Origins
1999
Self-taught x86 assembly language and reverse engineering
Participant in underground hacking groups.
Software protection bypass patches & keygens.
Software protection bypass patches & keygens.
1999
A Quantitative Evaluation of Performance Optimization for Crypto Algorithm Implementations in High-Level Programming Languages vs. Low-Level Assembly
Rolled her own crypto in x86 asm to show it's faster than Delphi.
Paper published at North Caucasus Regional Conference of Scholars, organized by NCSTU/NCFU. Distinguished paper recepient - II degree diploma. Approximate translation from Russian.
Paper published at North Caucasus Regional Conference of Scholars, organized by NCSTU/NCFU. Distinguished paper recepient - II degree diploma. Approximate translation from Russian.
Current
2014 —
Independent Vulnerability Researcher
Critical security research for leading technological corporations
Microsoft · Google · Mozilla · Oracle · Apple · Schneider Electric
2021 —
Zero Day Engineering
Exploit design & theory for defense, intelligence, and frontier organizations
Owner & Principal R&D
2025 —
Cognitive Technologies
Post-human Operator Frameworks
2026 —
Independent AI & Physics Researcher
Identity Physics, Emergence Engineering & Cognitive Exploit Theory
Press
2021 –
Cybersecurity & Hacking
The Hacker News ·
PortSwigger Daily Swig · ITWire · Heise
2016 –
Geopolitics & National Security
The Guardian ·
New York Times ·
Daily Beast ·
Defense One ·
Forbes · Grazia
2014 –
Entrepreneurship
Forbes Russia
2001 -
Interviews
The Record · Xakep Magazine
Timeline
2026
AI Identity and the Megapolitics of the Mind
March 2026. Independent publication.
2021
Pwn2Own Vancouver — Parallels Desktop VM escape
$40,000 target prize. Solo independent entrant.
Zero-day guest-to-host VM escape, arbitrary code execution on macOS.
100% reliable exploit with a rare bug.
First female participant in 17-year Pwn2Own history.
Zero-day guest-to-host VM escape, arbitrary code execution on macOS.
100% reliable exploit with a rare bug.
First female participant in 17-year Pwn2Own history.
2021
Zero Day Engineering — founded
February 2021.
2018
ZDI Silver Bounty Hunter
Annual ranking by Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative.
Top independent vulnerability researchers globally.
Top independent vulnerability researchers globally.
2016
Phrack Magazine #69 — Exploiting Microsoft XML with misalignments and factorials
Phrack's first issue in four years.
2016
US Treasury sanctions — ZOR Security
Named alongside GRU officers in a classified national security action.
2014
PHDays IV — Critical Infrastructure Attack Competition
Won 1st place. Hacked a live mock smart city under contest conditions.
Discovered multiple zero-days in Schneider Electric ICS products.
Discovered multiple zero-days in Schneider Electric ICS products.
2011
Neuronspace — co-founded
First hackerspace in Russia.
2009
Esage Lab — founded
Independent offensive security research and consulting.
2003
Malware analyst, Kaspersky Lab
Specialized in rootkits and protection bypass. 2003–2009.
First female professional malware analyst globally.
First female professional malware analyst globally.
Talks
2025
Unveiling the Mysteries of Qualcomm's QDSP6 JTAG
Black Hat Asia · Singapore
Reverse-engineered Qualcomm hardware debugging and low-level security mechanisms of Hexagon basebands. Original public exposure of ISDB system internals.
Reverse-engineered Qualcomm hardware debugging and low-level security mechanisms of Hexagon basebands. Original public exposure of ISDB system internals.
2025
Fuzzing from First Principles
SANS Off by One
Introduced Probabilistic Fuzzing Theory.
Introduced Probabilistic Fuzzing Theory.
2024
Attacking V8: Zero to Exploit
VXCON · Hong Kong
Advanced exploit development workshop. Full walkthrough from patch to PoC.
Advanced exploit development workshop. Full walkthrough from patch to PoC.
2024
Keynote
VXCON · Hong Kong
Vulnerability Research in the Age of AI
Vulnerability Research in the Age of AI
2020
Hypervisor Vulnerability Research
POC×Zer0con
Introduced the Hypervisor Attack Surface model.
Introduced the Hypervisor Attack Surface model.
2020
2014
My Journey Into 0-Day Binary Vulnerability Discovery
Positive Hack Days
2012
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InfoSecurity
2012
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ZeroNights
2011
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RECon
2009
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RusCrypto
Teaching
2020 —
Hypervisor Vulnerability Research
Alumni include multiple Pwn2Own winners.
Several attendees found hypervisor bugs worth $250,000.
Several attendees found hypervisor bugs worth $250,000.
2021 —
Zero Day Vulnerability Research
Universal foundations for specialized exploit development.
The only entry-compatible course in the industry built by top-tier hacker.
The only entry-compatible course in the industry built by top-tier hacker.
2025 —
Browser Exploit Design
Full knowledge stack for attacking browsers. Browser Exploit Surface models.
Exercises showcase typical bug classes across RCE and Sandbox Escape surfaces.
Exercises showcase typical bug classes across RCE and Sandbox Escape surfaces.
2019
iBootcamp
A journey into iOS security.