Emiliano De Cristofaro
@emilianodc.com
Professor at UC Riverside, head of spalab.cs.ucr.edu
Home: emilianodc.com
Home: emilianodc.com
PSA if you’re ever in the LA area, don’t miss Raffis place in Glendale. Worth the detour just for their khoobideh. Wow.
November 11, 2025 at 8:22 PM
PSA if you’re ever in the LA area, don’t miss Raffis place in Glendale. Worth the detour just for their khoobideh. Wow.
UC, 2024: Your health insurance is going up significantly because we cover GLP-1, so go and hate people on it
UC 2025: We are no longer covering GLP-1 unless your BMI is above 40 (if you're 5'10", you'd need to weigh >280 lbs)
Also UC, 2025: Your health insurance is going up because GLP-1
Wut?
UC 2025: We are no longer covering GLP-1 unless your BMI is above 40 (if you're 5'10", you'd need to weigh >280 lbs)
Also UC, 2025: Your health insurance is going up because GLP-1
Wut?
October 30, 2025 at 3:52 PM
UC, 2024: Your health insurance is going up significantly because we cover GLP-1, so go and hate people on it
UC 2025: We are no longer covering GLP-1 unless your BMI is above 40 (if you're 5'10", you'd need to weigh >280 lbs)
Also UC, 2025: Your health insurance is going up because GLP-1
Wut?
UC 2025: We are no longer covering GLP-1 unless your BMI is above 40 (if you're 5'10", you'd need to weigh >280 lbs)
Also UC, 2025: Your health insurance is going up because GLP-1
Wut?
Reposted by Emiliano De Cristofaro
Congrats to Sundar -- his paper "To Shuffle or not to Shuffle: Auditing DP-SGD with Shuffling" was just accepted to #NDSS2026!
Only 21 out of 950 straight accepts this round 😳
Joint work with Borja Balle, Jamie Hayes, & @emilianodc.com
Pre-print: arxiv.org/abs/2411.10614
Only 21 out of 950 straight accepts this round 😳
Joint work with Borja Balle, Jamie Hayes, & @emilianodc.com
Pre-print: arxiv.org/abs/2411.10614
To Shuffle or not to Shuffle: Auditing DP-SGD with Shuffling
The Differentially Private Stochastic Gradient Descent (DP-SGD) algorithm allows the training of machine learning (ML) models with formal Differential Privacy (DP) guarantees. Since DP-SGD processes t...
arxiv.org
October 23, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Congrats to Sundar -- his paper "To Shuffle or not to Shuffle: Auditing DP-SGD with Shuffling" was just accepted to #NDSS2026!
Only 21 out of 950 straight accepts this round 😳
Joint work with Borja Balle, Jamie Hayes, & @emilianodc.com
Pre-print: arxiv.org/abs/2411.10614
Only 21 out of 950 straight accepts this round 😳
Joint work with Borja Balle, Jamie Hayes, & @emilianodc.com
Pre-print: arxiv.org/abs/2411.10614
Hey folks! My Fall quarter class (OS capstone project) has been canceled, which means I'm on an impromptu short sabbatical until Xmas.
I'm happy to travel a bit to visit and give talks if anyone is interested!
I'm happy to travel a bit to visit and give talks if anyone is interested!
September 30, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Hey folks! My Fall quarter class (OS capstone project) has been canceled, which means I'm on an impromptu short sabbatical until Xmas.
I'm happy to travel a bit to visit and give talks if anyone is interested!
I'm happy to travel a bit to visit and give talks if anyone is interested!
I'm aware that I'm known as a hater, but can someone explain to me why on earth anyone would willingly use Overleaf to work on papers?
The only use cases that I can think of are:
1) emergency editing from someone else's device or iPad
2) non-CS co-authors not familiar with LaTeX
The only use cases that I can think of are:
1) emergency editing from someone else's device or iPad
2) non-CS co-authors not familiar with LaTeX
September 8, 2025 at 6:41 PM
I'm aware that I'm known as a hater, but can someone explain to me why on earth anyone would willingly use Overleaf to work on papers?
The only use cases that I can think of are:
1) emergency editing from someone else's device or iPad
2) non-CS co-authors not familiar with LaTeX
The only use cases that I can think of are:
1) emergency editing from someone else's device or iPad
2) non-CS co-authors not familiar with LaTeX
Ever struggled with managing your pubs to create an NSF BioSketch using MyNCBI's My Bibliography? I think I have finally found a decent way to handle stuff, sharing in case it helps... (Step 5 is the one that took me the longest!)
www.linkedin.com/posts/activi...
www.linkedin.com/posts/activi...
