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John Atkinson
PHD TITLE
Inferring User Behaviour Despite Wireless Network Encryption
FIRST DEGREE
MEng, Computer Systems & Software Engineering - The University of York
PREVIOUS JOBS
I worked as a software engineer for Sophos Plc., a large UK-based company which develops and sells computer security software (e.g. Antivirus, Firewall, Anti-spam). I was briefly employed as a research associate at the University of York, before beginning my PhD course at SECReT.
I'M ORIGINALLY FROM...
England, UK.
WHY I APPLIED TO THE SECURITY SCIENCE DTC
Security provides a challenge. I would greatly prefer to innovate and help drive security systems forward rather than, like other potential careers in this field, maintain the status quo. Aside from being interesting in its own right, the opportunity to consult with experts in usually inaccessible subject areas made the multi-disciplinary aspect of UCL's programme particularly appealing. A greater exchange of ideas between research disciplines can only be beneficial to my own ability as an engineer, and the development of security systems as a whole.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
My research will focus on cyber security and network intrusion monitoring. I will investigate how devices in networked systems can make automated, but intelligent, judgements about threats to their users and their ability to operate effectively. The aim is to enable easier locating, monitoring and interception of hostile activity which may harm complex interconnected systems.
WHAT I DO WHEN I'M NOT STUDYING
I play frisbee, squash and keyboard (or will do when I get one moved to London!). I’ve dabbled in Open Source software, like Amarok, when my time hasn’t been consumed by work-related projects. I ski and snowboard (badly) and love to travel.
MY CAREER ASPIRATIONS
Security is something which is often ignored for the sake of convenience. Similarly, when security precautions are implemented, they are often resented because of their inconvenience. This can easily be a bigger problem than designing the technical details of a security system. As an engineer, this is a problem I would like to help combat, be it within academia, industry or both.
WHAT KIND OF PARTNER ORGANISATION I'D LIKE TO WORK WITH AND WHAT I'D LIKE FROM THEM
My research is partially funded by SELEX Galileo, an international company whose primary focus is supplying and developing technology for the defence sector. However, this need not rule out collaboration with other interested parties.
LIST OF PUBLICATIONS
J.S. Atkinson, J.E. Mitchell, M. Rio and G. Matich. Your WiFi Is Leaking: Determining User Behaviour Despite Encryption. Proceedings of the London Communications Symposium (LCS) 2011. London, UK. September 2011.
CONFERENCES ATTENDED
European Security Research Conference '10. Ostend, Belgium. September 2010.
UCL Security and Crime Research Network Conference 2010. London, UK. December 2010.
International Association of Forensic Sciences Conference. Madeira, Portugal. September 2011.
London Communications Symposium 2011. London, UK. September 2011.
London Cybersecurity Forum. London, UK. September 2011.
OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES
Teaching Assistant for Multimedia Computing (COMP6008)
