Dr. Stephen Mccombie

Biography

Stephen has over 25 years of experience as a practitioner researcher in cybersecurity. In 2021, he led a Maritime Security research group as a professor at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands. During his time with the research group, Stephen collaborated with various global maritime stakeholders, including the EU Coast Guards Forum, the UK Department of Transport, the NATO Centre of Excellence in Maritime Security, and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, among others. Currently, he serves as an Honorary Professor in the School of International Studies at Macquarie University and was previously a Senior Lecturer in Cybersecurity at the Department of Security Studies at the same institution. Stephen's research focuses on maritime cyber threats, cyber influence, cybercrime, digital forensics, cyber threat intelligence, and cyber conflict. He has published numerous articles on these subjects and draws on a diverse background that includes law enforcement and information technology. Stephen worked for 14 years as a Detective with the NSW Police, where he helped establish a computer crime investigation team. He has held various management roles in cybersecurity across organizations such as IBM and the National Australia Bank. His PhD thesis examined the impact of Eastern European cybercrime groups on Australian banks and he is actively involved in funded research projects.

Research Interests