CYBER-DEFENCE FELLOWSHIPS: Philipp Scherer

• How did you find out about the CYD Fellowships and what motivated you to apply?

I first learned about the CYD campus through the annual VIS Kontaktparty, a large job fair organised by the computer science students association at ETH. At this fair I had the opportunity to talk to Bernhard Tellenbach, who told me all about the different opportunities available at the CYD Campus. Because of that initial positive impression and good feedback from other students, I sought out projects at the CYD Campus. Afterwards, my supervisors also informed me about the fellowship possibility and indicated that it was worth a try.

• What was your CYD Fellowship project about?

My CYD Master Thesis Fellowship project focused on improving Android application security through a novel fuzzing interface. We leveraged the Android Emulator’s powerful emulation capabilities to enable a more in-depth exploration of app behavior, with the goal of identifying vulnerabilities such as crashes, memory leaks or unexpected behavior. To achieve this, we connected the fuzzing library LibAFL with the Android Emulator and proceeded to fuzz Android applications over the Android RPC-based communication protocol.

• What were the advantages of conducting your master thesis project at the CYD Campus?

The biggest advantage was the possibility to exchange knowledge and ideas with highly talented students and employees. Moreover, the CYD Campus provided a nice workspace with comfortable chairs and huge screens, which certainly helped speed up some debugging sessions. Additionally, the Fellowship ensured that I did not have to worry about finances and was able to focus on the project.

• Did you as a child dream of working in cyber-defence?

As a child I was always fascinated by computers, especially the idea of designing and playing computer games. However, I had no clue about cyber-defence; I barely even knew how to install an application! My first real encounter with security came through cheaters in online games. This was like magic for me and I wanted to understand how it worked. I believe this early eagerness to understand how things really function, particularly in the face of unexpected or manipulated behavior, ultimately steered me toward the field of cyber-defence.

• What is driving you to pursue research in cyber-defence?

In today’s interconnected society, almost everything is connected to the internet and almost everything relies on some secure digital system. Sadly, the security of the different assets is often overlooked or undervalued. Moreover, the constant evolution of threats, and the presence of malicious actors seeking to exploit vulnerabilities, presents an ever-changing challenge. By doing research in this field and developing innovative solutions, I see the opportunity to have a significant positive impact on the world.

• What is the most important lesson you have learned in your scientific career so far?

The most valuable lesson I’ve learned is to capitalize on opportunities that present themselves. Asking for help can feel uncomfortable, and one could hesitate to participate at certain events, competitions, or apply for certain fellowships. But in the end, there is often not much too lose, other than the opportunity itself.

• What are you most proud of in your career to date?

I believe I am most proud of finishing the course Hardware Security and developing a working end-to-end Rowhammer exploit. Building that exploit felt like magic, turning a theoretical vulnerability into a tangible demonstration of control over hardware. It was an incredibly rewarding experience!

• Outside the lab, what do you enjoy doing most?

Besides reading, coding and playing piano, I love spending time with family, friends and my dog. You can often find me engaged in a game of table tennis, participating in ASVZ sports, or simply hanging out and relaxing.

• What were your expectations about the CYD Fellowships?

I was excited about working on an interesting project alongside a supportive and highly skilled community. Beyond that, I hoped my project would make a meaningful contribution to the research domain.

• Could you share some tips with future applicants who are considering applying for the CYD Fellowships?

Just do it! Even if you do not already have a project in mind, simply check the list of available projects. Then, if you find something interesting, make sure to contact the responsible person - I am sure they will be happy to discuss expectations and further steps with you.