VUSec is the Systems and Network Security Group at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and one of the larger groups in the Computer Science department at the VU. Our research covers all aspects of system-level security and reliability, with a focus on memory safety and memory access violations (using software or hardware vulnerabilities). It includes topics such as software hardening, exploitation, binary analysis, dependable systems,  software testing, side channels, and reverse engineering. VUSec is also part of AMSec (Amsterdam Cyber Security Center). Check out the upcoming AMSec events here.

The group’s focus is on “research that matters”, by which we mean research that has impact either on the research community, or on society as whole. In the past, we actively contributed to the take-down of criminal infrastructures (botnets), and made available a wide range of tools and systems to benefit researchers and industry alike. Some of our research efforts hit the news and are covered by the national/international press.

Academically, we regularly publish our research in the top venues in systems security (S&P, CCS, USENIX Sec, NDSS, etc.). See our publications. We are proud that VUSec has won multiple prestigious grants (ERC, VICI, multiple VENIs), a Dutch Prize for ICT Research, a EuroSys Jochen Liedtke Young Researcher Award, a VMware Early Career Faculty Award, five Pwnie Awards, two ACM SIGSAC Doctoral Dissertation Awards for best Ph.D. in Computer and Information Security worldwide, a Dennis M. Ritchie Ph.D. Award for best Ph.D. in systems worldwide, seven Roger Needham Ph.D. Awards for best Ph.D. in systems in  Europe, three William C. Carter PhD Dissertation Awards for best Ph.D. in Dependability worldwide, and other awards from academia or industry.

Most importantly, VUSec puts “computer systems” and “systems security” into the focus of study.

Gallery

VUSec Garden Party

A Very VUSec Christmas

VUSec Past and Present

Past VUSec with dog.

Past VUSec without dog.