Academic Record
I started higher education at the University of Portsmouth in 2003 and completed my first degree in 2007. Over the course of my final year I became interested in digital forensics as it was a growing field within my department that looked exciting and challenging. I have almost completed the MSc and I am finishing in September 2008.
I have uploaded some essays, papers and projects from my years at University, please feel free to click the links provided to view my work.
MSc Forensic Information Technology
This acclaimed course (see Forensic Focus, April 08), run by Vasilios Katos and Cheryl Hennell, has been a real eye-opener into the world of digital forensics and computer security. As well as providing a grounding into many subject areas the course has been complemented by about 20 guest speakers including Ed Gibson, Microsoft's UK Chief Security Advisor, and Fred Piper, leading cryptanalyst from Royal Holloway.
- Digital Forensics - Following recognised guidelines digital media devices were seized from the University's 'forensic house'. Subsequently evidence was analysed using AccessData FTK, PRTK and various other tools. The unit culminated with the presentation of a court report in a mock trial as an expert witness. A paper was also written with coursemate Eric Tan on the types of Metadata found in Portable Devices that can be of use to forensic investigators.
- Cybercrime and Governance – After learning about how technology can be used for malicious purposes I produced a report on identity-based crime and its legislation and governance in the UK. (Download report...)
- Strategic Risk Management - This unit taught the principles of risk management in modern society. For the assignment, I wrote a paper on our perception of risk and its' development throughout history. (Download paper...)
- Offender Profiling - An evaluation of how various methods of psychological profiling are employed to locate and catch criminals. (Download essay...)
- Network Security - An insight into the vulnerabilities that allow attackers to exploit or damage a seemingly secure system or network.
- Cryptography - Principles and theories of cryptography and cryptanalysis, from the basic ceasar cipher to modern Public Key Cryptography.
Thesis to be written between June and September.
BSc (hons) Computing
My degree was designed by the department to instil a wide range of skills and theories in order for graduates to be versatile and future-proof. During the first and second years of the course a variety of units were taught in order to provide a grounding in IT's various disciplines, including programming (in Java), computer architecture, systems analysis and business, project management, and also skills like 3D modelling and web development. I achieved a first year average of 66% and a second year average of 60%.
My third year was a placement (sandwich) year in industry, during which I worked for the Royal Navy as an applications developer, working on large projects within my department (these are described in more detail in the Work section). My final year units and dissertation averaged 73% and these are listed below, together with some of my work:
- An investigation into the use of electronic portfolios in recruitment and selection - Dissertation project (76%)
I developed a prototype web application which allowed graduates and final year students to create their own recruitment portfolio with little knowledge of web development. This was then evaluated by a selection of users from various academic disciplines and recommendations were made for a final application. The dissertation won the University's Pearson Education Prize for best Strategic Information Systems project. The report can be downloaded from the University's dissertations database. - Advanced Networks (79%) - An insight into the varied communication methods and protocols in wired networks.
- Data Warehousing (63%) - An introduction to data cleansing and data mining, the data warehouse models and OLAP.
- History of Computing (71%) - The background of how the field of Computing has developed, from the origins of numeracy to the ciphers and cryptography of WWII, to the development of modern computing.
- Human-Computer Interaction Design (67%) - Theory of how to develop the most effective, user-friendly and accessible computer applications, supported by the development and user evaluation of a digital camera interface.
- Professionalism, Ethics and Personal Development (90%) - An evaluation of my chosen industry (digital forensics).
- Wireless Networks (70%) - The physics, protocols and security of radiofrequency communication.
