Sisi Duan, 段斯斯

Sisi Duan's homepage

Sisi Duan, 段斯斯

Research Scientist, PhD Advisor
Institute for Advanced Study
Tsinghua University
Email: duansisi AT tsinghua.edu.cn

Short Bio

Dr. Sisi Duan is a Researcher at the Institute for Advanced Study, Tsinghua University. She received her Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of California, Davis in 2014 (Advisors: Prof. Karl Levitt and Sean Peisert ). She got her bachelor degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Hong Kong in 2010. Prior to joining Tsinghua University in 2020, she was an Assistant Professor at University of Maryland, Baltimore County from 2017 to 2020, a Weinberg fellow at Oak Ridge National Laboratory from 2015 to 2017. She is a member of Beijing National Research Center for Science and technology and National Financial Cryptography Research Center. Dr. Duan’s research interests include distributed systems security, blockchain, and applied cryptography.

Awards and Honors

  • InTech Award (InTech科技奖) by the AntGroup, 2024.
  • WeBank Scholar (微众学者) by WeBank, 2024.
  • Tsinghua Young Scholar Research Award (学术新人奖), 2021.
  • 35 Innovators under 35 (TR35) China by MIT Technology Review, 2021.
  • Named as one of the Maryland’s cyber warrior women, 2019.
  • Best Paper in Networking Track (1 of the 3), ICDCN, 2017.
  • Alvin M. Weinberg Distinguished Fellowship, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 2015.
  • Best Paper Candidate Award, SRDS, 2014.
  • Graduate Student Travel Award, University of California, Davis, 2014.
  • Leiv Eiriksson Mobility Grant, Research Council of Norway, 2014.
  • Top 100 in Google Code Jam I/O for Women 2014 (Rank: 30th).
  • Block Grant Fellowship, Office of Graduate Studies, University of California, Davis, 2011.

Publication

Also see my papers at DBLP and Google Scholar. *Students under my supervision.

