Cybersecurity

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.

Research areas

• 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

Fieldwork

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.

Placement

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.

Additional costs

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.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.

Funding

EPSRC studentships available. Scholarships relevant to this department are displayed below.

• CSC-UCL Joint Research Scholarship

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.

Careers

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 developing a holistic understanding of how technology, policy, industry and law enforcement interact, our students will be equipped for high-level leadership positions that will help to shape the future through secure digital technologies.

Employability

Depending on their research agenda, the programme will provide students with core skills and knowledge at the forefront of computing (systems security, cryptography, software security, network security), crime science (cybercrime) and policy (information security management, public policy). Suitable careers will include technology R&D, intelligence and policing, international and domestic public policy, cyber diplomacy and digital infrastructure project implementation.

Networking

The CDT is conveniently located in the heart of London and subsequently has strong links with both industry and policy stakeholders. The three partner departments in the CDT between them host the Information Security Group, the Jill Dando Institute of Security and Crime Science, the Dawes Centre for Future Crime, the Research Institute for Science of Cyber Security, the Digital Technologies Policy Lab and the PETRAS National Centre of Excellence for Cybersecurity of the Internet of Things. All of these offer exceptional networking platforms for the CDT candidates who become part of our research community.

Why study this degree at UCL?

UCL is one of the UK’s elite Academic Centres of Excellence in Cyber Security and hosts the UK Research Institutes in Science of Cyber Security (RISCS). The team is led by the Computer Science department, which was the top UK department by research output in the last UK REF. Over 40 members of faculty with internationally recognized expertise across all aspects of cybersecurity run a diverse and ambitious portfolio of projects, working closely with industry and policy partners.

The Annual Crime Survey in 2017 revealed that two-thirds of UK businesses were hit by cyberattacks. According to a Cabinet Office report, the cost of cybercrime to government in 2011 was £2.2Bn, and the cost to individuals, including identity theft, and online fraud was even higher and estimated at £3.1Bn. In order to address this, the Security and Crime Science department hosts the Jill Dando Institute, the Dawes Centre for Future Crime, and a secure data lab.

Acknowledging that technology alone cannot address the challenges of cyber insecurity, the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy focus on improving knowledge exchange between technical and policy stakeholders. Providing advice and support to both industry and government around the world, faculty in STEaPP run a portfolio of funded projects that explore how cybersecurity impacts at the societal level as well as on international peace and security.

Application and next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

This programme requires two references. Further information regarding references can be found in our How to apply section.

Application deadlines

All applicants 29 January 2021. Your complete application (including references) must be received for the first round of recruitment by 5pm on 29 January 2021 and for the second round of recruitment by 5pm on 14 May 2021. Applications submitted or completed after this date will still be considered, but will not be eligible for funding. If you are self-funding or you have applied for funding elsewhere, the application deadline is 5pm on 7 June 2021.

For more information see our Applications page.