2023 --- Featured in IT Security Guru article: "International Cyber Expo 2023 Triumphs in its Second Year". [link]
- Sep.2023 --- Speaker at International Cyber Expo 2023: "Oh, Behave! The Annual Cybersecurity Attitudes and Behaviors Report 2023". [link]
- Sep.2023 --- Invited Speaker at SANS CISO Network UK Summit 2023: "Ransomware and Cyber Insurance". [link]
- Sep.2023 --- Expert lead for REPHRAIN Workshop on Ethics and Consent in Research. [link]