ICS MQRES Computing PhD Scholarship
Closing Date: 30 April 2008
A full time Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) is available to undertake a PhD in the Macquarie University Department of Computing. The PhD would be associated with a joint Macquarie University and National Australia Bank Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage grant project "Defence against Phishing Attacks". The project investigates the methodologies used by organized criminals who execute phishing attacks against business and individuals who use Internet banking. These attacks cost US$928 million every year. The project will develop an automated, real-time monitoring defence against phishing (and associated credential trading) that will prevent customer loss and assist in gathering evidence that will assist in prosecution and dismantling of criminal networks.
It is expected that the students will be working on the following research topics:
- developing an investigative methodology for characterizing the modus operandi of phishers;
- investigating a technology to gather, store and distribute intelligence on phishing and the multi-lingual marketplace of credentials in real-time;
- using natural language processing methods to characterise and identify the texts used in phishing;
- creating a technology that provides counter-measures to botnet intrusion attacks.
MQRES scholarships are open to both domestic and International citizens. Applicants must demonstrate equivalent research qualifications or experience to an Australian First Class Honours degree in Computer Science or/and Mathematics, as well as evidence of their strong programming skills.
The MQRES stipend is currently A$20,007 p.a. tax exempt (2008), tenured for a maximum 3.5 years subject to satisfactory progress. Tuition fees and International award holders compulsory overseas health cover costs (where applicable) will also be sponsored for the scholarship tenure.
For further information regarding these projects, applicants are encouraged to contact Professor Josef Pieprzyk; telephone: +61-2- 9850 9516, e-mail: josef@ics.mq.edu.au.
Application forms and conditions are available from the Macquarie University Higher Degree Research Office, telephone (02) 9850 7987, email: hdrschol@vc.mq.edu.au .
Applications should be forwarded to:
The Scholarship Officer
The Research Hub
Level 3, C5C East
Macquarie University NSW 2109
AUSTRALIA
Apple Macintosh users opening Referee Report (RTF files):
To help avoid formatting issues, save the RTF file to your desktop, open Microsoft Word, then go to 'File' and select 'Open'. In the pop up panel, make sure the dropdown option next to 'Show' is set to 'All Readable Documents'. Now you can select the RTF file and open it.