# Min Pyo Hong

> Min Pyo Hong is a South Korean cybersecurity entrepreneur and white-hat hacker based in San Francisco. He founded the nonprofit research group WOWHACKER and mobile-security company SHIFTWORKS, later exiting SHIFTWORKS and establishing SEWORKS. His work spans mobile app protection, AI-powered penetration testing and breached-credential defense.

- **Role:** Founder & CEO at SEWORKS
- **Organizations:** SEWORKS, WOWHACKER, SHIFTWORKS, Hashed Vibe Labs, Hack In The Box (former review-board service)
- **Nationality:** South Korean
- **Education:** Listed as a Ph.D. candidate in Computer and Information Systems Security/Information Assurance, Korea University
- **Known for:** Won the KAIST-hosted international hacking competition in 2000., Led a team that reached DEF CON Capture the Flag finals five consecutive times., Founded and exited mobile-security company SHIFTWORKS.

## Career timeline

- **1998** — Founded WOWHACKER, a nonprofit security research group.
- **2000** — Won an international hacking competition hosted by KAIST.
- **2008** — Founded SHIFTWORKS, focused on mobile antivirus and device management.
- **Before SEWORKS** — Exited SHIFTWORKS.
- **2012** — Established SEWORKS in late 2012.
- **2013** — Moved the business toward San Francisco, with R&D in Seoul.
- **2018** — SEWORKS launched Pentoma for AI-powered penetration testing.
- **2025** — Earned Drata Fundamentals certification in June.

## Achievements

- Won the KAIST-hosted international hacking competition in 2000.
- Led a team that reached DEF CON Capture the Flag finals five consecutive times.
- Founded and exited mobile-security company SHIFTWORKS.
- Received a 2009 ministerial commendation from South Korea’s Ministry of Public Administration and Security.
- Built SEWORKS, which currently reports 100+ enterprise clients and $12 million in funding.

## Latest updates

- **2025-06** — His LinkedIn profile records a Drata Fundamentals certification issued in June 2025.
- **2026-10** — As observed in October 2026, his GitHub profile identifies him as a SEWORKS founder and CEO and a Fellow at Hashed Vibe Labs; it pins a prompt-injection defense project.

## Links

- Website: https://se.works/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/silverdel
- GitHub: https://github.com/silverdel

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/min-pyo-hong
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-11