Leeds Beckett leading the fight against ISIS cyber attacks

They’re our first line of defense


Leeds Beckett has become one of the first places in the country to fight against potential terrorist cyber attacks.

Brand new innovative cyber security software is being developed by researchers at Leeds Beckett.

They’re working alongside researchers at Birmingham University after both unis received an £80,000 grant from the Higher Education Academy.

The project is being led by Dr Z Cliffe Schreuders and involves students from Leeds Beckett interning with a team of researchers.

The team will develop randomised hacking challenges for the students to combat.

Dr Emlyn Butterfield, a senior lecturer who is working on the project said: “The need to tackle the cyber threat has never been greater.

“You only have to look at the news recently with TalkTalk and Ashley Madison to realise these kind of attacks are occurring. More people are learning how to steal people’s data and we need more security in place to prevent this happening.

“There hasn’t yet been a major cyber terrorist attack, but the fear remains that despite all the sophisticated global security networks at our disposal it’s only a matter of time before one takes place.”

The latest scheme is in response to threatened cyber attacks by ISIS, which would be targeted towards Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Air Traffic Control.

George Osbourne has now put £1.9 billion towards the UK’s fight against cyber crime with projects like the one at Leeds Beckett being a part of the scheme.