I’m Oliver D. Reithmaier, a half-brit German scientist in the usable security field. I speak English, German, (bad) Japanese and can read Dutch (dont ask me to speak, please).

Academic Facts

  • 6 semesters of Molecular Biotechnology, dropped out.
  • Bachelor’s in Psychology (LMU Munich)
  • Master’s in Social/IO Psychology (LMU Munich)
  • Currently PhD Candidate at the Usable Security & Privacy Group at Leibniz University Hannover (Germany)

My work focuses much around phishing emails, research methods and cybersecurity concepts that stem from psychology (e.g. self-efficacy). Current research projects include:

  • Self-efficacy theory and knowledge in cybersecurity
  • Developing phishing detection ability tests with item response theory
  • Further development of the PhishyMailbox toolkit

Other facts

In my free time I enjoy gardening, gaming, music, building things and, lately, doing fun DIY projects with microelectronics.

I have appeared on various media, if you care to give it a listen:

German

Why “k4tana”

Well. I could say that I have a martial arts background (I do), or that I like Anime (I do), or that swords are fascinating objects to me (they are), but the alias was born from a l33t speak teen phase when I was 14. And I believe if you can’t accept what you did back then, what the hell are you doing with your life.