Aidan Martins

Summary

Systems engineer and software developer who is self-taught in the security field, with vast experience in creating low-level tooling, reverse engineering software, analyzing executable files, and writing high-performance desktop applications using Rust and C++. Avid interest in low-level systems, reversing, and software development that needs an advanced level of technical expertise.

Expertise in developing custom parsers, disassemblers, debugging tools, audio/DSP-related tools, and cross-platform desktop applications. Runs a blog dedicated to software development, reverse engineering, and low-level systems programming.

Core Specializations

• Systems Programming
• Reverse Engineering & Binary Analysis
• Rust & C++ Development
• Low-Level Debugging
• Executable Format Research
• Desktop Application Development
• DSP / Audio Processing
• Software Instrumentation
• Application Security Research
• Cross-Platform Engineering

Experience

Director of Engineering - D Sports

July 2025 – Present

Leading engineering efforts for a decentralized sports engagement platform. Overseeing architecture decisions, technical strategy, and full-stack development across web, blockchain, and backend systems.

Skills used: Next.js, React, TypeScript, PostgreSQL, Prisma, Web3 (Thirdweb, Wagmi), Stripe, Clerk Auth, TanStack Query, HashiCorp Vault, Sentry

• Architecting a production-grade PWA with gamification systems, digital collectibles, and social features
• Implementing Web3 wallet integration and blockchain transaction handling
• Building scalable backend APIs with complex data modeling and real-time leaderboard systems
• Establishing code quality standards, monitoring infrastructure, and secure secrets management

Software / Security Engineer

May 2025 – July 2025

Architected and built a cross platform Electron application with integrated C++ modules for performance critical features, designed a secure end to end licensing system in Django/C++, and implemented robust anti tamper protections to prevent reverse engineering.

Skills used: Electron, C++, JavaScript/Node.js, Django, Python, Reverse Engineering, Security, Obfuscation, API hooking, CI/CD

• Electron & C++ Interop: Developed the desktop app’s core in Electron (Node.js/TypeScript) while offloading cryptographic and license validation logic into native C++ add-ons for optimal performance and security.
• Licensing System Architecture:
  • Backend (Django/Python): Designed RESTful endpoints for license generation, activation, validation, and revocation.
  • Client-Side (C++ Module): Created a secure client library to handle license checks, activation workflows, offline validation, and automatic renewal.
• Anti-Tamper & Anti-Reverse-Engineering:
  • Code Obfuscation & Symbol Stripping: Integrated build time obfuscation for C++ binaries and stripped symbols to hinder static analysis.
  • Runtime Integrity Checks: Implemented checksum and code section hashing routines to detect unauthorized modifications at startup and during runtime.
  • Anti-Debugging & Anti-Hooking: Added debugger presence detection (e.g., IsDebuggerPresent, PE header checks) and API call whitelisting to thwart dynamic inspection and inline patching.

Independent Systems Developer & Researcher

2021 – Present

Designing and developing low-level software tooling, reverse engineering utilities, experimental systems software, and desktop applications focused on performance, debugging, and binary analysis.

• Developed a custom disassembler and binary analysis pipeline including instruction decoding, CFG construction, SSA transformation, structural analysis, and pseudo-C generation
• Researched x86/x64 instruction parsing, opcode decoding, PE format internals, and binary traversal techniques
• Published technical writeups documenting implementation details, engineering challenges, and disassembly pipeline architecture
• Implemented a custom MP3 decoding pipeline in Rust including frame parsing, Huffman decoding, requantization, and audio reconstruction
• Conducted research into executable formats, runtime behavior, binary parsing, and low-level software structures
• Built experimental desktop applications using Tauri, Slint, and native system integrations

Education

Cybersecurity Program

Lighthouse Labs

Nov 2024 – Feb 2025

• Studied cybersecurity principles, CIA Triad (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability).
• Hands-on experience with Wireshark, Nmap, and Burp Suite.
• Trained in penetration testing using Metasploit.
• Explored malware analysis, digital forensics, and cryptography.

CompTIA Security+ (In Progress)

CompTIA Sec+ Certification

Feb 2025 – May 2025

• Studying network security, cryptography, and risk management.
• Gaining knowledge in secure system design and IAM.
• Practicing vulnerability scanning and mitigation strategies.

Projects

Custom Disassembler & Binary Analysis Research

• Built a research-grade binary analysis tool from scratch in Rust targeting real-world x64 executables
• Implemented PE loading, x64 instruction decoding, IR lifting, CFG construction, SSA transformation, structural control flow recovery, and pseudo-C generation
• Added a visual CFG graph view with Sugiyama layered layout, pan and zoom, and back-edge routing
• Documented the full development process in an ongoing technical blog series

Rust MP3 Decoder

• Implemented a custom MP3 decoding pipeline in Rust including frame parsing, Huffman decoding, requantization, and audio reconstruction
• Worked directly with MPEG frame structures and compressed audio data streams
• Focused on performance, low-level memory handling, and debugging complex decoding logic

USB Forensics Tool

• Developing a Rust-based USB forensic analyzer for tracking device activity and inspecting device metadata
• Uses raw packet capture and event logging for security audits and research-oriented visibility

Homelab (2024 – Present)

• Set up a local server/environment to simulate and monitor attacks
• Configured an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) using Snort
• Deployed a reverse proxy with Caddy and hosted a Jellyfin media server
• Built a segmented machine for malware analysis with IDA, x64dbg, and x86dbg
• Practicing exploit research and threat analysis in a controlled lab setup

Check out active projects on GitHub.

Technical Writing

Maintains a personal technical blog focused on software engineering, reverse engineering, systems programming, and low-level research. Topics include building custom disassemblers, reverse engineering methodologies, binary parsing, systems architecture, Rust development, audio decoding internals, debugging workflows, and software instrumentation.

adnmrtns.ca/blog

Skills

Additional Information

• Strong passion for systems internals, low-level software architecture, and debugging complex software systems
• Continuously researches executable structures, runtime behavior, and performance-oriented programming concepts
• Experienced in self-directed learning and independently implementing complex technical systems
• Comfortable rapidly learning unfamiliar technologies and low-level architectures