Overview

I am Professor of Computer Security and Deputy Head of Department at the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory. I am also the Robin Walker Fellow and Director of Studies in Computer Science at Queens' College, Cambridge.

My research work examines the security and privacy of large-scale distributed computer systems. Within this broad area, I am currently interested in the security and privacy of networked mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets and laptops. I examine the security of the devices themselves as well as the security and privacy problems induced by the interaction between mobile devices and cloud-based Internet services. I approach this through the critical evaluation of existing products, by designing and building novel prototype technologies, and by measuring human behaviour.

Research projects

• Trve Data is a project to bring better security to collaborative applications. For example, we are devising and implementing the fundamental distributed computing algorithms needed to replace systems such as Google Docs, Evernote and Wunderlist with solutions which do not require you to trust service providers with the contents of your shared documents, todo lists, calendar appointments or notes.
• The Cambridge Cybercrime Centre is a multi-disciplinary initiative combining expertise from computer science, criminology and law. We take a data-driven approach to improve our understanding of criminal activity and develop robust identifiers and evidence of criminal behaviour. An important goal of the project is to provide data to other academics and therefore drive a step change in the amount of research conducted into cybercrime.
• Device Analyzer has collected statistical usage data from over 30,000 Android mobile devices across the world. Device Analyzer preprocesses data on the mobile device to remove direct personal identifiers and reduce the privacy risk of sharing the data with the university. If our study participants agree, we share a subset of the data with over 60 partner research labs. We also use it ourselves for research, for example, by looking at the state of Android security.
• The Isaac Physics Platform uses recent developments in web technology and computer-based educational techniques to improve physics teaching in English schools, working in partnership with teachers and educators. We have over 50,000 registered users who make tens of thousands of question attempts on our platform every day.

Previous work includes:

• Computing for the Future of the Planet explores how computers can help solve some of the world's most pressing problems arising from climate change and the need to build sustainable systems.
• The TIME-EACM project, which explored how sensor networks and distributed systems can be used to improve traffic and transport in the 21st century.
• The Cambridge Mobile Urban Sensing Project which measured and monitored air quality, particularly urban pollution generated by motor vehicles.

I have published some of my research work in various conferences, journals and books. A complete list of my publications are available in my curriculum vitae.