Our world is digital.
The systems that sustain and entertain us underwrite 21st century prosperity.
Yet, our dependence on digital infrastructure is a vulnerability many seek to exploit.
Hackers are often demonised in society – but is this an accurate representation? Should we be fearful of those who manoeuvre from the darkest corners of the internet? Or, are they merely exaggerated vignettes of our own design?
This course studies the genesis of the hacker movement to understand its cultural origins and modern manifestations. You will learn how simple caricatures of hackers fail to represent a complex community. You will study the conceptual steps that comprise a hacking operation, examining the cyber ‘kill-chain’. You will then survey whether artificial intelligence is making hackers more dangerous.
Cyber security is how hackers are countered. You will examine the building blocks of defensive strategies. We will survey the threat landscape, and explore the benefits of Artificial intelligence.
In a rare speaking appearance, you will hear from Matt Rowe, the Chief Security Officer for Lloyds Banking Group. Mr Rowe explains how national security is delivered at one of Europe’s largest banks. You will learn how the drive for security must co-exist with the business imperative to rapidly deliver new cutting-edge technologies in pursuit of competitive advantage. Mr Rowe explains how his team interact with bodies like the National Cyber Security Centre to forge digital resilience against an internet saturated with hostile actors.
Hackers have long been associated with the Crypto Wars, an enduring surveillance policy contest. You will examine how from the 1970s the government sought to augment its surveillance powers by influencing digital cryptography, and how the digital privacy and hackers community, contested their ambitions.
Whilst this lecture series examines a technical subject matter, it is not a technical course.
Please note: this event will close to enrolments at 23:59 on 26 November 2025.