Conference Full Papers

  • [c36] Yichen Gong, Delong Ran, Jinyuan Liu, Conglei Wang, Tianshuo Cong, Anyu Wang, Sisi Duan, Xiaoyun Wang. FigStep: Jailbreaking Large Vision-language Models via Typographic Visual Prompts. AAAI 2025. [arxiv]
  • [c35] Daniel Collins, Sisi Duan, Julian Loss, Charalampos Papamanthou, Giorgos Tsimos, and Haochen Wang*. Towards Optimal Parallel Broadcast under a Dishonest Majority. FC 2025. [eprint]
  • [c34] Xuanji Meng*, Xiao Sui*, Zhaoxin Yang*, Kang Rong, Wenbo Xu, Shenglong Chen, Ying Yan, Sisi Duan. Rondo: Scalable and Reconfiguration-Friendly Randomness Beacon. NDSS 2025. [DOI][eprint]
  • [c33] Chenglu Jin, Chao Yin, Marten van Dijk, Sisi Duan, Fabio Massacci, Michael K. Reiter, and Haibin Zhang. PG: Byzantine Fault-Tolerant and Privacy-Preserving Sensor Fusion with Guaranteed Output Delivery. CCS 2024. [DOI][DOI]
  • [c32] Sourav Das, Sisi Duan, Shengqi Liu, Atsuki Momose, Ling Ren, and Victor Shoup. Asynchronous Consensus without Trusted Setup or Public-Key Cryptography. CCS 2024. [DOI][eprint][a theoretical take by Victor]
  • [c31] Mingfei Zhang*, Rujia Li*, and Sisi Duan. Max Attestation Matters: Making Honest Parties Lose Their Incentives in Ethereum PoS. Usenix Security 2024. [DOI][eprint][code]
  • [c30] Qichang Liu*, Xufeng Zhang, Sisi Duan, and Haibin Zhang. Enhancing Permissioned Blockchains with Controlled Data Authorization. ACISP 2024. [DOI]
  • [c29] Sisi Duan, Haibin Zhang, Xiao Sui*, Baohan Huang*, Changchun Mu, Gang Di, and Xiaoyun Wang. Dashing and Star: Byzantine Fault Tolerance from Weak Certificates. Eurosys 2024. [DOI][eprint] Used in the production system of the mBridge project.
  • [c28] Haibin Zhang, Sisi Duan, Boxin Zhao*, and Liehuang Zhu. WaterBear: Practical Asynchronous BFT Matching Security Guarantees of Partially Synchronous BFT. Usenix Security 2023. [DOI][eprint][code]
  • [c27] Sisi Duan, Xin Wang*, and Haibin Zhang. FIN: Practical Signature-Free Asynchronous Common Subset in Constant Time. CCS 2023. [DOI][eprint]
  • [c26] Haibin Zhang, Sisi Duan, Chao Liu, Boxin Zhao*, Xuanji Meng*, Shengli Liu, Yong Yu, Fangguo Zhang, and Liehuang Zhu. Practical Asynchronous Distributed Key Generation: Improved Efficiency, Weaker Assumption, and Standard Model. DSN 2023. [DOI][eprint]
  • [c25] Xinrui Zhang, Rujia Li*, Qin Wang, Qi Wang and Sisi Duan. Time-manipulation Attack: Breaking Fairness against Proof of Authority Aura. The Web Conf (WWW) 2023. [DOI][PDF][code]
  • [c24] Nicolas Alhaddad, Sourav Das, Sisi Duan, Ling Ren, Mayank Varia, Zhuolun Xiang, and Haibin Zhang. Balanced Byzantine Reliable Broadcast with Near-Optimal Communication and Improved Computation. PODC 2022. [DOI][eprint]
  • [c23] Haibin Zhang abd Sisi Duan. PACE: Fully Parallelizable Asynchronous BFT from Reproposable Byzantine Agreement. CCS 2022. [DOI][eprint][code]
  • [c22] Sisi Duan and Haibin Zhang. Foundations of Dynamic BFT. S&P (Oakland) 2022. [DOI][eprint][teasor][presentation]
  • [c21] Xiao Sui*, Sisi Duan, and Haibin Zhang. Marlin: Two-Phase BFT with Linearity. DSN 2022. [PDF][DOI][teasor]
  • [c20] James R. Clavin*, Yue Huang*, Xin Wang*, Pradeep M. Prakash*, Sisi Duan, Jianwu Wang, and Sean Peisert. A framework for evaluating BFT. ICPADS 2021. [PDF][DOI]
