I manage the merged Network and Security team of 13 IT professionals with a remit to provide expert level knowledge and skills in the areas of data networking and security. The team supports the University wide logical network infrastructure, both wired and wireless including core networking application level services. As well as driving local networking strategy, I have functional responsibility and oversight for IT Security Policy across all areas of IT Services and the wider University.

I continue to contribute to the JANET Training portfolio of courses. I have written a number of coursebooks, introduced virtualisation for training activities and I am a regular hands-on trainer throughout the UK.

Prior to February 2008 I held the role of Senior IT Security Specialist within Computing Services with a remit to manage IT security for 3,000 members of staff, 14,000 students and 5186 study bedrooms across a 433 acre campus with many off-campus residences. Since 2003 I have been researching IT Security related issues and have discovered several vulnerabilities in commonly used software.

Earlier in my career I worked in the Networks and Infrastructure team within Computing Services as Network Officer. I also joined the JANET Web Cache Service and my time was split evenly between the two roles. At its peak in 2002 it was servicing 100 million requests per day and managing 240MBits/s peak traffic from HE and FE institutions throughout the UK. After the JANET Web Cache Service ended due to increased availability of transatlantic bandwidth, I moved to work for the Bandwidth Management Advisory Service where I primarily advised on Microsoft ISA Server.

A short and extended biography is available for download, to include in presentation and conference proceedings etc.

Loughborough is connected to the EMMAN network, which is in turn connected to JANET via single 1Gb link onto the 10Gbit JANET Backbone. I am the University primary JANET CSIRT security contact and have spoken at several conferences on various security matters. Copies of the papers and presentations are available below and listed on the University publications database.

Derbyshire Information Security Consortium : 9th December 2009 [University of Derby]
Playing Detective [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [DISC Site]

JANET CSIRT Conference : 22nd October 2009 [ICO Conference Centre, London]
A Shared Approach to Information Security [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Conference Site]

FE Heads of IT Meeting : 15th October 2009 [Gateway College, Leicester]
A Shared Approach to Information Security [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Forum Site]

TERENA TF-CSIRT : 24th September 2009 [Tallinn, Estonia]
A Shared Approach to Information Security [Slides (PDF)] [TF-CSIRT]

ESISS Launch Event : 9th September 2009 [Loughborough University]
EMMAN Shared Information Security Service [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [ESISS Web Site]

Computer Science (E-Commerce Security Module) : 22nd May 2009 [Loughborough University]
E-Commerce Security Analysis [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Module Site]

Computer Science - IT Security Guest Lecture : 4th February 2009 [Loughborough University]
IT Security Issues for 2009 [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Department Website]

Loughborough University Technical Forum : 10th December 2008 [Loughborough University]
Network & Security Update (A year is a long time in IT) [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Technical Forum Site]

Computer Science - Networking Guest Lecture : 19th November 2008 [Loughborough University]
Networking in a Large Enterprise [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Department Website]

South East Regional JANET User Group : 18th November 2008 [JANET NOC - London]
Network & Security Virtualisation and JANET NetLab [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Forum Site]

Nottm & Derby British Computer Society : 17th November 2008 [Novotel - Long Eaton]
Windows Vista Security Posture [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Event Site]

East Midlands Universities Information Technology Group (EMUIT) :13th November 2008 [Derby University]
Best Practice in Investigation Period: how do we deal with it practically [EMUIT Site]

The RSC Wales Annual Conference for Further Education : 15th May 2008 [University of Wales]
Managing Firewall Devices [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Forum Site]

Computer Science (E-Commerce Security Module) : 1st May 2008 [Loughborough University]
E-Commerce Security Analysis [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Module Site]

Networkshop 36 : 8th - 10th April 2008 [The University of Strathclyde]
Virtualisation: A Networking and Security Conundrum [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Video (Flash)] [Conference Site]

DARC Technology Club Meeting : 10th March 2008 [DARC]
Virtualisation [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [DARC Site]

UCISA-IG Antivirus Software and Future Trends Seminar : 6th February 2008 [Loughborough University]
Programme organisation and chair of proceedings [Papers (PDF)] [Forum Site]

