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, Dark Reading, 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.

  • article  Jan.2026  --- New paper titled "Inside ransomware groups: An analysis of their origins, structures, and dynamics" published in Computers & Security Journal. [pdf][doi]
  • speaker  Nov.2025 --- Invited Speaker at International Crime Science Conference: "The Threat of Ransomware to the UK Economy". [link]
  • speaker  Nov.2025 --- Invited Speaker at CyberSecurity Live Conference: "Ransomware Inc.: The business, players, and power structures of digital extortion". [link]
  • speaker  Nov.2025 --- Invited Speaker at ISC2 London Chapter Meeting: "The 2025 Oh Behave! The Annual Cybersecurity Attitudes and Behaviors Report". [link]
  • media  Nov.2025 --- Expert Contributor to new Condé Nast Traveller article: "Do we really need complimentary WiFi on planes?". [link]
  • speaker  Nov.2025 --- Guest Lecturer at Kings College London's Navigating International Financial Regulation and Compliance course on: "The Threat of Ransomware". [link]
  • speaker  Nov.2025 --- Speaker and Organiser of the University of Kent's Early Career Researcher (ECR) Research Environment Session: "The PhD/ECR journey: Part 4". [link]
  • media  Oct.2025 --- Expert Contributor to new Dark Reading article: "The Best End User Security Awareness Programs Aren't About Awareness Anymore". [link]
  • role  Oct.2025 --- Appointed as Chair of the Ethics Board of the UK's National Research Centre on Privacy, Harm Reduction and Adversarial Influence Online (REPHRAIN). [link]
  • media  Oct.2025 --- New article in Binding Hook: "Jaguar Land Rover cyberattack shows that governments must provide post-incident support". [link]
  • speaker  Oct.2025 --- Guest Lecturer for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Chevening Western Balkans Cyber Security Fellowships Programme: "A human aspects perspective on cyber attacks". [link]
  • media  Oct.2025 --- Expert Contributor to new Dark Reading article: "From Power Users to Protective Stewards: How to Tune Security Training for Specialized Employees". [link]
  • speaker  Oct.2025 --- Guest Lecturer at Cranfield University's The Human Dimension course on: "The Human Aspect of Cyber Security". [link]
  • speaker  Oct.2025 --- Guest Lecturer at Kent University's Information Security Management Module on: "Cyber Insurance: Origins and Progress". [link]
  • speaker  Sep.2025 --- Keynote Speaker at the 2025 European Symposium on Usable Security (EuroUSEC 2025): "It's *not* all about the Benjamins: The real harms of cyber attacks". [link]
  • speaker  Sep.2025 --- Speaker at Kent and Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF) Strategy Meeting: "Ransomware: The threat, the impact, and the way forward". [link]
  • speaker  Sep.2025 --- Keynote Panel Speaker at the 5th Annual Northern WARP Conference: "The human factor in cyber and data protection". [link]
  • media  Aug.2025 --- Media coverage in Barbados' The Nation Newspaper based on research talk/webinar: "Warning over hackers’ tactics". [link][Instagram story]
  • speaker  Aug.2025 --- Speaker at The Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) Barbados Chapter's Webinar: "Behind the scenes of cybersecurity: How cybercriminals use human psychology against us". [link][LI post]
  • speaker  Jul.2025 --- Speaker at National Cybersecurity Alliance (StaySafeOnline.org) Webinar: "Convene Chats - Nudgestock: Ogilvy weaponized psychology. Learn how to do more than just ask nicely". [link]
  • speaker  Jul.2025 --- Speaker at The 66th London International Youth Science Forum: "AI and Society". [link]
  • article  Jun.2025  --- Contributor to new RAND research policy paper titled "Beyond Technicalities Assessing Cyber Risk by Incorporating Human Factors". [pdf][doi]
  • media  Jul.2025 --- Expert Contributor to new Raconteur article: "The Online Safety Act is a security and compliance minefield". [link]
  • speaker  Jul.2025 --- Speaker at UCL DIS Summer School Programme for Black Heritage Students: "An Introduction to Cybersecurity: What is it, why it matters, and its future". [link]
