The Illusion of the cloud: From orbit to ocean floor
We often think of “the cloud” as something abstract and immaterial, yet it is built on a vast and highly physical infrastructure spanning from satellites in orbit to fibre-optic cables on the ocean floor.
This talk explores the hidden systems that underpin global connectivity and the risks they face from both cyber and physical disruption. As reliance on these networks grows, so too does their vulnerability.
This talk reframes the “cloud” not as something distant, but as a complex, tangible system that is critical to modern life, and invites the audience to not only reconsider what it really means to secure it, but to question who is responsible for protecting a system that no one owns.
A deep dive into the physical infrastructure underpinning the cloud, focusing on the security threats these physical elements are vulnerable to. This talk demystifies how the cloud works and why it is so important, and considers different philosophical questions designed to provoke conversations around how we collaborate on global cybersecurity efforts heading into the future.
This talk is designed to both inform and stimulate conversation.
An undergraduate researcher with special focus on the vulnerabilities in vocal biometric security. Delivered multiple conference talks regarding this research, including Bristol and Bath Cybercon 2025, and recently released a threat report on the increase of risk and erosion of trust in vocal biometric security with the Bloomsbury Intelligence and Security Institute in March 2026.