Cisco Regional Security Workshop : 28th November 2007 [Loughborough University]
Programme organisation and chair of proceedings [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)]

RSC East Midlands Management Forum : 16th October 2007 [Loughborough College]
Microsoft Windows Vista Strategic Brief [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Forum Site]

VMware World 2007 : 11th - 13th September 2007 [Moscone Center - San Francisco]
Using VMware to provide authentic activities in technical training courses for JANET(UK)
[Academic Poster (PDF)] [Conference Site]

DARC Technology Club Meeting : 11th June 2007 [DARC]
Microsoft Windows Vista Overview [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [DARC Site]

RSC East Midlands Technical Forum : 8th June 2007 [Brooksby Melton College]
Microsoft Windows Vista - Security and Networking [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Forum Site]

Computer Science (E-Commerce Security Module) : 24th May 2007 [Loughborough University]
E-Commerce Security Analysis [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Module Site]

Networkshop 35 : 3rd - 5th April 2007 [The University of Exeter]
Securing Information Systems and Widening Access [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Video (Flash)] [Conference Site]
15-Minute Guide to Firewalls [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)]
NetLab: The creation of a virtual network for training activities [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)]
Windows Vista Security and Networking [Slides (PDF)] [ Handouts (PDF)]

Cisco Next Generation Internet (NGI) Event : 2nd - 3rd April 2007 [Cisco - Exeter]
Practical Campus Network Security - Exploiting Added Value [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Conference Site]

5th JANET CERT Security Conference : 20th February 2007 [UKERNA - London]
Programme organisation and chair of proceedings [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Conference Site]

BETT Educational Technology Show : 10th - 13th January 2007 [Olympia London]
Practical Apple Mac Security Recommendations [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Show Site] [Programme]
Windows Vista Security and Networking [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)]
Network Security for ICT Coordinators [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)]
Streaming Video across a Primary School LAN [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)]

Computer Science (E-Commerce Security Module) : 19th May 2006 [Loughborough University]
E-Commerce Security Analysis [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Module Site]

Networkshop 34 : 4th - 6th April 2006 [The University of Hertfordshire]
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - Institutional Firewalls [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Conference Site]

Loughborough University Technical Forum : 25th February 2006 [Loughborough University]
McAfee Anti Virus - A Technical Overview [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Technical Forum Site]
McAfee ePO - A Technical Overview [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)]

DARC Technology Club Meeting : 9th Jan 2006 [DARC]
A Free eBay Introduction [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [More Info (PDF)] [DARC Site]

RSC West Midlands Technical Forum : 14th December 2005 [Shrewsbury College of Arts & Technology]
General Security Principals [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Forum Site]
Apple Security Concerns [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)]

RSC East Midlands Technical Forum : 9th June 2005 [New College Nottingham]
Macintosh OS X - Security Issues [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Forum Site]

Computer Science (E-Commerce Security Module) : 12th May 2005 [Loughborough University]
E-Commerce Security Analysis [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Module Site]

DARC Technology Club Meeting : 9th May 2005 [DARC (Part of the AAUG)]
Introduction to IT Security [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [DARC Site]

Networkshop 33 : 22nd March - 24th March 2005 [The University of Manchester]
Macintosh OS X - Security Issues [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Conference Site]

Loughborough University Technical Forum : 3rd November 2004 [Loughborough University]
Macintosh OS X - Security, should we worry? [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [Technical Forum Site]

JANET Cert Security Conference 3 : 30th June 2004 [UKERNA - Belfast]
Self Service Penetration Testing [Slides (PDF)] [Conference Site]

Loughborough University Technical Forum : 16th June 2004 [Loughborough University]
Playing Detective - Tracing Peer to Peer usage on the campus network [Slides (PDF)] [Technical Forum Site]

Microsoft ISA Server Seminar : 26th May 2004 [BMAS - Manchester Computing]
Microsoft ISA Server, An Overview [Slides (PDF)] [Seminar Site]

Computer Science (E-Commerce Security Module) : 6th May 2004 [Loughborough University]
Windows E-Commerce Security Analysis [Slides (PDF)] [Module Site]