  • [c19] Chao Liu*, Sisi Duan, and Haibin Zhang.EPIC: Efficient Asynchronous BFT with Adaptive Security, DSN 2020. [PDF][DOI]
  • [c18] Sisi Duan, Chao Liu*, Xin Wang*, Yusen Wu, Shuai Xu, Yelena Yesha, Haibin Zhang. Intrusion-Tolerant and Confidentiality-Preserving Publish/Subscribe Messaging. SRDS 2020: 319-328. [PDF][DOI]
  • [c17] Sisi Duan, Michael K. Reiter, and Haibin Zhang. BEAT: Asynchronous BFT Made Practical, CCS 2018. [PDF][DOI][Code][presentation]
  • [c16] Siddhant Goenka, Sisi Duan, and Haibin Zhang. A Formal Treatment of Efficient Byzantine Routing Against Fully Byzantine Adversary. NCA 2018. [PDF][DOI]
  • [c15] Liangzhe Chen, Xinfeng Xu, Sangkeun Lee, Sisi Duan, Alfonso G. Tarditi, Supriya Chinthavali, and B. Aditya Prakash. HotSpots: Failure Cascades on Heterogeneous Critical Infrastructure Networks. CIKM 2017: 1599-1607. [PDF][DOI]
  • [c14] Sisi Duan, Michael K. Reiter, and Haibin Zhang. Secure Causal Atomic Broadcast, Revisited. DSN 2017: 61-72. [PDF][DOI]
  • [c13] Sisi Duan, Sangkeun Lee, Supriya Chinthavali, and Mallikarjun Shankar. Best Effort Broadcast under Cascading Failures in Interdependent Networks. ICDCN 2017: 27. [PDF][DOI] One of the 3 best papers of the networking track. Invited to the journal of Pervasive and Mobile Computing (PMC) Elsevier.
  • [c12] Sangkeun Lee, Liangzhe Chen, Sisi Duan, Supriya Chinthavali, Mallikarjun Shankar, and B. Aditya Prakash. URBAN-NET: A Network-based Infrastructure Monitoring and Analysis System for Emergency Management and Public Safety. Big Data 2016: 2600-2610. [PDF][DOI]
  • [c11] Sisi Duan, Lucas Nicely, and Haibin Zhang. Byzantine Reliable Broadcast in Sparse Networks. NCA 2016: 175-182. [PDF][DOI]
  • [c10] Sisi Duan, Yun Li, and Karl Levitt. Cost Sensitive Moving Target Consensus. NCA 2016: 272-281. [PDF][DOI]
  • [c9] Sisi Duan and Haibin Zhang. Practical State Machine Replication with Confidentiality. SRDS 2016: 187-196. [PDF][DOI]
  • [c8] Sisi Duan, Sangkeun Lee, Supriya Chinthavali, and Malikarjun Shankar. Reliable Communication Models in Interdependent Critical Infrastructure Networks. RWS 2016:152-157. [PDF][DOI]
  • [c7] Sisi Duan and Jingtao Sun. Energy Management Policies in Distributed Residential Energy Systems. IDCS 2016: 121-133. [DOI]
  • [c6] Sangkeun Lee, Supriya Chinthavali, Sisi Duan, and Malikarjun Shankar. Utilizing Semantic Big Data for realizing a National-scale Infrastructure Vulnerability Analysis System. SBD@SIGMOD 2016: 3. [PDF][DOI]
  • [c5] Jingtao Sun and Sisi Duan. A Self-Adaptive Middleware for Efficient Routing in Distributed Sensor Networks. SMC 2015: 322-327. [PDF][DOI]
  • [c4] Sisi Duan, Jingtao Sun, and Sean Peisert. Towards a Self-Adaptive Middleware for Building Reliable Publish/Subscribe Systems. IDCS 2015: 157-168. [PDF][DOI]
  • [c3] Sisi Duan, Hein Meling, Sean Peisert, and Haibin Zhang. BChain: Byzantine Replication with High Throughput and Embedded Reconfiguration. OPODIS 2014: 91-106. [PDF][DOI][Press]
  • [c2] Sisi Duan, Karl Levitt, Hein Meling, Sean Peisert, and Haibin Zhang. ByzID: Byzantine Fault Tolerance from Intrusion Detection. SRDS 2014: 253-264. [PDF][DOI] Best Paper Candidate Award.
  • [c1] Tiancheng Chang, Sisi Duan, Hein Meling, Sean Peisert, and Haibin Zhang. P2S: A Fault-Tolerant Publish/Subscribe Infrastructure. DEBS 2014: 189-197. [PDF][DOI]

