Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · 2d

On 12 November, we are delighted to welcome Siân John MBE to deliver the second Fred Piper Annual Information Security Lecture at @royalholloway.bsky.social.

Registration is free but mandatory - follow the link below for more information and to sign-up.

www.royalholloway.ac.uk/about-us/eve...

AI in practice: skills, security, and shifting realities

This lecture explores the real-world implications of AI—beyond the hype and into the grounded realities of how it's reshaping our work, education, and societal expectations.

www.royalholloway.ac.uk

1

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · Sep 2

📢 Our own Prof Rikke Bjerg Jensen has shared insights into examining and working with higher-risk communities, including the 'Social Foundations of Cryptography' project, using ethnography to explore the needs of activists in large-scale protests.

www.royalholloway.ac.uk/about-us/sto...

Rethinking what information security means to higher-risk communities

Research by Professor Rikke Bjerg Jensen is helping to redefine how the needs of people in higher-risk contexts are considered when designing security technology.

www.royalholloway.ac.uk

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · Aug 22

📰 Check out this new report funded by the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 'Securing Converged Technologies: Insights from Subject Matter Experts'

Written by our own Dr @andrewdwyer.bsky.social and @mikaelabrough.bsky.social (CDT in Cyber Security)

www.gov.uk/government/p...

Securing converged technologies: insights from subject matter experts

www.gov.uk

3 1

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · Aug 21

"...if an attacker somehow manages to directly access an impacted mobile device, but it is more of a secondary risk than a primary one."

3/3

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · Aug 21

"...Having access to names linked to mobile numbers creates avenues for an attacker to conduct more plausible personalized phishing attacks."

But for exposed SIM card numbers and personal unlocking key (PUK) codes:

"Knowledge of PUK codes presents a possible risk..."

2/3

1

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · Aug 21

📢 Our own Prof Keith Martin has provided comment to @theregister.com on the Orange Belgium data breach:

"Large data breaches of this type simply should not happen, regardless of the utility of the stolen data...

www.theregister.com/2025/08/21/o...

1/3

www.theregister.com

1

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · Aug 19

📢 Call for Mentors in the @isg-rhul.bsky.social!

This year, we are launching a mentoring scheme for our masters students to help them navigate their path in information and cyber security as well as data science!

If you’re interested, please email [email protected] with a short CV.

An introduction to the ISG Mentorship Programme

Overview
The ISG Mentorship Programme is designed to provide support to MSc students studying with the Information Security Group at Royal Holloway, University of London. It connects students with alumni and industry experts who can share career advice, work experience, and guidance. The programme provides a safe and supportive space where students can build confidence, learn from real-world experience, and prepare for future careers in information security.

Who will be involved?
All students studying on the MSc Information Security, MSc Information Security (Year-inIndustry), and MSc Applied Data Science & Cyber Security courses will be eligible to join. Mentors will be chosen from ISG alumni and professionals willing to volunteer.

How will it work?
Near the beginning of the academic year each student joining the programme is matched with one mentor, with the choice of mentor being based on the student’s career interests and goals and the background and experience of the mentor. The role of a mentor is to give advice on careers, workplace skills, communication, and
professional practice.

Meetings between student and mentor can be online or in-person, typically once a month, at a time that suits both parties.

At the beginning of the process a simple written agreement will be distributed to set clear expectations on both sides, and to ensure respect and confidentiality.

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · Aug 19

📣 Our own Dr Maryam Mehrnezhad is featured in @theguardian.com providing security advice and tips on how to exercise(!) security and privacy in fitness apps!

www.theguardian.com/money/2025/a...

These exercise apps reward steps with freebies – but which ones are worth the effort?

The walk to work could earn you rewards such as cheaper coffee or Amazon discounts. We put the apps through their paces

www.theguardian.com

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · Jul 28

📢 Our own Prof Keith Martin's Third Edition of Everyday Cryptography is now published!

To find out more about the book (with links to purchase!), see Keith's website: www.isg.rhul.ac.uk/~martin/ever...

Everyday Cryptopgraphy

Everyday Cryptography

www.isg.rhul.ac.uk

1 1

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · Jun 11

📢 Check out this new edited book collection on "Advanced Cryptographic Protocols" by our own Dr Liz Quaglia and Prof Daniele Venturi (Sapienza, University of Rome) available here: www.decifris.it/koine/vol4

De Cifris Koine, volume 4

De Cifris APS, an Italian association dedicated to advancing cryptographic research, education, and outreach.

www.decifris.it

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · Jun 9

They discuss why a printed book is still important in cyber security education today, how the role of educators is transforming, and why a primer is necessary for students.

2/2

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · Jun 9

Listen to our own Prof Keith Martin, @jhappa.bsky.social, and Dr Konstantinos Mersinas discuss their new book, Cyber Security Foundations on the Security Insights podcast!

www.securityinsights.co.uk/podcast/cybe...
1/2

Cyber Security Foundations: security by the book - Security Insights

There’s no shortage of information on cybersecurity online. But could a new book hold the answers to our cybersecurity challenges? Perhaps not, or at least not on its own. But a new book from the [......

www.securityinsights.co.uk

1 1 1

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · Jun 9

technical cyber security research and how it can bring together researchers from the UK's research institutes on cyber security to examine contemporary automation.