August 12, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Ever struggled with managing your pubs to create an NSF BioSketch using MyNCBI's My Bibliography? I think I have finally found a decent way to handle stuff, sharing in case it helps... (Step 5 is the one that took me the longest!)
www.linkedin.com/posts/activi...
www.linkedin.com/posts/activi...
📣 Upcoming CCS'25 paper 📣
The Importance of Being Discrete: Measuring the Impact of Discretization in End-to-End Differentially Private Synthetic Data
We investigate the critical yet overlooked role of discretization in end-to-end differentially private (DP) tabular synthetic data generation
The Importance of Being Discrete: Measuring the Impact of Discretization in End-to-End Differentially Private Synthetic Data
We investigate the critical yet overlooked role of discretization in end-to-end differentially private (DP) tabular synthetic data generation
July 31, 2025 at 10:17 PM
📣 Upcoming CCS'25 paper 📣
The Importance of Being Discrete: Measuring the Impact of Discretization in End-to-End Differentially Private Synthetic Data
We investigate the critical yet overlooked role of discretization in end-to-end differentially private (DP) tabular synthetic data generation
The Importance of Being Discrete: Measuring the Impact of Discretization in End-to-End Differentially Private Synthetic Data
We investigate the critical yet overlooked role of discretization in end-to-end differentially private (DP) tabular synthetic data generation
Reposted by Emiliano De Cristofaro
Conditional congrats to Georgi and Sundar - their paper on Discretization in DP Synthetic Data was accepted with shepherding to CCS’25.
Very important work on an overlooked aspect of end-to-end DP pipelines.
Preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2504.06923 -- feedback welcome!
Very important work on an overlooked aspect of end-to-end DP pipelines.
Preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2504.06923 -- feedback welcome!
The Importance of Being Discrete: Measuring the Impact of Discretization in End-to-End Differentially Private Synthetic Data
Differentially Private (DP) generative marginal models are often used in the wild to release synthetic tabular datasets in lieu of sensitive data while providing formal privacy guarantees. These model...
arxiv.org
July 4, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Conditional congrats to Georgi and Sundar - their paper on Discretization in DP Synthetic Data was accepted with shepherding to CCS’25.
Very important work on an overlooked aspect of end-to-end DP pipelines.
Preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2504.06923 -- feedback welcome!
Very important work on an overlooked aspect of end-to-end DP pipelines.
Preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2504.06923 -- feedback welcome!
Really interesting work on CCPA-mandated compliance of data brokers with access/deletion requests: arxiv.org/abs/2506.21914
Highlights:
- Almost half of the brokers don't respond
- Only <5% of brokers provided personal data
- No standard/easy way to submit requests
- Requests for even more PII
Highlights:
- Almost half of the brokers don't respond
- Only <5% of brokers provided personal data
- No standard/easy way to submit requests
- Requests for even more PII
Consumer Beware! Exploring Data Brokers' CCPA Compliance
Data brokers collect and sell the personal information of millions of individuals, often without their knowledge or consent. The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) grants consumers the legal right...
arxiv.org
June 30, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Really interesting work on CCPA-mandated compliance of data brokers with access/deletion requests: arxiv.org/abs/2506.21914
Highlights:
- Almost half of the brokers don't respond
- Only <5% of brokers provided personal data
- No standard/easy way to submit requests
- Requests for even more PII
Highlights:
- Almost half of the brokers don't respond
- Only <5% of brokers provided personal data
- No standard/easy way to submit requests
- Requests for even more PII
TIL my Internet provider (Cox Communications) creates an access point ("CoxWiFi") from your WiFi router where other Cox customers can connect to at no charge. This was enabled by default and without my explicit consent. How is that legal?
June 19, 2025 at 6:50 PM
TIL my Internet provider (Cox Communications) creates an access point ("CoxWiFi") from your WiFi router where other Cox customers can connect to at no charge. This was enabled by default and without my explicit consent. How is that legal?
Reposted by Emiliano De Cristofaro
Online abuse self-defense training for scientists "who appear in media and other public outlets, as well as their allies and employers" www.sciline.org/learn/online...
Online abuse self-defense training - SciLine
www.sciline.org
June 18, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Online abuse self-defense training for scientists "who appear in media and other public outlets, as well as their allies and employers" www.sciline.org/learn/online...
Once in a while, I stumble upon an old email of mine — the writing and grammar are awful. I used to feel embarrassed, riddled with imposter syndrome, etc.
But for the last couple of years, I’ve focused instead on how much I’ve improved.
Cognitive restructuring is such an underrated power…
But for the last couple of years, I’ve focused instead on how much I’ve improved.
