Erik Poll

About

Erik Poll is a leading researcher in software security and formal methods, with a particular focus on applying automated techniques to real-world systems. His work bridges the gap between theoretical verification and practical security analysis. One of his most impactful contributions is the innovative use of state machine learning for automated reverse engineering, as demonstrated in his highly cited 2014 paper "Automated Reverse Engineering Using LEGO" (34 citations). In this work, Poll showed how fuzzing sequences of inputs can reverse engineer the behavior of Internet banking smartcard readers, even using a LEGO robot to physically interact with the devices—a creative approach that highlights his hands-on, applied methodology. More recently, Poll has contributed to the architecture of fully autonomous vehicles, co-authoring a 2020 paper (14 citations) that proposes a standard-driven software architecture to manage the immense complexity of self-driving systems. His research consistently emphasizes rigorous, verifiable design, making him a key figure in developing secure, dependable software for critical applications.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Automated reverse engineering using lego

   34 citations · 2014
2. 2
   A Standard Driven Software Architecture for Fully Autonomous Vehicles

   14 citations · 2020

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links