8-Month Hunt for Over 200 Vulnerabilities
On August 14, 2023, Ngo Thien An – a senior student specializing in Information Security at FPT University Danang – was awarded the CVE-2023-4308 code by Wordfence at the High level. This is the first and most significant achievement of this young man since joining the Whitehub community, a cybersecurity research field.
During his research on security vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins, he discovered a flaw and, within just one week, managed to reproduce the vulnerability, analyze the source code, and test various interactions to ensure the vulnerability’s existence and exploitability. This not only helped enhance the security of numerous websites but also marked a pivotal moment in Thien An’s career.
“I almost gave up as I couldn’t find the bug after many hours, even days, of hard work. But it was these challenges that made this job so special and captivating,” he shared.
The VNPT Launchpad
At the time of the CVE-2023-4308 discovery, An was an intern at the VNPT Information Security Center. Just eight months later, he had discovered and been assigned over 200 CVEs, including many rated as Critical (CVSS score of 9.8 out of 10) – an extremely serious level. This achievement propelled Thien An into the Top 10 All Time of Patchstack (Estonia), Top 11 All Time of Wordfence (USA), and Top 38 of Synack (USA).
With access to cutting-edge technologies, modern support tools, and the opportunity to engage in specialized training programs, Thien An not only enhanced his professional skills but also broadened his horizons and knowledge in the field of information security.
“VNPT provided me with the opportunity to work and learn from leading experts in the field of information security. The projects here pushed me to give my all to solve problems, cultivating my attention to detail, analytical skills, and perseverance – qualities that are immensely important in the field of security,” An shared.
Thien An (2nd from left) has nearly two years of experience as a Penetration Testing Engineer at the VNPT Information Security Center
The First Cohort of Information Security Students at FPT University Danang
In April, Thien An successfully defended his thesis, concluding his journey at FPT University Danang. “Thanks to the solid foundation provided by the university, I feel confident as I enter the job market without encountering many difficulties,” An said.
For this young man, FPT University was the ideal place to begin his journey to becoming an Information Security Engineer. This is especially true with the Bug Bounty program, which encourages students to find and identify security vulnerabilities within the university’s systems. This clearly demonstrates that FPT University not only imparts knowledge but also creates opportunities for students to apply what they’ve learned and develop their skills.
An received a bonus of over VND 40 million for discovering security vulnerabilities at the university
“The strong network of FPT University made it easier for me to access job opportunities. With the comprehensive support from the university, I confidently joined VNPT, adapted smoothly, and made significant strides,” shared Thien An.
In 2024, FPT University is enrolling students in the following majors: Information Technology (Automotive Software Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Artificial Intelligence, Information Security, Digital Media Design), Business Administration (Digital Marketing, International Business, Logistics & Supply Chain Management, Hotel Management, Tourism & Travel Service Management, Finance); Communication Technology (Multimedia Communication, Public Relations), English Language, Japanese Language, Korean Language, and Chinese Language.
Candidates are eligible for admission to FPT University if they: are eligible for direct enrollment according to the Regulations on Enrollment in the Regular Undergraduate Program for the year 2024 of the University; Rank in the Top 40 based on their high school transcripts for the 2024 school year; or Rank in the Top 50 based on their high school transcripts for the 2024 school year, provided they are the first in their family to attend university.
Additionally, candidates can be admitted based on their high school graduation exam results in 2024, combining Mathematics with any two other subjects.
To certify high school rankings, candidates can visit the website: http://SchoolRank.fpt.edu.vn
