PhD Position on Combating Malicious Content on the World Wide Web
PhD @University of Twente posted 1 month agoJob Description
The Internet has had a revolutionary impact on modern society. What started as a technology to interconnect only a handful of institutions has – in a span of three decades – risen to become our core communications fabric. We use the Internet, among others, to find and disseminate important information, to connect with friends and relatives, and to engage in e-commerce. Due to its central role, the Internet is attractive for cybercriminals, who use computer systems and networks to carry out criminal activities. Bad actors use techniques such as phishing to steal personal or otherwise sensitive information. Malware is used to steal data or inflict damage on computer or software systems. Fraudulent webshops have been on the rise. And misinformation and fake news is spread on-line, promoting conspiracy theories and fringe communities.
Individuals and groups that are vulnerable to crime in the physical world are especially vulnerable to cybercrime. A so-called “security divide” exists between those with the knowledge and resources to protect themselves from cyber threats and those without. This division exists within countries but also between countries, and disparities are expected to deepen in the future (Internet Society, 2022).
The goal of this PhD project is to identify and characterize abuse on the Web and to establish actionable insights to facilitate takedown efforts. Examples of abuse include malvertisement, illicit content, or disinformation. The type of abuse is not set in stone, giving the candidate some freedom to establish a course of action together with their advisors. What is a given is the measurement-based approach and use of machine-learning (e.g., feature engineering, clustering, NLP, LLMs).
Several invaluable data sets that the group collects are anticipated to take a central role in the project. For example, we have an extensive view on domain names under country top level domains, which can facilitate country-level studies. Moreover, we measure where content is located, which could help identify networks that host illicit content, knowingly or unknowingly. The candidate is also expected to recognize and expand on data collection opportunities in furtherance of their research.
Information and application
Are you interested in being part of our team? Please submit your application before May 31, 2025, via the ‘Apply Now’ button below. Make sure to include:
- A motivation letter, detailing your reasons for applying for this PhD position, and explaining how you match the profile;
- A Curriculum Vitae;
- Academic transcripts of your B.Sc. and M.Sc. Education.
For more information regarding this position, you are welcome to contact Mattijs Jonker via the following email address: m.jonker@utwente.nl.
