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Bill Buchanan (computer scientist)

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Bill Buchanan
OBE FRSE FBCS
Born
Scotland
EducationPhD, Edinburgh Napier University, 1996
OccupationProfessor
EmployerEdinburgh Napier University

Bill Buchanan OBE FRSE FBCS CEng is a Scottish computer scientist. He is a professor at Edinburgh Napier University, where he leads the Blockpass ID Lab, and the Centre for Cybersecurity, IoT and Cyberphysical.[1][non-primary source needed] In 2017 he received an OBE for services to cyber security.[2]

Career

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Buchanan's current research work focuses on areas of applied cryptography, blockchain, cybersecurity, citizen-focused health care and digital identity.

On 6 May 2015 he launched The Cyber Academy at the Merchiston Campus of Edinburgh Napier University with a goal of "bringing together industry professionals, law enforcement and academics with a view to combining strengths to combat the growing threat of criminal use of hacking software to steal money, data and intellectual property.".[3] He received the Principal's Award for contribution to Knowledge Exchange/Research in 2016 (Innovation of the Year and also Best Contribution to Information Society research theme)[4] and in 2017 (Innovation of the year in Knowledge Exchange). Buchanan's research areas have recently focused on cryptography, cybersecurity and digital identity.[5][better source needed]

With a documentary on Cyber Security, broadcast on Monday 8 November 2015, Buchanan and his team set up a fake Web site for hackers to gain access to, as part of the BBC Panorama programme.[6] In 2016, Buchanan was also included in the FutureScot list for the "50 Scottish Tech People Who Are Changing The World".[7]

Buchanan is the creator and sole author of the Asecuritysite.com web site. Asecuritysite was a shortlisted finalist at for the Security Training Programme of the Year at the Computing Security Excellence Awards 2024.[8]

Buchanan leads the Blockpass ID Lab (BIL) and which was initially co-funded by Blockpass IDN and Edinburgh Napier University. It is located on the Merchiston Campus and was launched on 26 September 2018.[9] The lab has also hosted a number of related research grants, including GLASS[10] and TRUSTEE.[11]

In 2018 Buchanan was the lead academic on a project designed to improve the security of Internet of Things (IOT) devices The aim was to test how vulnerable IOT devices and networks are to hacking.[12]

Buchanan has led research which has led to three successful spin-out companies: Zonefox,[13] Symphonic[14] and Cyan Forensics.[15]

Awards and recognition

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  • In 2015, named in the "50 most influential UK higher education professionals on social media".[16]
  • In 2015, led a cipher cracking team to win the Universally Challenged competition.[17]
  • In 2016, awarded "Cyber Evangelist of the Year" at the first Scottish Cybersecurity awards, along with leading a project that was awarded the best collaborative project with Police Scotland.[18]
  • In 2016, included in "The Digital List: 50 people from various areas of Scotland's technology industries who are changing the world".[7]
  • In 2017, appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to cyber security, and was the first person to receive an OBE related to cyber security.[19]
  • In 2022, the EU-funded GLASS project won the Leading Light Innovation Award at the Scottish Cyber Awards,[20] of which he is the principal investigator (PI) for the project.
  • In 2023, received the "Most Innovative Teacher of the Year" award at the Times Higher Education Awards 2023.[21]
  • In 2024, elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE).[22]

References

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  1. ^ "Bill Buchanan". Napier. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  2. ^ "OBE, MBE for University stalwarts". Napier. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  3. ^ McCulloch, Scott (5 May 2015). "Napier University to launch new International Cyber Academy". businessInsider. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  4. ^ "2016 Research Awards -". Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  5. ^ "Blockpass Identity Lab Furthers Research and Understanding". www.blockpass.org. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  6. ^ "BBC Panorama".
  7. ^ a b "The Digital List". FutureScot. 24 February 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  8. ^ TCC. "Security Excellence Awards 2024 - 2024 Shortlist". event.computing.co.uk. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  9. ^ "BIL Launch Advances a Future of Self-Sovereign Identity". www.blockpass.org. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  10. ^ "distributed single sign-on stack on e-governance paradigm based on a distributed 1". Napier. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  11. ^ "trust and privacy-preserving computing platform for crossborder federation of personal". Napier. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  12. ^ "Edinburgh Napier and Glasgow's Censis partner in cybersecurity drive". The Scotsman. Scotland. 9 July 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  13. ^ "University spinout becomes part of the Fortinet family". Napier. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  14. ^ OSullivan, Kevin (22 June 2017). "Prof Bill Buchanan rewarded with OBE for cyber security work". FutureScot. Retrieved 7 March 2021. [dead link]
  15. ^ "Spinout set to revolutionise digital forensics worldwide". Napier. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  16. ^ "The 50 most influential UK higher education professionals on social media". Times Higher Education (THE). 7 October 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  17. ^ Journalist, Deadline News (12 March 2015). "Code cracking students best in Britain". Deadline News. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  18. ^ "University dominates Scottish Cyber Awards". Napier. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  19. ^ "Judy Murray among Scots on honours list". BBC News. 16 June 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  20. ^ aoifeosullivan (28 November 2022). "Triple success for Edinburgh Napier University at Scottish Cyber Awards". Research Innovation Enterprise. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  21. ^ "Times Higher Education Awards 2023: winners announced". Times Higher Education (THE). 7 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  22. ^ Thomas, James (8 April 2024). "Eminent cultural and scientific figures named as RSE Fellows". Royal Society of Edinburgh. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
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