back to article Oxford Uni chucks big brains at ivy-covered cybersecurity hub

Oxford University boffins launched an interdisciplinary Cyber Security Centre on Monday. The new research hub aims to boost academic research into infosecurity. The Oxford Cyber Security Centre aims to research threats such as cyber terrorism and cyber crime, as well as running studies on the trustworthiness of electronically …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Meh

    Hmmm.

    “Security requires a positive - and to a large extent open - collaboration between industry, government agencies and universities."

    Interesting assertion : what about the complement of that set, ie the vast majority of the population? Aren't we relevant? or are we by definition part of the problem?

  2. This post has been deleted by its author

  3. Jinxter
    Unhappy

    A nice idea...

    A great initiative but the biggest issue with academic research is that it *tends* to look at the new and shiny rather than the practical and financially viable.

    Industry has always seen IT spend as a necessary burden but when it comes to security they often just see it as a burden. One which *may* never serve any purpose. Of course any rational person will tell you that it is an equally necessary requirement but convincing your bosses to run a technology uplift for security purposes usually only comes as a result of changes to policy or the law.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Up

      Re: A nice idea...

      Well, that's one reason why I designed the centre to embrace the University's own internal IT practice as well as the blue sky research stuff. With a vast and sprawling decentralized organisation, holding considerable amounts of personal data, valuable IPR, medical research records, and more, the University itself has considerable need of this stuff. And yes, that will lead to egg-on-face moments when we fail to get it right: but if we can actually learn from those, we might even help to advance best practice. If we get the inter-disciplinary part working as I would wish, we might even help to promote changes in policy or the law.

      Spending on IT and security is as patchy in the University as anywhere else, and we do, to borrow a phrase from Microsoft, eat our own proverbial dog food.

  4. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge
    Big Brother

    A Timely Word of Virtual Warning for/from/about CyberIntelAIgent Security Specialists

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    Then does one enter a whole new NeuReal and Surreal Virtual Field of Intellectual Property Engagement unlike anything which has ever been witnessed before by Man on Earth.

    Welcome to the Great Game ARG and Metaphoria.!? ......... where Elevation Partners with SMART Innovation 42 Deliver the Magic of Future Invention. I Kid U Not.

    And iconic George Orwell because this is a special day for him ......... http://theorwellprize.co.uk/events/orwell-prize-longlist-2012-announcement/

    1. Anonymous Coward
      WTF?

      Re: A Timely Word of Virtual Warning for/from/about CyberIntelAIgent Security Specialists

      Exactly, the words were on the tip of my tongue.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: A Timely Word of Virtual Warning for/from/about CyberIntelAIgent Security Specialists

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  5. umacf24

    I think this makes the point better than the original article.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Other universities...

    ...have been doing cyber security research and tuition for a good number of years now so I don't see why it's big news just because Oxford have jumped on to a very fast moving and overloaded bandwagon. Edinburgh Napier have had a security think tank for two years now, Abertay Dundee seem to have had the UK's first Ethical Hacking course alongside those at Derby and Coventry and InfoSec/EH degrees are popping up like weeds these days. Oxford is as usual very late to the party and allowing their reputation to precede them.

    As an aside/for the record, my company's IT graduate scheme (large and prestigious financial services company based somewhere in London) have rejected Oxford grads in the past because their course is clearly far, far too theoretical and mathsy as well as them all being totally up themselves. Hopeless. I am not using this post as an excuse to slate Oxford but this is the cold, hard truth as our Cambridge applicants were by and large excellent, nicer people and infinitely more capable and clued up.

    Honestly? The security field is saturated and Oxford shouldn't expect to grab hold of everything just because of who they are. Some of the real heavyweight experts cosied up to the 'lesser' universities quite some time ago, so this is once again prestige and swagger arriving late in a market which is slowly being milked to death.

    But that's just Super Cynical Me talking. Make your own minds up. Anon for obvious reasons.

    1. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

      Re: Other universities...

      Honestly? The security field is saturated and Oxford shouldn't expect to grab hold of everything just because of who they are. Some of the real heavyweight experts cosied up to the 'lesser' universities quite some time ago, so this is once again prestige and swagger arriving late in a market which is slowly being milked to death. ..... Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 29th March 2012 03:33 GMT

      Saturated maybe, indeed, AC, but there is precious little evidence of competence delivering security in any field.

      Although that suggests much more a teaching/curriculum problem rather than student deficiency.

  7. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

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