We’re pleased to announce that a new textbook ‘Cyber Security Foundations: Fundamentals, Technology and Society’ written by colleagues in the Information Security Group (ISG) has just been published by Kogan Page, bringing together an accessible, big picture view of all aspects of the cyber security landscape.

Cyber Security Foundations: Fundamentals, Technology and Society published March 2025

Co-authored by Keith Martin, Jassim Happa, Konstantinos Mersinas, and former colleague Guido Schmitz, the book looks at cyber security in a contemporary and holistic way. It reflects the breadth of Royal Holloway, University of London’s cyber security expertise and experience developed over thirty years of pioneering research and education through the renowned work of the ISG.

Providing an accessible overview of the evolving influence and dependencies of cyber security, the book outlines the core challenges, technologies and societal aspects, and how these interrelate. There are nine chapters covering: Fundamentals, Cryptography, Computer System Security, Network Security, Software and Application Security, Cyber Security Management, Cybercrime, Privacy and Human Aspects.

Describing the readership of the book, lead author Keith Martin, Professor of Information Security at Royal Holloway’s ISG and director of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Cyber Security for the Everyday comments,

“The book aims to give budding cyber security professionals as well as general readers an understanding of core ideas and principles. It can help support cyber security students learning on a university programme at any level and is designed to help bridge the challenge of sourcing the seemingly disparate aspects of cyber security knowledge together, making it an ideal read for anyone considering or about to embark on a career in cyber security.”

He added,

“This book offers a big picture vision of all aspects of cyber security, from the techniques that apply to data, to the technologies behind them, to the heart of the people side of this fundamental issue on which everybody’s lives depend.”

The origins of the book stem from the authors’ involvement in developing the syllabus of the MSc Cyber Security distance learning programme with the University of London worldwide on the Coursera platform, with academic direction from Royal Holloway’s ISG, which launched in 2022 and has won an innovation award.

While there are four named authors, the content reflects a much broader body of Royal Holloway’s cyber security expertise. The authors acknowledge the many colleagues and students who helped to inform or review the material in 'Cyber Security Foundations: Fundamentals, Technology and Society' which is available to purchase as a book or an Ebook here