In our digitalised world, cyber security is of paramount importance. As cyber attacks become increasingly complex and unpredictable, threatening the devices and services we all use, talent is the industry’s main defence, but currently there is a worldwide shortage of qualified professionals.
Associate Professor Rich Macfarlane has played a significant role in the development of the University’s cyber security offer over the past 15 years: “Attracting, training and retraining cyber security professionals is key to helping organisations and society stay safe online and essential to plugging the huge global skills gap. Here at Edinburgh Napier, we have been developing an impactful infrastructure to help develop the talent needed to tackle the growing threat environment.”
A recognised Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Education (ACE-CSE), Edinburgh Napier was the first university in the UK to have full National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) certification for its undergraduate and postgraduate courses. “Our graduates are some of the best around and make a major contribution to the cyber security workforce,” explains Rich, who is co-director of the ACE-CSE. “In addition, spin-outs from our world-leading research make a significant contribution to real world challenges.
Pioneering industry-relevant cyber education
Students join Edinburgh Napier’s cyber security courses from diverse backgrounds; some come straight from school or college onto the undergraduate degree, while those in industry use the Masters programme to upskill and cross train. “Our education offer is completely relevant to the evolving environment,” Rich explains. “Since establishing our pioneering cyber security master’s in 2010, we’ve continually developed it through input from government, industry and research.”
For example, alumnus Rafe Pilling, who graduated from the masters programme in 2006, has fed real-world experience into the creation of the cyber modules for both the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes via his roles as an analyst and researcher – firstly at dns Ltd, a security services and consulting business serving clients across the UK, and then at Secureworks, a leading global information security company, which acquired dns. Currently, Rafe is Director of Threat Intelligence within the Counter Threat Unit at SecureWorks.
“Studying the masters was a really important foundation for my career in threat intelligence and instrumental to my first role in cybersecurity,” Rafe comments. “My work has encompassed a range of roles from security operations to securing financial services, to cyber threat group modelling. Now I manage a specialised global team producing intelligence on cybercrime and state-sponsored hackers.” As an industry expert and specialist in offensive cyber operations, Rafe is regularly asked to advise businesses and provide insights for news stories, as well as speak at industry and academic events.
“Rafe continues to input into course content, as well as mentoring and giving talks to our students,” comments Rich. “Secureworks also sponsored and contributed to many events, including our student security society (ENUSEC) Le Tour de Hack annual conference. It’s so important to have this kind of engagement from alumni who are working at the highest levels. It is super inspiring for our students to learn from people like Rafe, whose work is sometimes so confidential and top secret he can’t tell us the details!”
Supporting law enforcement
As Head of Cybercrime and Investigations, former Police Scotland DI, alumnus Eamonn Keane, served on the frontline of forensic investigation into many national and international digital crimes. He graduated from the Masters programme in 2021. “Police Scotland supported staff to study the programme through places funded by the government and NCSC,” Eamonn explains. “Focused on key skills and real-world tools and techniques, this was exactly what we needed. I was delighted that the cohort from Police Scotland I was part of all went on to important roles in cyber security using their skills in the fight against child sexual abuse, human trafficking, organised cybercrime and so much more. And Police Scotland continues to recruit graduates from the programme.”
Eamonn left the police force to join the Scottish Business Resilience Centre, leading its cyber security workstream. Now at Systal Technology Solutions, he is currently VP of Security Services. A tireless champion of the Scottish cyber community, acknowledged through a lifetime achievement award at the 2022 Scottish Cyber Awards, he continues to inspire the next generation of talent at Edinburgh Napier through his guest lectures, schools outreach support, and other engagement activities.
“Work with Police Scotland, and industry partners, led to the development of pioneering virtual teaching and training environments, which provide practical activities for students using real-world devices, tools and techniques,” adds Rich. “And collaboration with Police Scotland on forensic triage led to several applied research projects and PhD’s, including our Cyacomb spin-out.”