# About me
Hello. My name is Martin Plattner. I am a software engineer and consultant with a strong interest in information security. I live and work in Innsbruck, Austria, a beautiful town in the alps.
I run a freelance software development and IT consulting business since 2011. I am specialized on the creation of custom applications that efficiently solve business needs. I cover all stages of a project and aim for close cooperation with the client to deliver high-quality results. I also offer consulting with a strong focus on cyber security. More about my services and a selection of previous projects can be found below. If you want to work with me, please send me an e-mail.
I studied Computer Science with a focus on information security at the University of Innsbruck. I was working as project research staff in the Security and Privacy Lab of Rainer Böhme, where I studied cross-blockchain data analysis using BlockSci. Previously I completed bachelors in Computer Science and Business Informatics at the University of Vienna and the University of Stockholm.
I was a Google Summer of Code (GSoC) participant in summer 2020. I worked for the security research organization The Honeynet Project and added new features to the network analysis tool mitmproxy.
Interests. IT Security, Software Development, Data Analysis, Distributed Ledger Protocols, Graphic Design
# Services
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– Software EngineeringI create modern software that efficiently solves the given problem efficiently and in a user-friendly way. I am most experienced in creating custom web applications. My approach covers all phases of an application: understanding the idea and its requirements, creation of a prototype, development, testing, deployment, and the following maintenance. My security background ensures that the result is secure and reliable.
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– Information SecurityIT security has been my passion for many years. I have strong knowledge of system-, software-, and network-security, digital forensics, cryptography, and many other security-related topics. I can secure your applications and IT infrastructure, train your employees, and consult you to professionally manage risks and challenges related to cybersecurity.
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– Data Analysis & Information RetrievalI have deep knowledge of information retrieval (especially web crawling), databases (SQL, NoSQL, in-memory), and data warehouse systems. My preferred platform for analyses is Python with its SciPy stack, but I also like to use Tableau for data visalization. I am also experienced with blockchain data analysis, especially with cross-chain analyses of Bitcoin and its forks.
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– IT ConsultingI offer consulting on a wide range of IT-related topics such as governance, infrastructure, and security. I enjoy identifying inefficiencies and optimizing the underlying business processes. This often includes finding appropriate software for the problem, or creating a custom application if no solution can be found.
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– WebsitesI create professional websites that successfully represent businesses online. I have experience with Wordpress and static site generators like Hugo. I can also help with developing a digital marketing strategy, including branding, targeted content, and search engine optimization (SEO).
# Selected Freelance Works
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– Web Application: Panel Survey ManagementWeb application to create and manage proprietary consumer panels for market research. Users can register on the frontend to participate in surveys and receive credits in return. The backend allows to manage panels, participants, surveys, credits, and other data. The application uses and integrates Limesurvey, a professional survey software. A callcenter module allows to conduct computer assisted telephone interviews. The application is highly customizable (frontend website, participant data fields, e-mail templates), extensively logs user behavior, and allows full internationalization. Continuous integration (CI) is used to deploy the application to multiple environments.
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– Web Application: Business Run Event ManagementWeb application that supports all stages of managing corporate business running events. Key features include the registration and management of participants, an online shop with automatic invoicing and payment processing, a document management system with Dropbox integration, and a barcode-based starter packet pick-up system. The timekeeping results can be imported to deliver result notifications via SMS and generate certificates. A wiki system based on Confluence is used to onboard and train on-site staff.
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– Web Application: Workforce SchedulingWeb application to schedule staff in the health care sector, used in a large Austrian hospital. The application is highly customizable (rooms, positions, required staff) and provides schedule versioning. Role-based access control ensures that only authorized users can modify and approve schedules. The absence management module allows users to request vacation and track absences of various types.
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– Website: Physiotherapist Carmen VeiderWordpress-based website for a local physiotherapist including customized icons and SEO.
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– Website: Lawyer Stefan ZajicWordpress website and SEO for a local lawyer.
# Academic Works
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– Conference paper: BlockSci – Design and applications of a blockchain analysis platform[PDF] [Publisher] [Video] [Slides]We present BlockSci, an open-source software platform for blockchain analysis. BlockSci is versatile in its support for different blockchains and analysis tasks. It incorporates an in-memory, analytical database, making it orders of magnitudes faster than using general-purpose graph databases. We describe BlockSci’s design and present four analyses that illustrate its capabilities, shedding light on the security, privacy, and economics of cryptocurrencies.
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– Master Thesis: Generalizing BlockSci to Cross-Chain Analyses of Forked Ledgers[PDF] [Video] [Slides] [Code]BlockSci is a high-performance in-memory blockchain analysis platform developed at Princeton University. I added a multi-chain mode to BlockSci that improves the support for forked ledgers like Bitcoin Cash. This new mode enables novel cross-chain analyses that include data from multiple chains. I implemented cross-chain address clustering which improves the established single-chain approach to cluster addresses that are owned by the same users. My thesis won the “Best Master Thesis of the Institute” award of the Computer Science Institute at the University of Innsbruck.
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– Bachelor Thesis: Evaluation of Responsive Images Solutions for the Web[PDF] [Proof of concept]In this work I reviewed six responsive images solutions against a custom evaluation framework. The native HTML5 responsive images solution outperformed all the other methods. It was used in a case-example to create the travel catalogue destinat.io which uses responsive fullscreen images.
# Talks
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– Generalizing BlockSci to Cross-Chain Analyses of Forked Ledgers[Slides] [Video] [Event Website]In this talk I give an overview of my thesis. I won the “Best Master Thesis of the Institute” award of the Computer Science Institute at the University of Innsbruck. The talk was part of the award ceremony at the institute’s virtual “Inday Students” event. Thanks to Gloria Dzida for helping me with the recording.
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– Workshop: BlockSci's Architecture and Bitcoin Blockchain Data Analysis (German)[Slides] [Video] [Course Website]Workshop on BlockSci with an in-depth coverage of its architecture and hand-on data analysis exercises on the Bitcoin blockchain. The workshop was part of our “Principles of Blockchain Systems” lecture that was held remotely in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
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– Training: Blockchain Data Analysis with BlockSci (German)[Slides] [Demo I] [Demo II] [Event Website]Introduction to blockchain data analysis with BlockSci at a cryptocurrency forensics training for Austrian law enforcement officers, regulators, and tax officers.