Cyber Influence and Cognitive Threats

Professor Vladlena Benson, leads the Cybersecurity and Innovation Partnership and the IS Research group of academics working in the areas of cyber security risk management, information and supply chain security. Professor Benson is a Founding member of the Neustar International Security Council - an industry leading forum of trust, integrity and confidentiality focused on defending against cyber threats. Vladlena has served on the Board of Directors of ISACA London and Central UK over the last three years. She has published over 100 journal papers, books, edited volumes and other publications. Vladlena's research encompasses areas of innovation actions across cybersecurity risk management, financial and VFA technologies. Her research at Aston has been supported by grants from the European Commission, GCRF, Ministry of Science and Technology (Taiwan), UK Strategic Priorities and the British Council. Having been recognized as a Women in IT Editor's Choice Award in 2017, Professor Benson continues her work in creating an inclusive space in cyber security careers.

John McAlaney is a Chartered Psychologist, Chartered Scientist and Associate Professor of Psychology at Bournemouth University. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Stirling, his MSc at the University of Strathclyde and then his PhD at the University of West of Scotland in 2007. Dr. McAlaney's PhD was on the topic of social psychology and substance use, looking particularly at misperceptions of peer norms. Following this he worked on an AERC funded post-doc position at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine before moving onto a lecturing post at the University of Bradford in 2008. He joined the Department of Psychology at Bournemouth University in 2014. Since joining Bournemouth he has collaborated extensively with colleagues in the Department of Computing and Informatics to explore psychological factors of cyber security, including participation in hacking and hacktivism, group dynamics in cyber security actors and decision making processes in relation to phishing emails and other mediums. As part of this work he collaborates extensively with government, military and commercial organisations. In 2018 he led the authorship of the British Psychological Society’s briefing paper on the role of psychology in informing cybersecurity practices.