Robert Huijie Deng

Also known as Robert H. Deng, Robert Deng Huijie

Robert Huijie Deng is a cybersecurity researcher whose work includes protecting AI systems and privacy-preserving federated learning. He studied electrical engineering in China and the United States, published public-key and iOS security research, and joined Singapore Management University in 2004. At SMU, he led research centres and postgraduate programmes, held the AXA Chair Professorship of Cybersecurity, and founded Holo Data Security. He became an IEEE Fellow in 2016, received Singapore’s Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 2020, and won the Zhongni Distinguished Educator Award in 2025. As of October 2026, he is SMU’s Deputy Dean and Lee Kong Chian Chair Professor of Computer Science; his research includes security and governance of software/AI systems.

Now at: Singapore Management University
Works: 842
Citations: 25,468
h-index: 82
Badges: Founder
Wayfarer
Loyal

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 22 October 2026.

Timeline

1976–1996

Engineering and fault attacks

After high school, he applies to university when admissions resume in 1976 and studies electrical engineering. He earns a B.Eng. from China’s National University of Defense Technology and a master’s and doctorate in electrical engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology. In 1996, he and colleagues publish a fault-based attack on public-key cryptosystems and its countermeasures.
2004–2012

Leading SCIS research

He joins SMU’s School of Information Systems in 2004 after work in government agencies and directs the SCIS Research Centre from 2004 to 2012, setting management policies and processes for funded projects. From 2006, he serves as Associate Dean (Faculty).
2013–2016

An iOS security technique

In 2013, he is part of the first team to publish a generic technique that enables third-party applications to launch attacks on iOS devices. By March 2016, he directs SMU’s Secure Mobile Centre.
2016–2018

IEEE fellowship and AXA chair

IEEE elevates him to Fellow in 2016 for his contributions to cybersecurity algorithms, protocols and systems. At SMU, he serves as Dean of Postgraduate Research Programmes from 2016 to 2018 and receives the AXA Chair Professorship of Cybersecurity in March 2017.
2020–2021

Smart nation security work

In 2020, he leads the Secure Mobile Centre research initiative to build a mobile system security and mobile cloud security technology pipeline for smart nation applications, and receives Singapore’s Public Administration Medal (Silver). In 2021, he founds Holo Data Security, an SMU spin-off that offers end-to-end data protection and privacy for cloud applications.
2022

ShieldFL and federated learning

In 2022, he coauthors ShieldFL, a paper on mitigating model-poisoning attacks in privacy-preserving federated learning.
2025

A Zhongni teaching award

In 2025, he becomes the inaugural recipient of SMU’s Zhongni Distinguished Educator Award.
As of October 2026

Deputy Dean at SMU

As of October 2026, he is SMU’s Deputy Dean and Lee Kong Chian Chair Professor of Computer Science. His research areas include security and governance of software/AI systems.