I am looking for multiple Ph.D. students to work in my group on the following topics:

• Security testing for web vulnerability detection and analysis
• Machine learning/artificial intelligence for security testing

Positions are fully-funded.

Positions are expected to be filled latest end-summer 2021, but other dates are possible too.

Please, submit your application by March 30, 2021. After that, I’ll review submitted applications, and around April 10, I will send emails to invite applicants to get to know my team and me.

All applications must be submitted through the CISPA application systems and contain:

1. A cover letter. As the CISPA application system is centralized, your cover letter must specify that
   • you are applying for a position in the group of Dr. Pellegrino
   • and the topic of interest, i.e., Security testing or ML/AI for security testing
2. A CV
3. A recent transcript of records
4. Certificates
5. Names, titles, and email addresses of your referees

Please note: It is recommended to submit PDF files only. Microsoft Office documents will be ignored.

Is sending a bunch of PDFs via email too boring for you? Would you like to spice your application a little bit up? Say no more. I got you covered!

Below are three string tokens, each hiding a secret text message. Your goal is to find the text message and follow the additional application submission instructions in it. Following these new instructions is the only requirement to prove you got the solution. Solving the challenges is strongly recommended.

The complexity of the challenges is incremental, and solving one will help in solving the next one. Be aware that solving the challenges takes time. Depending on your skillset, solving all challenges may take about one hour.

Said that, behold the three challenges:

Challenge 1

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Challenge 2

MRQXIYJ2ORSXQ5BPNB2G23B3MJQXGZJWGQWFAR3IGBRFO5ZLKBDWQ3CZK5ISWUCDHFXVUV2GNNIGU6DJMIZFENKQNJ4G6TKUGVCGCR2GONREOVTVLIZFKZ2NNJ3XMYKEIUVVASCBFNITEOLVLIZUU2DEJBLHGWKYKJYGEMRUNBEUM3DWMRJUE6TCGJ4DEWSXKFTWIR3INREUOTTPLFLXQ422K42W4WSTIJ2WIVZRNFNFQSLHJVUTIZ2UNU4TGTCDII2WEM2VM5RFQVT2MRBUE2C2I5IWOZCHNBWESSCOGBRW23DVLJ4UEMDCGJ2GYYTJIJGVEVSRORKXSMKTKQYE4TCJI5DDASKIKJXVUU2CNRRG2ULHMIZFSZ3EI5UGYSKIJYYVS3LQNRMTGULVKBBTS52QNJ3XMWLNHFVWKVBUHBGDE2BQMJLXOKY=

Challenge 3

FZTGOYLWMJRSAYTBEBQXMIDGM54WQZTSMUQHIYLWM5XHE5KQEAXGO2DDM5UGEIDRMVXHCYLOM5TCA4TVM4QGC5RAMFRHMZ3IPFRGMIDSOVTSAYLFNBTXEZJAMJTSA4LSM5YHEY3LOIQGM5RAM53CA4LBNYQCY3DDFZQWE5THNB4WEZS7GNZHIYLSPF4W45LQEBQWE5LHNRRSALBOOIXHMIBMFFKUMTSPFAQHEYLWPEQHCYLOPJ5GE4BANZ3GSIDROJTWQ4DSNNZCA4TPEB4XS5TKEBTWG5TFOBTCA4TVI4QC44LSOFRHALLRMVXHKIDSN4QGC3TQEB2GC5TFM5TCAZ3IMNQXMIDROJYWE4DBOIQHE5KHEAXCS4TUNZTGM4T2EBTHM5LHEAWC44ROOYUCAYLCOZTWQ6LCMYQHE5LHEBQXE4TFOBTCAYLCEBTWC5TFMMQHS6LWNIQGOY3WMVYGMIDSOVDSALRTEMQHE5DBOJ4XS3TVOAQHGYRAMFZHQYTHEB2GC5TFM5TCA4TVM4QHE4LCOBZHCIDCM4QHU5LHOZSWE5DZNYQHE5LHEBTGOYLSPJZHSY32OYQGOY3WMVYGMIDSOVDSALTMMMXGCYTWM5UHSYTGL4ZXE5DBOJ4XS3TVOAQHC4TZPFXHAIDSPF3HGIDHMN3GK4DGEBQWE5LHNRBSA3RAPF3G46TSEBZHKZZAMJTSA5LQNZTWO3RAOJTG44TZIMQC4MZAMVZG66TIMEQHE5DBOJ4XS3TVOAQHE5LHEBYXE2LZMJTCA2DCJQQCCYLCOZTW46LIM5XGK5DBMJIA====

In case you are stuck, hints are hidden somewhere in this page.