2/2

1

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · Jun 9

📢 Our own Prof Lizzie Coles-Kemp at the annual conference of The Research Institute on Verified Trustworthy Software Systems (VeTSS) last week

Her talk, "Sociotechnical Futures: sociotechnical security for an age of cyber automation", considered ongoing deep socio-

vetss.org.uk/annual-confe...
1/2

Annual Conference 2025

Friday, 6 June 2025 Time: 9:00 am - 5:30 pm Venue: RAEng, Prince Philip House Registration Cost: Free VeTSS Annual Conference 2025 The VeTSS Annual Conference is a key event for professionals fro...

vetss.org.uk

1 3

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · Jun 9

Keith also delivered a keynote at the Phoenix Summit last month titled, "Q-Day: The Quantum Security Apocalypse or the Crypto Meltdown that won't Happen?"

If you want to know more about cryptography research in the ISG, check out their group page here:

cryptography.isg.rhul.ac.uk

Cryptography Group

cryptography.isg.rhul.ac.uk

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · Jun 9

📢 Our own Prof Keith Martin has been writing and speaking about quantum computing and its impact upon cryptography!

See his clear messaging in The Conversation UK on "Is a quantum-cryptography apocalypse imminent?"

theconversation.com/is-a-quantum...

Is a quantum-cryptography apocalypse imminent?

The news that a certain class of cryptographic algorithms just got 20 times easier to hack has set hares running.

theconversation.com

1

Reposted by Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL

Andrew Dwyer @andrewdwyer.bsky.social · Jun 3

I'm delighted that with colleagues - Co-Is Lizzie Coles-Kemp and Danilo Francati - that we have been successful in the first SALIENT funding call with our project, "Fake in the Community"

SALIENT-Hub @salient-hub.bsky.social · Jun 3

Fake in the Community - @royalholloway.bsky.social
📱 ‘Cheap fakes’ are eroding trust in local digital spaces. This community-led project co-designs tools to counter misinformation and support digital resilience.
@andrewdwyer.bsky.social
@royalholloway.bsky.social
@isg-rhul.bsky.social

2 4

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · May 15

📢 Want to find out more about our MSc Information Security?

Come to our Postgraduate Taster Session with Dr Maryam Mehrnezhad and Olga Angelopoulou on Usable Security and Privacy!

🗓️ When: Monday 19th May, 1pm (UK time) online

➡️ Register: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/4826ea...

#cybersecurity

Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams

events.teams.microsoft.com

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · May 12

📢 Calling ISG Alumni

For this year's ISG newsletter, we are introducing a new section called 'Alumni Corner' for our alumni to share major achievements.

Form closes on Friday 18 May at 6pm (UK time).

forms.office.com/e/i2YiyACmJ7

Microsoft Forms

forms.office.com

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · Apr 15

📚 Our own Prof Chris Mitchell has co-edited the Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Security Standardisation Research, published as LNCS 15559. This includes a paper by Cheok leng Ng and our own
Dr Maryam Mehrnezhad!

This can be accessed at: link.springer.com/book/10.1007...

Security Standardisation Research

The SSR 2024 conference proceedings discuss the research problems deriving from studies of existing standards and the development of revisions of these.

link.springer.com

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · Apr 15

📢 Our own Prof Keith Martin spoke with Anna Delaney from Information Security Media Group (ISMG) on teaching cyber security in a world that is rapidly changing, from fragmented digital governance to the use of AI.

Check out the video!

www.bankinfosecurity.com/teaching-cyb...

Teaching Cybersecurity With Principles That Endure

Cybersecurity education can't be built on tools alone. It must prepare students to think critically, navigate complex systems and address the human dimensions of

www.bankinfosecurity.com

1 1

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · Mar 31

📢 Our own @rikkebjerg.bsky.social was interviewed for @themarkup.org discussing her co-led Social Foundations of Cryptography project (for more on this, see here: social-foundations-of-cryptography.gitlab.io) and her academic journey.

themarkup.org/hello-world/...

Social Foundations of Cryptography · An EPSRC funded research project grounding cryptographic notions in ethnographic findings.

social-foundations-of-cryptography.gitlab.io

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · Mar 31

📢 Our own Maryam Mehrnezhad gave some insights into how to protect yourself online in The Guardian this past weekend - check it out!

www.theguardian.com/money/2025/m...

Birthday freebies: how to cash in on UK retailers’ gifts and discounts

Join a loyalty scheme and you often get a reward or discount on your special day – but it may have strings attached

www.theguardian.com

1 1

Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL @isg-rhul.bsky.social · Mar 31

📢 Earlier this month several ISG staff - Keith Martin, Jassim Happa, and Konstantinos Mersinas - alongside former colleague Guido Schmitz published their new book providing the foundations to understand cyber security!

www.royalholloway.ac.uk/research-and...

New book covers what matters in cyber security

‘Cyber Security Foundations: Fundamentals, Technology and Society’ written by colleagues in the Information Security Group (ISG) has just been published by Kogan Page

www.royalholloway.ac.uk

Reposted by Information Security Group | Royal Holloway, UoL

Martin R. Albrecht @malb.bsky.social · Mar 29

"Rethinking Security from the Ground Up" an interview with
@rikkebjerg.bsky.social (based in @isg-rhul.bsky.social) in @themarkup.org It's a good interview, go read it.

themarkup.org/hello-world/...

Rethinking Security from the Ground Up – The Markup

Professor Rikke Bjerg Jensen explores how social context shapes security

themarkup.org

1 4 8