Xiang(Sean) LI

Xiang(Sean) LI

ENFP

Your Life is your own!

Welcome to Sean’s homepage!

I am currently a Research Assistant at the Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong(CityUHK), working with Prof. Heqing HUANG.

My research interest lies in System Security, with a focus on Linux Kernel Fuzzing recently. I have participated in several projects, including an LLM-Driven Kernel Fuzzing Framework, and Storage-Efficient Kernel Fuzzer Optimization. Previously, my research specifically lie on mitigating software/hardware security threats using Trusted Experiment Environment(TEE), which include distributed confidential computing(TDSC’24a, ICICS’24, GLOBECOM’20, Patent’23a&b), hardware vulnerability mitigation(USENIX Security’24, TDSC’24b, Exocist).

I aim to build secure Operating Systems through fundamental research with demonstrated expertise in kernel-level system development and vulnerability pattern discovery. My research proposal on Kernel Fuzzing hardening and LLM-Driven Fuzzing tool analysis demonstrate this commitment.

🔍I am looking for Ph.D. positions in LLM-driven System Security and Security for AI Infrastructure. Here is my CV.

NEWS!

Selected Publications [Google Scholar]

(* corresponding author)

ICICS’24

DMA: Mutual Attestation Framework for Distributed Enclaves [🔗Artifacts]
Peixi Li, Xiang Li*, Liming Fang*.
International Conference on Information and Communications Security (CCF-C)
[Acceptance rate: 26.0% (32/123)]

TDSC’24b

MaTEE: Efficiently Bridging the Semantic Gap in TrustZone via ARM Pointer Authentication [🔗Artifacts]
Shiqi Liu, Xiang Li, Jie Wang, Yongpeng Gao, Jiajin Hu.
IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing (CCF-A)

TDSC’24a

Ensuring State Continuity for Confidential Computing: A Blockchain-based Approach [🔗Artifacts]
Wei Peng, Xiang Li, Jianyu Niu, Xiaokuan Zhang and Yinqian Zhang.
IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing (CCF-A)

USENIX Security’24

Peep With A Mirror: Breaking The Integrity of Android App Sandboxing via Unprivileged Cache Side Channel
Yan Lin, Joshua Wong, Xiang Li, Haoyu Ma, Debin Gao.
In Proceedings of the USENIX Security (CCF-A, Big4 Conference of Computer Security)
[Acceptance rate: 18.3% (417/2276)]

Biography

I am a true idealist, driven by intellectual curiosity and a passion for tackling unsolved challenges. Before joined CityUHK, I dedicated two years to exploring what I want to be and what I benefit to do in this society through diverse experiences across academia and industry. During these two years, I had the privilege to work at renowned institutions including Alibaba DAMO Academy, Zhejiang Lab, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), and Huawei 2012Lab. I am deeply honored to have collaborated with exceptional mentors such as Prof. Zheng YAN, Prof. Yinqian ZHANG, Dr. Haoyu MA, and Dr. Jianyu NIU, whose guidance has been pivotal to my growth. This transformative journey has not only gifted me with invaluable professional insights but also cherished memories that continue to shape my path.

Award

  • Outstanding Master Student, 2022
  • Outstanding Bachelor Graduate, 2019
  • Excellent Undergraduate Thesis, 2019
  • Interdisciplinary Contest In Modeling, Honorable Mention
  • National Cryptography Competition, Third Prize
  • China Undergraduate Mathematical Contest in Modeling, First Prize in Province District

About me

I was born in Shandong, China. I am obsessed with playing music🎶, such as accordion🪗 and piano🎹. Also, you would often see me at livehouses🎤 and talk-shows🤣. These hobbies shaped my sentimental personalities. Talk is cheap, show me your activities! I love express myself and experiencing new things.