Conference Short Papers

  • [s3] Nicolas Alhaddad, Sourav Das, Sisi Duan, Ling Ren, Mayank Varia, Zhuolun Xiang, and Haibin Zhang. Brief Announcement: Asynchronous Verifiable Information Dispersal with Near-Optimal Communication. PODC 2022. [DOI][eprint]
  • [s2] James R. Clavin*, Pradeep M. Prakash, and Sisi Duan. ByzGame: Byzantine Generals Game. DEBS 2020. [PDF][DOI][Access ByzGame]
  • [s1] James R. Clavin* and Sisi Duan. Demo Abstract: ByzGame, a Visualized and Understandable BFT Consensus. Middleware 2019. [PDF][DOI]

Journal

  • [j14] Haochen Wang*, Qidi You, and Sisi Duan. Synchronous Byzantine Agreement with O(n) Messages and O(1) Expected Time. IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security (TIFS), 2024 (online). [DOI]
  • [j13] Yue Huang*, Huizhong Li, Yi Sun, and Sisi Duan. Byzantine Fault Tolerance with Non-Determinism, Revisited. IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security (TIFS), 2024 (online). [DOI] [eprint]
  • [j12] Rujia Li*, Yuanzhao Li, Qin Wang, Sisi Duan, Qi Wang, and Mark Ryan. Accountable Decryption made Formal and Practical. IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security (TIFS), 2024 (online). [DOI] [eprint]
  • [j11] Rujia Li*, Qin Wang, Yuanzhao Li, Sisi Duan, Qi Wang, and David Galindo. Bringing Smart Contract Confidentiality via Trusted Hardware: Fact and Fiction. IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security (TIFS), 2024 (online). [DOI]
  • [j10] Yunqing Bian*, Xin Wang*, Jian Jin, Zhenzhen Jiao, and Sisi Duan. Flexible and Scalable Decentralized Identity Management for Industrial Internet of Things. IEEE Internet of Things Journal, 2024. [DOI] [code]
  • [j9] Xiao Sui*, Sisi Duan, and Haibin Zhang. BG: A Modular Treatment of BFT Consensus Toward a Unified Theory of BFT Replication. IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security (TIFS), 2024. [eprint][DOI]
  • [j8] Haibin Zhang, Chao Liu*, and Sisi Duan. How to Achieve Adaptive Security for Asynchronous BFT? JPDC 2022. [DOI]
  • [j7] Sisi Duan and Haibin Zhang. Recent Progress on BFT in the Era of Blockchains. National Science Review, 2022. [DOI]
  • [j6] Xin Wang*, Sisi Duan, James R. Clavin*, and Haibin Zhang. BFT in Blockchains: From Protocols to Use Cases. ACM Computing Surveys, 2022. (Online: Dec 2021). [PDF][DOI]
  • [j5] Guohou Shan, Boxin Zhao*, James R. Clavin*, Haibin Zhang, and Sisi Duan. Poligraph: Intrusion-Tolerant and Distributed Fake News Detection System. IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security (TIFS) 17: 28-41, 2022. [PDF][DOI]
  • [j4] James R. Clavin*, Sisi Duan, Haibin Zhang, Vandana P. Janeja, Karuna P. Joshi, Yelena Yesha, Lucy C. Erickson, and Justin D. Li. Blockchains for Government: Use Cases and Challenges. ACM Digital Government: Resesarch and Practice 1(3): 22:1-22:21, 2020. [PDF][DOI]
  • [j3] Sisi Duan and Bilal M. Ayyub. Assessment Methods of Network Resilience for Cyber-Human-Physical Systems. ASCE-ASME Journal of Risk and Uncertainty Analysis, 6(1), 2020. [DOI]
  • [j2] Sisi Duan, Sangkeun Lee, Supriya Chinthavali, and Mallikarjun Shankar. Best Effort Broadcast under Cascading Failures in Interdependent Critical Infrastructure Networks. Elsevier Pervasive and Mobile Computing, 43: 114-130, 2018. [PDF][DOI]
  • [j1] Sisi Duan, Sean Peisert, and Karl Levitt. hBFT: Speculative Byzantine Fault Tolerance with Minimum Cost. IEEE Transaction on Dependable and Secure Computing (TDSC) , 12(1): 58-70, 2015. [PDF][DOI] Note: hBFT has potential safety issues, as published here.

