Vinh Tran
Graduate Student in Computer Engineering
Research
Hardware Security, Hardware Design, Audio Spoofing
Biography
Vinh Tran is passionate and relentless security enthusiast with a focus on innovation and a commitment to outstanding customer service. Vinh possesses strong interpersonal and verbal/written communication skills with the ability to present complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences. He is an avid and quick learner who is dedicated to learning new technologies, seeking an opportunity to develop security expertise, and understanding of emerging threats in order to stop breaches.
Direct Study
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell (Sep. 2024 – Dec. 2025)
- Evaluated firmware integrity on MSP430 microcontrollers, identifying critical vulnerabilities where code and data share memory space. Engineered a proof-of-concept exploit using Python to demonstrate the risk of code execution via RAM-based overflows.
- Researched non-invasive exploitation by hijacking dynamic links to bypass four anti-debug techniques in an x86 ELF binary. Proved the feasibility of altering execution flow through Python-script automation, achieving 100% reliability without altering source code.
Skills
Proficient: Linux, Python, Bash Scripting, Metasploit, Burp Suite, Nmap, Splunk, Wireshark, OWASP Top 10, Capture-the-flag (CTF).
Competent: C/C++, GitHub, KQL, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Sentinel, Defender XDR, Entra ID, MITRE ATT&CK Framework, KiCad, Altium, Ghidra, GDB.
Education
- MS in Computer Engineering (Dec. 2025), University of Massachusetts Lowell
- Fullstack Academy Cybersecurity Analytics Bootcamp (Jan. 2023)
- BS (2022) Information Technology, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Experiences
- Cybersecurity Operations Internship – Microsoft Software and Systems Academy (MSSA) (Jan. 2026 – Present)
- RAMP Mentor (Summer 2024, 2025)
- Research Assistant in CACT (Summer 2022~Current): SysCon2023 paper, SysCon2024 paper
- Lead Cybersecurity Analyst Intern (Sep. 2021 – Aug. 2022)
- Team Leader, Sergeant, Power Generator Mechanic, US. Army Reserve (Jan. 2016 – Sep. 2022)
Selected Publications
- F. S. Norcéide, E. Aoki, V. Tran, M. F. Nia, C. Thompson and K. Chandra, Positional Tracking of Physical Objects in an Augmented Reality Environment Using Neuromorphic Vision Sensors, 2024 International Conference on Machine Learning and Applications (ICMLA), Miami, FL, USA, 2024, pp. 1031–1036, doi: 10.1109/ICMLA61862.2024.00155.
- E. Aoki, B. Tran, F. S. Norcéide, V. Tran, S. Sastry, C. Thompson, Integrating Software and Systems Engineering: A Framework for Human-Centric Design of Augmented Reality Applications, 2024 IEEE International Systems Conference (SysCon), Montreal, QC, Canada, 2024, pp. 1–8, doi: 10.1109/SysCon61195.2024.10553472.
- E. Aoki, B. Tran, V. Tran, K. Soth, C. Thompson, S. Tripathy, Representing Augmented Reality Applications in Systems Modeling Language, 2023 IEEE International Systems Conference (SysCon), Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2023, pp. 1–8, doi: 10.1109/SysCon53073.2023.10131060.
- V. Tran, K. Quinn, F. Norceide, E. Aoki, K. Chandra, and C. Thompson, Acoustic feature analysis of directional sound from parametric array speakers with application to mitigate attacks on voice-activated systems, Session 1pPA, Physical Acoustics: Cyber Threats and Acoustical Systems, 2024.
Honors & Awards
- Dean’s List, UMass Lowell
- Army Achievement Medal for the Highest Standards of Military Service (2021, 2018)
- Army Achievement Medal for Distinguished Honor Graduate (2017)