From math-loving student to Microsoft security engineer and big boss

After earning a bachelor's degree in computer science from one of the best universities in Australia, the University of New South Wales, Nguyen Duy Lan received a doctorate in cryptography at the University of Wollongong.
Mr Nguyen Duy Lan
Mr Nguyen Duy Lan 

Lan showed passion for math at high school and received encouragement from his teacher.

Lan said he chose cryptography for his doctoral thesis because the career has close relations with math. He decided to devote himself to information security because the career demands deep knowledge in math, together with logic and sensitivity to discover vulnerabilities in systems. 

After receiving the doctorate, he followed post-doc study, developing a project on building a security system for online identification data in health at CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation)

Lan joined the Microsoft staff in its golden days. At first, he became a member of the firm’s startup project. As the project was later canceled, he found another position at Microsoft Research after attending international recruitment campaigns.

During his time at Microsoft, he was a member of the Cryptography Team and took part in the development of software used in Microsoft’s over 20 major products for millions of users, including the data security tool for the famous search engine Bing.

After eight years of working for Microsoft, Lan and other colleagues at Microsoft established Veramine which includes one American, two Polish and two Vietnamese. 

They were all major security experts in teams which patched flaws and updated Microsoft’s most important products such as Windows, Office, Azure and Xbox.

After two years of development, V-SOC of Veramine got many clients from the US, Singapore, Vietnam, and Australia. Its clients include big names such as the US Air Forces, US Department of Homeland Security and Singaporean Ministry of Defense.

V-SOC is similar to a surveillance camera system which collects data from computer systems in real time. 

The data is analyzed and investigated to give warnings with algorithms and machine learning, and then it gives commands to clients and devices to handle and control network attacks or malicious codes in the system.

According to Lan, Veramine is still focusing on developing products. In the future, Veramine will pay higher attention to sales, but developing products will always be its priority task, he said.

Vietnamnet

Other News

AI offers both opportunities, challenges for Vietnam's growth

AI offers both opportunities, challenges for Vietnam's growth

Dr. Ho Duc Thang, a full-time member of the National Assembly’s Committee for Cultural and Educational, said productivity is the key to sustaining double-digit economic growth, and AI has greater potential to improve productivity than any previous technology.

Top leader unveils people-centred vision for new development model

Top leader unveils people-centred vision for new development model

Vietnam's growth model, long fueled by low-cost labour, resource extraction, contract manufacturing, expanded investment, and capital accumulation, has run out of road. The country now needs a sweeping reform agenda to shift from extensive growth to a model driven by productivity, knowledge, science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

First national semiconductor chip prototyping support centre makes debut

First national semiconductor chip prototyping support centre makes debut

Vietnam's semiconductor ecosystem now comprises around 60 chip design companies, some 7,000 chip design engineers and 166 universities offering semiconductor-related training programmes. Initial registrations from 12 organisations indicate demand for the prototyping of approximately 30,000 chips.

Vietnam targets at least 10 large strategic technology firms by 2030

Vietnam targets at least 10 large strategic technology firms by 2030

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung has signed a decision approving a plan to develop large domestic strategic technology enterprises in the 2026–2030 period, aimed at advancing digital infrastructure, digital human resources, digital data, strategic technologies and cybersecurity.

Protecting users crucial in building digital trust: Experts

Protecting users crucial in building digital trust: Experts

In Vietnam, digital transformation in the finance and banking sector is accelerating cashless payments, expanding access to financial services, improving market transparency and supporting economic growth and macroeconomic management.

Fostering skilled workforce for innovation era: experts

Fostering skilled workforce for innovation era: experts

Experts said close coordination among State management agencies, research institutes, universities, and businesses will improve training quality and serve the dual goals of quality education and practical research application.

Startup forum bridges Silicon Valley and local innovation ecosystem

Startup forum bridges Silicon Valley and local innovation ecosystem

The University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), Saigon Asset Management (SAM), and Plug and Play Tech Centre co-hosted the “From Vietnam to Silicon Valley” forum, exploring AI innovation, venture capital, and pathways to integrate Vietnam’s startup ecosystem with Silicon Valley and global markets.

Experts call for stronger action against fake news online

Experts call for stronger action against fake news online

Experts have warned that fake news, misinformation and harmful online content are increasingly shaping public perceptions, particularly among young people, and stressed the need for stronger legal safeguards, technology tools and wider dissemination of credible information to tackle the problem effectively.

Protecting digital future in post-quantum, AI era

Protecting digital future in post-quantum, AI era

Participants highlighted the importance of building a proactive, synchronised and sustainable national cybersecurity ecosystem through closer cooperation among regulators, technology firms, research institutions and cybersecurity experts.