Funded PhD Studentship in Sustainable Cybersecurity Framework for Operational Technology Protocols

The University of Greenwich is offering a fully funded PhD studentship in the area of Sustainable Cybersecurity Framework for Operational Technology (OT) Protocols, supervised by Associate Professor Sadiq Sani. This research opportunity is situated within the Faculty of Engineering and Science, School of Computing & Mathematical Sciences. The project addresses the security weaknesses of OT protocols, which are critical for industrial and infrastructure systems, and aims to design and deploy a sustainable cybersecurity framework to optimize protocol security. Current security solutions for OT protocols often suffer from limitations such as focusing on limited specifications, not capturing adversarial actions, and relying on prior procedures without systematic attack discovery. The proposed research will utilize string and frequency analyses to identify security specifications and apply new split-lightweight cryptographic algorithms to enhance protocol security, performance, and usability. The approach will optimize OT protocols by integrating attributes of lightweight cryptographic algorithms, producing sustainable versions with robust guarantees. The studentship is open to candidates with a strong academic background in computer science, information technology, cybersecurity, or closely related fields. Applicants must hold a First Class or Upper Second Class honours degree or a taught master’s degree with a minimum average of 60% (UK or UK equivalent). English language proficiency is required for non-native speakers, with a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 in all elements or an equivalent secure English Language Test. Funding includes a bursary of £20,780 for the first year (full-time), with subsequent years in line with UKRI rates, and a contribution to tuition fees at the Home rate (£5,006 per year). International students will need to cover the remaining tuition fees. The scholarship is subject to satisfactory performance and annual increases. The application deadline is 29 September 2025 (midnight UTC). Interested candidates should review the project details and eligibility criteria, prepare their application materials, and submit via the University of Greenwich portal. For more information, refer to the provided links and attached documents.