  • media  Jul.2025 --- Expert Contributor to new ComputerWeekly.com feature: "The Security Interviews". [link]
  • speaker  Jul.2025 --- Speaker at Cognitive Security Institute (CSI): "From Security Awareness and Training to Human Risk Management in Cybersecurity". [link]
  • role  Jul.2025 --- Research Degree Examiner at the Open University, Computing and IT Department. [link]
  • speaker  Jul.2025 --- Speaker at BMS Group: "Understanding the Human Aspect of Cybersecurity: A Focus on the Insurance Industry". [link]
  • role  Jul.2025 --- PhD Student, Clare M. Patterson, at the University of Kent completes doctorate degree: Thesis title "Organisational Learning from Cybersecurity Incidents". [link]
  • speaker  Jul.2025 --- Speaker at The University of Oxford's St Anne's College Summer School Programme for Internatinonal Students: "An Introduction to Cybersecurity". [link]
  • speaker  Jun.2025 --- Speaker on Cybercology: Confessions of a CyberPsychologist Podcast: "The Psychology of Cybersecurity, Privacy and Trust". [link]
  • speaker  Jun.2025 --- Speaker at Kent and Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF) Cyber Incident Workshop: "Ransomware: The threat, the impact, and the way forward". [link]
  • speaker  Jun.2025 --- Speaker at UCL Data Protection Showcase: "Cybersecurity Attitudes and Behaviours: A Real-World Study". [link]
  • speaker  Jun.2025 --- Invited Speaker on ITSPmagazine @ Infosecurity Europe 2025: "Understanding Cybersecurity Behavior: From Social Engineering to Shadow AI" [link]
  • article  Jun.2025  --- New paper titled "From Security Awareness and Training to Human Risk Management in Cybersecurity" published in the 7th International Conference HCI for Cybersecurity, Privacy and Trust (27th HCI International Conference). [pdf][doi]
  • article  Jun.2025  --- New paper titled "To Patch or Not to Patch: Motivations, Challenges, and Implications for Cybersecurity" published in the 7th International Conference HCI for Cybersecurity, Privacy and Trust (27th HCI International Conference). [pdf][doi]
  • speaker  Jun.2025 --- Speaker at Infosecurity Europe 2025 (Cyber Strategies Stage): "‘Oh, Behave!’ A Global Outlook on Cyber Behaviors and the Science Behind". [link]
  • speaker  Jun.2025 --- Stand at SME XPO 2025 presenting The CyCOS Project. [link]
  • speaker  May.2025 --- Speaker at RSA Conference 2025: "‘Oh, Behave!’ A Global Outlook on Cyber Behaviors and the Science Behind". [link]
  • speaker  May.2025 --- Invited Speaker on ITSPmagazine @ RSAC 2025: "Mindset Matters: Rethinking How We Teach and Design Cybersecurity" [link]
  • media  May.2025 --- Expert Contributor to Yahoo! News article: "5 signs you’re being catfished like on ITV's Fake". [link]
  • speaker  May.2025 --- Speaker at The Research Institute for Sociotechnical Cyber Security (RISCS) Annual Conference 2025. [link]
  • role  May.2025 --- Research Degree Examiner at the University of Bristol, School of Computer Science. [link]
  • speaker  May.2025 --- Speaker at International Association of Security Awareness Professionals (IASAP): "A Deep Dive into Security Attitudes and Behaviours". [link]
  • speaker  May.2025 --- Speaker and Organiser of the University of Kent's Early Career Researcher (ECR) Research Environment Session: "The PhD/ECR journey: Part 3". [link]
  • speaker  Apr.2025 --- Speaker at UK Cyber Week 2025 (Cyber and Strategy Theatre): "Understanding Cybersecurity Attitudes". [link]
  • article  Apr.2025  --- New paper titled "Investigating the experiences of providing cyber security support to small-and medium-sized enterprises" published in the Computers & Security Journal. [pdf][doi]
  • speaker  April.2025 --- Speaker and Organiser of the University of Kent's Early Career Researcher (ECR) Research Environment Session: "The PhD/ECR journey: Part 2". [link]
  • speaker  Apr.2025 --- Host and Speaker at the IMPACT USA Conference, a CybSafe conference in association with the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) and MITRE. [link]
  • speaker  Mar.2025 --- Speaker at BSides Kent: "It's *not* all about the Benjamins: The real harms of ransomware attacks". [link]
  • speaker  Mar.2025 --- Host of Webinar: "Nudge nudge, wink wink: Using nudges and automation to reduce human cyber risk". [link]
