Dr. Kaitai Liang received a Ph.D. degree in computer science (applied cryptography direction) at the Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, under the supervision of Duncan S. Wong (currently CEO of CryptoBLK) in October 2014. His main research interests are applied cryptography, privacy and security in information technology; in particular, encryption, signature, blockchain, cloud computing security, big data security, Internet of things, post-quantum crypto, privacy enhancing technology and lightweight secure system. 

He is currently a lecturer (assistant professor) at SCCS (which is one of the 14 Academic Centres of Excellence in Cyber Security Research recognised by the UK Government Communications Headquarters in partnership with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) and Department of Computer Science, University of Surrey, U.K. Before joining Surrey, he was a post-doctoral researcher and a lecturer, at Department of Computer Science, Aalto University, and School of Computing, Mathematics and Digital technology, Manchester Metropolitan University, respectively.

[News]

• Although I currently do not have related funding to support overseas (non-HOME/EU) PhD applicants, but we welcome all the applicants supported by government funding, e.g., China Scholarship Council (CSC) scholarships, to apply for PhD (note we have experience on CSC applicants).
• Welcome Mr. Chris Ridden to join us as a PhD student.
• IAS Fellowship (This scheme (£5000) supports visits from international scholars to the University, deadline 12nd Oct 2018), and Workshop Grant Competition (The Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS) is once again running a competition for grants worth up to £3,500 each to support the organisation of small-scale research meetings at the University of Surrey, deadline 12nd Oct 2018). Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in these applications.
• I will have 3 PhD studentships (3-3.5 years), only supporting HOME/EU students. If you are interested in working in identity protection, blockchain applications and post-quantum crypto, please feel free to contact me. For overseas students, you need to top up the gap of the tuition fee (between overseas tuition fee and the HOME/EU one). Please email me for further information.

         Project A: Security Assessment Framework for Blockchain. This project aims to develop methodology and design mechanisms that can be applied to distributed multi-jurisdictional Blockchain and DLT systems to assess the security of these systems. The assessment should be based on well-designed security models and standards. PhD candidate will study and investigate blockchain state of art, its core mechanisms/frameworks, and the employed secure protocols (e.g., signature, zero knowledge proof, consensus) so as to design assessment criteria/models. Machine learning algorithms and formal methods will be investigated and leveraged as well. The output of the project will enable a "grading" of each blockchain to be created and shared as part of a cyber insurance policy. The PhD candidate (holding MSc. degree of Math, Computer Science, Engineering) should be equipped with adequate knowledge of programming (Python, C++, Java), basic knowledge of applied cryptography/machine learning/formal method, good communication skill, teamwork awareness, and be willing to work with industries. 

        Project B: Minimal Identity Disclosure and Disclosure Tracing in Blockchain. Upgrading centralized identity database to decentralized network may bring convenience to identity management, sharing and tracing. However, this yields concerns on the leakage and misuse of personal identity, since the database is deployed in open network. This project aims to leverage blockchain technique to monitor identity management and its disclosure, so that the “touch” of personal identity can be noticed by user and furthermore, the leakage/misuse of identity can be traced. Besides, building upon Zero Knowledge proofs and the multi-faceted and usage of identities, this project will create solutions that will only disclose the minimum facets of an identity based upon the need to know of the requestor and authentication, and further evolve this to encompass situational awareness of the identity, for example hours of work, multiple roles and location of identity provision. Trusted hardware (e.g., TPM) may be considered to employ in the solutions to enhance the “trust” of identity usage. The PhD candidate (holding MSc. degree of Math, Computer Science, Engineering) should be equipped with basic knowledge of programming (Python, C++, Java), adequate knowledge of applied cryptography (e.g., zero-knowledge proof, signature, multiparty computation, lattice-based crypto), good communication skill, teamwork awareness, and be willing to work with industries. 

      Project C: Secure Information Sharing in Blockchain. This project aims to develop secure algorithms and initial proof of concept that will enable information shared to be fully under the control of the consenting individual in blockchain applications. Based upon GDPR principles enable a data subject to control the consent to usage of their data and enable new means of dynamically authenticating and granting usage rights to this data.  Cryptographic solutions that enables data "packets" to be wrapped and access only granted when dynamic authentication/delegation is received. "Trusted Data Sharing Module" will be built on top of trusted hardware (e.g., TPM) techniques. The PhD candidate (holding MSc. degree of Math, Computer Science, Engineering) should be equipped with basic knowledge of programming (Python, C++, Java), adequate knowledge of applied cryptography (e.g., encryption, multiparty computation, lattice-based crypto), good communication skill, teamwork awareness, and be willing to work with industries. 

The start date of these PhDs will be in January or April 2019, supported by full scholarships (covering Home/EU fee and stipend of at least £14,777 pa).

• PhD Placements and Supervisor Mobility Grants China-UK. https://www.britishcouncil.cn/en/programmes/education/higher/opportunities/phd
• Welcome Mr. Stephen HOLMES to join us as a PhD student (under department studentship, and will be partially supported by ObjectTech).

DBLP: https://dblp.org/pers/hd/l/Liang:Kaitai

Google citation: https://scholar.google.com.hk/citations?user=_qHKRH4AAAAJ&hl=en

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0262-7678