Supervisor:  Professor Tim Watson, WMG/CSC

Funding: Stipend of £13,863 per year, for 3 years only

Project Overview:

A research partnership focused on Automotive Cyber Security Research has been set up by global information assurance specialist NCC Group and WMG Cyber Security Centre (CSC), at the University of Warwick. The research partnership will make use of WMG’s world-leading expertise in technology innovation, focusing on high-impact research and collaborative security projects with the automotive industry.

Most modern cars run software and have embedded systems that are connected to each other, which has made the car a major target for cyber criminals. The potential and realities of ‘car hacking’ are regularly making the headlines, with the automotive industry currently playing catch up in an attempt to improve the security of the systems that are currently used.

The specific research questions and objectives will be defined in collaboration with the PhD supervisor at the start of the project. The project is intended to start in April 2015. 

The successful candidate will be based in the Cyber Security Centre in WMG at the University of Warwick. The Cyber Security Centre at WMG aims to demonstrably advance knowledge of the cyber environment and to protect the human experience within it. Its areas of focus include cyber-physical systems, vehicle cyber security, smart cities, digital forensics, advanced network defence, and counterfeit protection. The CSC's approach is a multi-disciplinary one, combining academics, government and industry experts from a variety of disciplines who bring together the technical and behavioural aspects of cyber security research.

The Cyber Security Centre is led by Professor Tim Watson, who has over 20 years' experience in the computing industry and in academia, he has been involved with a wide range of computer systems on several high-profile projects and has acted as a consultant for some of the largest telecoms, power and oil companies.

Candidate Requirements:

• Applicants should have a 2:1 honours degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline.
• A higher degree with a research component is also desirable but not essential, providing the candidate can demonstrate previous research experience. 
• The ability to obtain UK security clearance is essential.
• A strong interest and experience in working within the automotive sector is desirable, as is the ability to engage and communicate with end users.

Candidates should include a 500 word statement of interest with their application outlining their suitability for the project, their motivation for studying this topic and how they would approach the project. 

To apply for this project, please complete our enquiry form.