Professional Overview
Dr. Ang Cui is the Founder, CEO, and Chief Scientist of Red Balloon Security, Inc., an embedded security and cybersecurity research firm headquartered in New York City. He established the company in 2011, originating from his work at Columbia University's Intrusion Detection Systems Lab. Dr. Cui’s expertise centers on securing embedded systems across critical industries through pioneering technologies and rigorous research.
Company and Leadership
Red Balloon Security is exclusively focused on developing robust security solutions for embedded device systems, including firmware hardening, runtime protection and monitoring, FPGA security, automated hardware reversing, and industry-specific solutions (notably for industrial control systems, automotive, defense, aerospace, electrical grid, and unmanned aerial systems).
Key highlights under Dr. Cui’s leadership include:
- Commercialization of Symbiote Technology, a groundbreaking defensive technology developed over 10 years, now a core product for securing embedded systems.
- Discovery and public disclosure of critical vulnerabilities such as Thrangrycat, which defeats Cisco’s proprietary secure boot mechanism to enable persistent attackers to bypass secure boot and prevent updates.
- Contributions to U.S. government-funded programs including DARPA’s RADICS program focused on embedded defense and forensics in electrical grid protection relays and network devices.
- Active role as Principal Investigator (PI) on DARPA LADS and various other government agency-funded cybersecurity projects.
- Leading edge defense and attack research, exemplified by successful demonstration of ransomware on a protection relay and innovative payloads against industrial control systems.
Research and Academic Contributions
Dr. Cui is internationally recognized for his academic contributions in embedded security. His team at Red Balloon Security is established as thought leaders in:
- Publishing seminal papers on embedded device exploitation, electromagnetic fault injection (BADFET), moving target defense via symbiotes, and FPGA bitstream manipulation.
- Notable publications include:
- “Defeating Cisco trust anchor: advancements in direct FPGA bitstream manipulation” (USENIX WOOT 2019)
- “BADFET: defeating modern secure boot using electromagnetic fault injection” (USENIX WOOT 2017)
- “From prey to hunter: transforming legacy embedded devices into exploitation sensor grids” (ACM Conference 2011)
- Research on out-of-band attack code detection in programmable logic controllers using electromagnetic emanations.
- Automotive embedded device exploitation and sandbox development.
Dr. Cui frequently serves as a speaker and panelist at top cybersecurity conferences, including CyberLEO 2023, Summercon, Black Hat, and DEF CON. His engagements underscore his thought leadership and pioneering role within the cybersecurity community.
Technical and Industry Impact
- Under Dr. Cui’s guidance, Red Balloon Security has developed advanced embedded defense technologies promoted for deployment on power grid infrastructure, industrial controls, automotive platforms, and aerospace devices.
- The company has gained recognition for creative and rigorous talent recruitment, employing unorthodox security-based hacking challenges mailed to job applicants.
- Dr. Cui’s team has demonstrated the feasibility of hardware-level attacks and protections, directly influencing industry awareness and product security roadmaps.
- Red Balloon Security holds a 4.9 out of 5 employee rating on Glassdoor, suggesting high internal satisfaction tied to innovative culture and mission focus.
Professional Affiliations and Roles
- Member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).
- Maintains a visible presence on professional platforms with over 1,000 followers on LinkedIn.
- Active participant in government and industry advisory roles, including recent participation in advisory panels related to satellite system security and cybersecurity strategy.
Location
- Based in New York, New York, United States.
Online Presence and Contact
- [LinkedIn Profile](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ang-cui-phd-705a42)
- [Red Balloon Security Website](https://redballoonsecurity.com)
- Professional content and publications are regularly updated on the company’s resource page and through cybersecurity media outlets such as Dark Reading and Security Magazine.
Dr. Ang Cui’s profile combines deep technical expertise in embedded security with demonstrated leadership in cybersecurity innovation, government research collaboration, and commercial deployment. His accomplishments and Red Balloon Security’s specialized focus position them as key players in advancing the protection of critical embedded systems against evolving cyber threats.
