Cybersecurity

Overview

It has long been recognised that cybersecurity is a ‘wicked problem’ – one that spills across disciplines, jurisdictions, and borders of all kinds. Our programme breaks with disciplinary tradition to rethink how we develop people equipped to deal with the cybersecurity challenges of the future. To do so, we select students who already recognise these intersections and seek to explore them further.

We offer supervision in computing (systems security, cryptography, software security, network security), crime science (cybercrime and policing issues) and in domestic and international policy (digital tech policy, global cybernorms, international peace and security). All of our students will develop a level of expertise in their topic that incorporates the dimensions covered in our CDT and all of our students will leave the CDT with a network of colleagues working in and across these domains.

Supervision within this programme is available in an extensive range or research areas including:

• artificial intelligence (AI)
• applied cryptography
• on-line propaganda / hate speech / fake news
• authentication and verification
• financial technology and cryptocurrencies
• blockchains
• global politics of cybersecurity, cyberwar, cyber norms
• national cyber security strategies
• systems modelling
• security economics
• smart contracts
• distributed systems security
• network security
• the Internet of Things
• security testing
• secure software engineering methodologies
• malware and binary analysis
• watermarking and copyright protection
• robotics
• cybercrime, child protection, and dark marketplaces
• cyber risk and cyber security policy
• standards and regulation of digital and telecommunications
• connected autonomous vehicles
• gender issues and tech abuse
• hacking and hacktivism
• privacy, censorship, surveillance
• applications to secure communications
• quantum computing, quantum information theory

More information can be found on the department website:
Cybersecurity PhD

Some projects will call for fieldwork and CDT candidates are able to apply to the Research Training Support Grant for funding to support this. Supervisory teams provide contacts and introductions where needed to help candidates maximise the value of their fieldwork.

All CDT candidates will undertake a placement as part of their programme. Supervisory teams work with candidates and with our industry and policy partners to devise an appropriate placement for each case. These are integrated into the research project to support and enhance it while also offering valuable insights into ‘real world’ cybersecurity problems and work environments.

Your research degree may be subject to an Additional Fee Element (AFE). The AFE (also known as bench fees) is an additional cost, incurred by yourself or your sponsor. It is levied to cover the costs related to consumables, equipment and materials etc. which are not included in the tuition fee. As each research project is unique in nature, the AFE is calculated on a student by student basis and is determined by your academic supervisor.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from Access Able  Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.

EPSRC studentships available

Scholarships relevant to this department are displayed below.

Value:
Fees, maintenance and travel (Duration of programme)

Eligibility:
Overseas

Criteria:
Based on academic merit

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

The UK National Cyber Security Strategy  identifies the “cyber skills shortage” as a systemic issue, with estimates suggesting that by 2022 there will be a shortage of 350K cybersecurity professionals. To help fill this gap, our students will be trained in how to address evolving cybersecurity challenges through multidisciplinary means. By…