Manuscripts

  • Xin Wang*, Haochen Wang*, Haibin Zhang, and Sisi Duan. Pando: Extremely Scalable BFT Based on Committee Sampling. [eprint]
  • Chenxu Wang*, Sisi Duan, Minghui Xu, Feng Li, and Xiuzhen Cheng. Sleepy Consensus in the Known Participation Model. [eprint]
  • Xiao Sui*, Xin Wang*, and Sisi Duan. Signature-Free Atomic Broadcast with Optimal $O(n^2)$ Messages and $O(1)$ Expected Time. [eprint]
  • Rujia Li*, Xuanwei Hu, Qin Wang, Sisi Duan, and Qi Wang. Transaction Fairness in Blockchains, Revisited. [eprint]
  • You Zhou, Zongyang Zhang, Haibin Zhang, Sisi Duan, Bin Hu, Licheng Wang, and Jianwei Liu. Dory: Asynchronous BFT with Reduced Communication and Improved Efficiency. [eprint]
  • Nicolas Alhaddad, Sisi Duan, Mayank Varia, and Haibin Zhang. Succinct Erasure Coding Proof Systems. [eprint]

Doctoral Dissertation

  • Sisi Duan. Building Reliable and Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance. Ph.D. Dissertation, Computer Science, University of California, Davis, Dec 2014. Committee members: Prof. Karl Levitt (chair), Prof. Sean Peisert, and Prof. Matt Bishop. [PDF]

Group

I have been fortunate to work with some great students.

Postdoc

  • Rujia Li (Shuimu Scholar, Jan 2023 - now)
  • Xin Wang (Shuimu Scholar, Nov 2022 - now)
  • Zhaoxin Yang (Oct 2023 - now)

PhD

  • Xinyu Lei (Fall 2024 - now)
  • Mingfei Zhang (Fall 2022 - now)
  • Yue Huang (Fall 2022 - now)
  • Xuanji Meng (Fall 2021 - now)
  • Haochen Wang (Fall 2020 - now)

Master

  • Shuhe Cao (Fall 2024 - now)

Undergraduate Students

  • Qichang Liu

Visitors

  • Chenxu Wang (Apr-Sep 2023, May-Oct 2024)

Alumni

  • Xin Wang (PhD, UMBC, graduated in 2022, current job: Postdoc/Shuimu at Tsinghua University)
  • Chao Liu (PhD, UMBC, graduated in 2022, current job: Associate Professor at Quanzhou Normal University)
  • Baohan Huang (PhD, graduated in 2023, current position: PhD at Beijing Institute of Technology)
  • Xiao Sui (PhD, graduated in 2024, current position: Postdoc/Shuimu scholar at Tsinghua, University)
  • Yunqing Bian (Master, graduated in 2024)
  • Jim Clavin (PhD, UMBC, graduated in 2024, co-advised with Prof. Karuna Joshi, current job: CTO of Hilltop Institute, MD, USA)

Professional Service

Conference Co-Chair and Session Chair

  • 2025: CCS (blockchain and distributed systems track chair)
  • 2023: CCS (session chair)
  • 2018: IDCS (co-chair), UIC (co-chair)

Conference PC

  • 2025: NDSS, CCS (track chcair), S&P, DSN, FC, ICDCS
  • 2024: NDSS, S&P, CCS, ICDCS, FC, DSN (Disrupt track), IJTCS-FAW
  • 2023: DSN, ICDCS, CCS, SecureComm, OPODIS, CCSW
  • 2022: DSN, NCA, CCSW
  • 2021: DSN, NCA
  • 2020: BIOTC, IDC, NCA
  • 2019: BTSD, NCA, IDCS
  • 2018: NCA, CISRC
  • 2017: NCA, CISRC
  • 2016: CISRC
  • 2015: CISRC
  • 2013: CSSIIRW

Journal Reviewer

  • Elsevier Pervasive and Mobile Computing
  • ScienceDirect Journal of Parallel and Distributed Computing
  • IEEE Transactions on Network and Service Management
  • IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing
  • ACM Transactions on Internet Technology
  • IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering
  • IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology
  • IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security