“We have to protect so many projects. For them (hackers) when they look at one project and there’s no bugs, they can simply move on to the next one, until they find a one weak point.”
Ronghui Gu is a research scientist and expert in programming languages and blockchain technologies, specializing in automation and verification systems. Gu holds a PhD in computer science from Yale University and a Bachelor of Science in computer science from Tsinghua University. He is currently the Tang family assistant professor of computer science at Columbia University.
In 2018, Gu co-founded CertiK, a blockchain analysis and cybersecurity firm, alongside several other professors from Columbia and Yale. The firm specializes in monitoring blockchain systems and smart contracts for security issues and is backed by a collective of investment firms that include Insight Partners, Tiger Global, Coatue, Sequoia and Goldman Sachs.
The company has gained prominence due to its extensive use of AI technology to secure blockchain networks. In April 2022, Gu and his partners secured $88 million via a Series B3 fundraising event that boosted the firm’s valuation to $2 billion. Gu and his team at CertiK have worked with some of the biggest players in the industry, including Aave, Polygon and Yearn.finance.
2022 was a largely progressive year for Gu businesswise, as his firm was involved in major projects that helped increase its exposure and credibility as an industry leader in cybersecurity. Notably, CertiK worked with the Ronin bridge following a hack that saw over $600 million in crypto stolen. His firm carried out an audit of the system and issued recommendations.
Gu and his team also analyzed the Wormhole exploit that occurred in February 2022. While Wormhole later “restored” the stolen assets, the hack exposed vulnerabilities in bridge smart contracts.
During 2022, Gu also sounded the alarm on emerging blockchain security problems. After a series of elaborate heists that saw over a billion dollars stolen from blockchain platforms, he pointed out that cybersecurity firms were up against malicious groups that harness resources to undermine specific platforms. According to the researcher, many cybersecurity firms were stretched thin due to their large clientele, and black hats were able to take advantage of it.
Gu, through CertiK, is likely to continue providing blockchain auditing and cybersecurity services to companies in the sector in 2023. The company is also set to grow thanks to the industry’s increasing confidence in its capabilities.
Toward the end of 2022, CertiK entered into a partnership with the KuCoin Community Chain, a public blockchain developed by the KuCoin community, wherein CertiK would oversee the system’s security. Gu and his team are likely to seek similar alliances in 2023. Moreover, 2023 will likely present a new set of cybersecurity challenges for Gu and his organization as hackers find new ways to undermine blockchain systems. He is also likely to continue discussing emerging security challenges in 2023 due to his firm’s deep involvement.
