Mike Bell, Senior Security Researcher

www.evildojo.com | linkedin.com/in/darkmage | bugcrowd.com/darkmagex6 | github.com/mikedesu | evildojo.itch.io

Senior Security Researcher and Penetration Tester with 15+ years of offensive security experience. Ranked in the top 1% on Bugcrowd (1,639 of 200,000+ researchers as of 6/18/26). Recognized in Hall of Fame by Xfinity, Comcast, and Indeed for critical vulnerability discoveries. Expert in black-box/gray-box testing, custom tool development, reverse engineering, and secure code review. Proven track record delivering high-impact security assessments for Fortune 500 clients and mentoring the next generation of security professionals.

Security Research & Open Source Contributions

Technical Skills

Category Tools / Technologies
Languages C/C++, Python, JavaScript, Rust, PHP, TypeScript, Perl
Pentesting Tools Burp Suite, Ffuf, Nmap, Metasploit
Frameworks libsdl2, raylib
Frameworks Django, Flask, Node.js, React
Other Reverse Engineering, Threat Modeling, NIST 800-53, FedRAMP

Experience

C Expert: Mercor, Remote, 2026 – Present
- Designed and implemented realistic C programming challenges representing real-world algorithmic and systems problems to evaluate and benchmark large language models.
- Collaborated daily via Slack with AI research team to refine task difficulty, scoring criteria, and model performance metrics.

Senior Penetration Tester: [Redacted], Remote, 2025
- Conducted black-box security assessments for enterprise clients, identifying critical vulnerabilities including Remote Code Execution (RCE) and SQL Injection (SQLi) in web applications and APIs.
- Performed comprehensive front-end, back-end, and unauthenticated testing using Caido, Project Discovery, Nmap, and custom tooling.

Computer Science Educator: Varsity Tutors, Remote, 2017 – Present
- Delivered personalized instruction to students of all ages and skill levels in C/C++, Python, x86/64 Assembly, JavaScript, HTML5, PHP, Django, Flask, and web security fundamentals.
- Incorporated real-world offensive security concepts and ChatGPT-assisted learning techniques into lesson plans.

Software Consultant: Bunsow de Mory LLP, Remote, 2020 - Performed in-depth source code review for technology-related legal cases in C/C++, Python, Java, and Protocol Buffers.
- Supported patent litigation through technical analysis of source code and related documentation.

Security Consultant: Kratos SecureInfo, San Antonio, TX, 2015–2016 - Conducted NIST 800-53 and FedRAMP-compliant penetration testing of web and mobile applications for government and enterprise clients.
- Executed front-end, back-end API, unauthenticated, and authenticated scans using Nessus, Burp Suite, Metasploit, and Kali Linux.
- Developed custom Python tooling that automated reporting processes and improved efficiency for the team.

iOS Developer: iMobile3 LLC, Jacksonville, FL, 2014–2015 - Developed native iOS Point-of-Sale (POS) applications from scratch using Objective-C, Xcode, Cocoa, UIKit, and SQLite3.
- Integrated backend PHP services and optimized performance for production deployment.

Lead Full Stack Developer: Gifting 365 LLC, San Antonio, TX, 2011–2013 - Designed and built complete front-end UI, back-end API, and MySQL database architecture for e-commerce platform.
- Developed native iOS components using Objective-C, Xcode, and Cocos2d.

Lead Web Developer: myweb Refresh, Fernandina Beach, FL, *2010–2011 - Co-developed and launched 16+ websites for local businesses using JavaScript, HTML5, CSS, WordPress, PHP, Dreamweaver, and Photoshop.

Research Assistant: University of Texas at San Antonio Computer Science Department, San Antonio, TX, 2007–2009 - Conducted performance testing and optimization of C matrix multiplication routines under faculty supervision. - Graded homework, led lab sessions, and instructed 20–30 students in Java, C, Perl, FORTRAN, and Linux.

Web Administrator & Treasurer: Association for Computing Machinery UTSA Chapter, San Antonio, TX 2008 - Maintained chapter website using HTML, CSS, PHP, JavaScript, and Joomla. - Managed financial transactions and reporting for the organization.

Computer Science Mentor: Prefreshman Engineering Program, San Antonio, TX, 2006 - Taught middle-school students introductory Java programming and computational thinking.

Education

B.S. Computer Science: University of Texas at San Antonio, 2004 – 2008, 2011
- Dean’s List – Fall 2007
- Independent Study: Compiler Research – 2008