The Empirical Security Research Group (ESRG) is a research lab in the Stanford Computer Science Department that focuses on Internet security and privacy, online hate and harassment, and the spread of misinformation. We are an empirical lab — we build systems to collect global datasets, analyze data to better understand real-world behavior and problems, and architect more resiliant systems and protocols.

• Internet Security.   Real-world security outcomes are influenced by a tremendous number of factors ranging from manufacturer inventives to end-user confusion. We study how security plays out in practice and uncover weaknesses that can only be detected in the wild. We have uncovered fundamental flaws in protocols like HTTPS, SSH, and SMTP, and our work has influenced the design of TLS 1.3, the Linux random number generator, browser trust decisions, how CAs generate certificates, and how researchers notify operators of vulnerabilities.
• Hate and Harassment.   Online hate and harassment is a pernicious problem that impacts Internet users around the world. We study how hate and harassment is spread on major platforms and where current defenses fail to protect users, with the ultimate goal of developing better systems to help people protect themselves from online hate and harassment attacks.
• Misinformation.   Falsehoods, fake news, conspiracies, and misinformation are often deliberately spread in dense and complex networks across the Internet. We build large-scale systems to identify and analyze misinformation on social media, websites, and decentralized communication networks. Our work has included understanding the role of conspiracy theories in the spread of misinformation and documenting the disproportionate reliance of misinformation websites on particular Internet infrastructure providers.
• Internet Measurement.   The Internet is a constantly evolving world-wide ecosystem, composed of a myriad of services, network structures, operator configurations, and users. We build new systems and methods to collect and analyze data about the Internet at scale. Our work includes building scanners that identify unexpected Internet services and publically accessible cloud storage buckets, as well as developing a system that classifies organizations that own and operate the Internet.