DARC Meeting : 13th April 2004 [DARC (Part of the AAUG)]
Wireless Networking [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [DARC Site]

Networkshop 32 : 6th April - 28th April 2004 [Keele University]
Microsoft ISA Server 2004 [Slides (PDF)] [Conference Site]

DARC Meeting : 9th February 2004 [DARC (Part of the AAUG)]
An Introduction to Broadband Networking [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [DARC Site]

Microsoft ISA Server Seminar : 14th January 2004 [BMAS - Loughborough University]
Microsoft ISA Server, An Overview [Slides (PDF)] [Seminar Site]

Computer Science (E-Commerce Security Module) : 1st May 2003 [Loughborough University]
Windows E-Commerce Security Analysis [Slides (PDF)] [Module Site]

DARC Meeting : 10th March 2003 [DARC (Part of the AAUG)]
An Introduction to Virtual Acorn and Red Squirrel [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [DARC Site]

RSC East Midlands Technical Forum : 27th February 2003 [Newark and Sherwood College]
Windows Security - Techniques and best practice. [Slides (PDF)] [Forum Site]

DARC Meeting : 14th October 2002 [DARC (Part of the AAUG)]
An Introduction to Linux for RISC OS Users [Slides (PDF)] [Handouts (PDF)] [DARC Site]

Networkshop 30 : 26th March - 28th March 2002 [University of Nottingham]
Windows Security [Slides (PDF)] [Conference Site]

Computer Science (E-Commerce Security Module) : 6th March 2002 [Loughborough University]
Windows Security Analysis [Slides (PDF)] [Module Site]

JWCS Caching Workshop : 26th February 2002 [Manchester Computing]
Caching Security on the Windows Platform [Slides (PDF)] [Conference Site]
Caching on the Windows Platform [Slides (PDF)]

Loughborough University Technical Forum : 30th January 2002 [Loughborough University]
Windows 2000 and IIS Security [Slides (PDF)] [Technical Forum Site]

UCISA-SG Windows 2000 NDS/Active Directory Conference : 17th October 2001 [UMIST]
Windows 2000 Security [Slides (PDF)] [Conference Site]

Loughborough University Technical Forum : 18th October 2000 [Loughborough University]
How (not) to keep your computer secure (Security and Windows) [Slides (PDF)] [Technical Forum Site]

University Cost-Effectively Expands Video Surveillance
[ Cisco Case Study] [Cisco Site]

University Enhances Student Learning and Administration Productivity
[ Cisco Case Study] [Cisco Site]

Is Your Site Deploying 802.1X Technology?
[ JANET News Issue 4 (Page 14)] [JANET(UK) Site]

IEEE 802.1X Implementation at JANET-Connected Organisations
[Technical Guide (PDF)] [JANET(UK) Site]

Virtualisation and JANET
[ JANET News Issue 3 (Page 14)] [JANET(UK) Site]

ExLibris Aleph and Metalib Cross Site Scripting Attack
[ Local Copy of the Security Bulletin] [ALEPH 500 Secunia Advisory] [Metalib Secunia Advisory] [CVE-2007-3834] [CVE-2007-3835]

Firewall Implementation at JANET-connected Organisations
[Technical Guide (PDF)] [JANET(UK) Site]

Can Virtual Machines Help with IT Training
[ UKERNA News Issue 37 (Page 18)] [JANET(UK) Site]

HP Systems Insight Manager Remote Unauthorized Access - Directory Traversal
[ HP Security Bulletin] [ Local Copy of the HP Security Bulletin] [Secunia Advisory]

Microsoft Proxy Server 2.0 - Configuration Notes [Janet Web Cache Service]
[PDF] [Janet Web Cache Service Site]

Microsoft ISA Server - Configuration Notes [Bandwidth Management Advisory Service]
[ PDF] [BMAS Site]

General IT Security Advice [Loughborough University]
[ Computing Services - Security & Compliance Team]

Feel free to contact me ( Matthew Cook ) by email at 'm.s.cook@lboro.ac.uk' or via my in relation to anything on this site or other points of interest.

For specific support for Loughborough University Computing Services contact 'computing.services@lboro.ac.uk'