Applying principles of verbal short-term memory to cyber-security research

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The internet has allowed us to become increasingly connected. We can engage in a video conference call with colleagues anywhere in the world, email confidential information and engage remotely with friends and family. This allows work and socialisation to continue without physical contact. In light of the current pandemic this style of remote working and interaction has become essential. Additionally, as companies adjust to and accept remote working practices, they are likely to become more commonplace in the future. However, with increased digital inter-connectedness come increased cyber security risks. Sensitive personal and company information is a target for theft from individuals using a variety of inventive means (e.g. phishing attacks, ransomware, email scams). Such is the complexity of some of these attacks that it can be days or even weeks before they are noticed. However, during that time identities may have been cloned, fraudulent bank transfers undertaken, or new credit cards opened. It is becoming increasingly essential that we not only understand these cyber security risks, and what makes us more susceptible to them, but also that new ways are developed for individuals and companies to protect themselves from such risks.As part of the fellowship I will undertake a placement at the Airbus Cyber Innovation Hub and conduct work within the Cyber Lab (a joint initiative between Airbus and the Welsh Government to drive and deliver ground-breaking innovation in Wales). The Cyber Lab brings together many teams (e.g. cyber data analysts, cyber forensic teams) with a Human-Centric Cyber Security Team that explores research questions such as what makes individuals prone to certain security risks and how we can develop ways to help mitigate them. My PhD gave me a thorough understanding of many verbal short-term memory (vSTM) theories and ways in which vSTM is tested and researched. Such critical evaluation and understanding of vSTM tasks are sought after skills in cyber-security research and will prove highly useful when undertaking the placement at Airbus' Cyber Innovation Hub. This is because knowledge and understanding of vSTM is proving critical in understanding many of the issues that face us online. For example, Williams, Morgan and Joinson (2017) used serial recall - a very common vSTM task with the requirement to remember and then reproduce sequentially presented lists of items. Using serial recall enabled them to induce cognitive load (the amount of working memory resources being used) and to test whether users are more vulnerable to security breaches (e.g. fraudulent pop-ups) when experiencing higher cognitive load. Participants assessing pop-up authenticity while simultaneously completing serial recall were more likely to accept fraudulent security settings, than when those same messages could be assessed in isolation. From the increasing wealth of cyber security research incorporating vSTM tasks and theory, having a strong knowledge of vSTM is essential for understanding how users interact with machines and for developing more effective cyber security.During the placement I will assist with ongoing projects being conducted within the Cyber Innovation Hub. This will allow me to provide my insight into vSTM to help develop appropriate tasks and testing environments. It will also provide me with the opportunity to learn new research skills and forge new collaborative networks. Ultimately, it is the ideal opportunity in which to bridge my extensive knowledge of vSTM with cutting edge research into cyber security and begin forging a fruitful research relationship between industry and academia.During the fellowship, I will also promote the impact of my research among the academic community by engaging with a range of different audiences at national and international conferences. I will maximise this impact by publishing my papers in journals that attract a wide readership.