  • speaker  Mar.2025 --- Guest Lecturer at Leiden University's Cyber Crisis Management and Resilience course on: "The Threat of Ransomware". [link]
  • award  Mar.2025  --- Supervised MSc Student Project on Ransomware that won the Institute of Cyber Security for Society (iCSS) prize. [link]
  • award  Mar.2025  --- Supervised BSc Student Project on Ransomware that won the School of Computing Best Poster prize. [link]
  • speaker  Mar.2025 --- Host and Speaker at the IMPACT UK Conferences, a CybSafe conference in association with the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA), MITRE and SASIG. [link]
  • speaker  Mar.2025 --- Speaker and Organiser of the University of Kent's Early Career Researcher (ECR) Research Environment Session: "The PhD/ECR journey: Part 1". [link]
  • article  Feb.2025  --- Invited to be Section Editor in the new Palgrave Encyclopedia of Cyberpsychology. [publisher]
  • article  Feb.2025  --- New paper titled "Invisible Lines, Visible Impact: How Territorial Security Influences Russian Cyber Security Strategy" published in The RUSI Journal. [pdf][doi]
  • media  Feb.2025 --- New article in Binding Hook: "Cyber insurance is no silver bullet for cybersecurity". [link]
  • speaker  Feb.2025 --- Guest Lecturer at Kent University's Information Security Management Module on: "Cyber Insurance: Origins and Progress". [link]
  • role  Feb.2025 --- PhD Student, Enes Altuncu, at the University of Kent completes doctorate degree: Thesis title "Fact-checking Ecosystem: From Modelling to Semi-automated Stakeholder-based Detection of False Information". [link]
  • article  Jan.2025  --- New Policy Brief titled "Unlocking Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs): The importance of implementing PETs for SMEs". [pdf]
  • speaker  Jan.2025 --- Invited Panelist at SASIG event: "Securing the future of data: Navigating AI, sovereignty, and cyber threats". [link]
  • speaker  Jan.2025 --- Invited Speaker at Cognitive Security Institute: "Studying your Cyber Security Attitudes and Behaviors". [link]
  • speaker  Jan.2025 --- Speaker and Organiser of the University of Kent's Early Career Researcher (ECR) Research Environment Session: "Challenges and opportunities". [link]
  • speaker  Jan.2025 --- Guest Lecturer at Cardiff University's Cybersecurity Operations Module on: "Cyber-attacks & Adversarial Behaviours". [link]
  • role  Dec.2024 --- External Examiner PhD at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. [link]
  • media  Dec.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new ITV News articles on Fake QR codes and Black Friday scams. [link]
  • speaker  Nov.2024 --- Invited Speaker at CyberSecurity Live Conference: "The real impact of ransomware attacks on victim organisations". [link]
  • speaker  Nov.2024 --- Invited Speaker at University of Athens' Graduate Program in Cyberpsychology: "Psychology and Cyber Security". [link]
  • speaker  Nov.2024 --- Invited Speaker at iNetwork (Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council) Webinar: "Human Factor: Behavioural Insights in Cyber Security". [link]
  • speaker  Nov.2024 --- Speaker (joint) at Institute of Cyber Security for Society (iCSS) Seminar: "Does Cyber Insurance promote Cyber Security Best Practice? An Analysis based on Insurance Application Forms". [link]
  • article  Oct.2024  --- New paper titled "Assessing Cyber Security Support for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises" published in IFIP WG 11.12 International Symposium on Human Aspects of Information Security and Assurance. [pdf][doi]
  • speaker  Oct.2024 --- Invited Speaker at ISC2 London Chapter Meeting: "The 2024 Oh Behave! The Annual Cybersecurity Attitudes and Behaviors Report". [link]
  • speaker  Oct.2024 --- Host for RUSI Webinar featuring Dr Claudia Natanson, CEO of UK Cyber Security Council: "Building a Diverse and Resilient Cyber Workforce". [link]
  • media  Oct.2024 --- Expert Contributor to new The Telegraph article: "Evil Corp: The Russian family business that cheated British taxpayers out of millions". [link]
  • article  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]