Hassan El Hadary

Hassan’s professional foundation was built in enterprise software development, where he mastered the mechanics of complex system construction. He later formalized this expertise with a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the American University in Cairo, specializing in Secure Software Engineering. This academic rigor served as the catalyst for his transition into application security, where he has since worked with elite security teams and managed high-stakes penetration testing for applications. Drawing on this "in-the-trenches" hacking experience, he transitioned into product security to help organizations proactively defend against vulnerabilities by building strategies that are as dynamic and agile as the modern threat landscape.

As a prominent security researcher, Hassan maintains a distinguished track record in global bug bounty programs, earning recognition for high-impact vulnerability research from Google, Apple, Meta, and PayPal. He leverages his dual-perspective, bridging software engineering and offensive security, to bypass sophisticated modern defenses and uncover the complex logic flaws that frequently evade traditional automation. Hassan El Hadary is also a faculty member of the SANS Technology Institute, which has been designated an NSA Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense and is a multi-year winner of the National Cyber League competition.

Since joining the SANS faculty in 2012, Hassan has operated on the philosophy that "challenges and real-life stories are the keys to deeply understanding techniques." His primary mission in the classroom is to instill an attacker’s mindset in his students, equipping them to uncover and exploit the nuanced logic bugs inherent in modern applications. Outside the world of security, Hassan enjoys exploring world music and ancient traditions, and finds a creative and peaceful counterpoint in enjoying nature.

Qualifications Summary

• SANS Certified Instructor; Senior Staff Product Security Engineer at Ridgeline
• Master of Science in Computer Science, The American University in Cairo
• Bachelor of Computer Engineering, Ain Shams University
• 20+ years in application security, penetration testing, and secure development
• Bug Bounty Hall of Fame recognition (Google, Apple, Facebook, Twitter, AT&T)
• Contributor to OWASP projects and author of application security publications