About Hardik

Security Researcher, Trainer, and Fuzzing Expert.

Hardik Shah

Principal Malware Reverse Engineer

Biography

With over two decades of dedicated experience in the security research field, I am a seasoned expert in vulnerability discovery and malware reverse engineering. My journey began in Indore (M.P.), where I earned a Masters in Computer Application from SGSIPS, laying the groundwork for a career at the forefront of cybersecurity.

Currently, I serve as a Principal Malware Reverse Engineer at Palo Alto Networks in Bangalore. My career has been shaped by significant roles at leading security firms, including a decade at McAfee, and impactful tenures at Vehere, Sophos, Symantec, and ClearTrail Technologies.

This extensive background has provided me with deep expertise in fuzzing, root cause analysis, and exploit analysis across diverse platforms. I am a firm believer in continuous learning and am passionate about sharing knowledge through training. When I'm not hunting for the next 0-day, I enjoy spending quality time with my two children.

PGP Public Key

—–BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK—–
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=AbZC
—–END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK—–

Career Timeline

2025 - Today

Palo Alto Networks

Principal Malware Reverse Engineer, Bangalore

2023 - 2025

Vehere

Remote, Bangalore

2021 - 2023

Sophos

Principal Threat Researcher, Bangalore

2011 - 2021

McAfee

Senior Security Researcher, Bangalore

2008 - 2011

Symantec

Security Researcher, Pune

2007 - 2008

ClearTrail Technologies

Indore

Core Expertise

Vulnerability Discovery

Focused on memory corruption (UAF, OOB, overflows).

Tool Customization

AFL/LibFuzzer instrumentation and custom mutator development.

Platform Agnostic

Expertise across Linux, Windows, and cross-platform targets.

Crash Triaging

Rapid root cause analysis using GDB and WinDbg.

Key Skills

Threat Research Fuzzing & Vulnerability Discovery Security Research Cloud Security Vulnerability, Exploit Analysis Malware Detection & Analysis Cyber Security Technical Leadership

Speaking Engagements

DEFCON 30 (2022):

Finding Security Vulnerabilities through Fuzzing

RSA DarkArts Village (2022):

Fuzzing with AFL

Texas Cyber Summit (2021):

Fuzzing Open Source Softwares with AFL

BSides Dublin (2021):

Fuzzing and Finding Vulnerabilities on Linux

See Conference Workshop Materials