Cognitive restructuring is such an underrated power…
June 2, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Once in a while, I stumble upon an old email of mine — the writing and grammar are awful. I used to feel embarrassed, riddled with imposter syndrome, etc.
But for the last couple of years, I’ve focused instead on how much I’ve improved.
Cognitive restructuring is such an underrated power…
But for the last couple of years, I’ve focused instead on how much I’ve improved.
Cognitive restructuring is such an underrated power…
Reposted by Emiliano De Cristofaro
Unlike traditional finances, all someone needs to access all your crypto is your passwords and they can steal your money and disappear without a trace. This incentivizes some horrific behavior all over the world.
Crypto Investor Charged With Kidnapping and Torturing Man for Weeks
www.nytimes.com
May 29, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Unlike traditional finances, all someone needs to access all your crypto is your passwords and they can steal your money and disappear without a trace. This incentivizes some horrific behavior all over the world.
Hi Everyone, I'm teaching a new UG class on privacy at UCR and I'm planning a lecture on human factors of privacy.
Has anyone taught anything on this topic and would like to share notes/topics covered? I'd be super grateful!
Has anyone taught anything on this topic and would like to share notes/topics covered? I'd be super grateful!
May 19, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Hi Everyone, I'm teaching a new UG class on privacy at UCR and I'm planning a lecture on human factors of privacy.
Has anyone taught anything on this topic and would like to share notes/topics covered? I'd be super grateful!
Has anyone taught anything on this topic and would like to share notes/topics covered? I'd be super grateful!
Huge congrats to @spalab.cs.ucr.edu's Georgi Ganev for receiving the Distinguished Paper Award at IEEE S&P for his work "The Inadequacy of Similarity-based Privacy Metrics: Privacy Attacks against “Truly Anonymous” Synthetic Datasets."
Paper: arxiv.org/pdf/2312.051...
Paper: arxiv.org/pdf/2312.051...
May 14, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Huge congrats to @spalab.cs.ucr.edu's Georgi Ganev for receiving the Distinguished Paper Award at IEEE S&P for his work "The Inadequacy of Similarity-based Privacy Metrics: Privacy Attacks against “Truly Anonymous” Synthetic Datasets."
Paper: arxiv.org/pdf/2312.051...
Paper: arxiv.org/pdf/2312.051...
Georgi's paper, Understanding the Impact of Data Domain Extraction on Synthetic Data Privacy, will be presented at the ICLR SynthData workshop next week.
A "tiny" paper studying the impact of how you extract the data domain from tabular datasets while training generative models for synthetic data.
A "tiny" paper studying the impact of how you extract the data domain from tabular datasets while training generative models for synthetic data.
April 15, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Georgi's paper, Understanding the Impact of Data Domain Extraction on Synthetic Data Privacy, will be presented at the ICLR SynthData workshop next week.
A "tiny" paper studying the impact of how you extract the data domain from tabular datasets while training generative models for synthetic data.
A "tiny" paper studying the impact of how you extract the data domain from tabular datasets while training generative models for synthetic data.
I'm quoted in this @wired.com article about the recent (alleged) 4chan hack
www.wired.com/story/2025-4...
www.wired.com/story/2025-4...
Suspected 4chan Hack Could Expose Longtime, Anonymous Admins
Though the exact details of the situation have not been confirmed, community infighting seems to have spilled out in a breach of the notorious image board.
www.wired.com
April 15, 2025 at 7:42 PM
I'm quoted in this @wired.com article about the recent (alleged) 4chan hack
www.wired.com/story/2025-4...
www.wired.com/story/2025-4...
Reposted by Emiliano De Cristofaro
📢 Deadline Extended for submissions to #CySoc2025 to ensure broader participation.
💡Share your research on generative AI, online safety, harms and threats, or political conflict in online platforms, with the leading minds in the field. We’d love to see your submissions.
📆New Deadline: April 10 AoE
💡Share your research on generative AI, online safety, harms and threats, or political conflict in online platforms, with the leading minds in the field. We’d love to see your submissions.
📆New Deadline: April 10 AoE
April 1, 2025 at 3:32 PM
📢 Deadline Extended for submissions to #CySoc2025 to ensure broader participation.
💡Share your research on generative AI, online safety, harms and threats, or political conflict in online platforms, with the leading minds in the field. We’d love to see your submissions.
📆New Deadline: April 10 AoE
💡Share your research on generative AI, online safety, harms and threats, or political conflict in online platforms, with the leading minds in the field. We’d love to see your submissions.
📆New Deadline: April 10 AoE
And it was also amazing to be physically with Georgi (at Schloss Dagstuhl of all places) for the first time in 1.5 years when we got the news! :)
Happy to announce that Georgi's paper, “The Inadequacy of Similarity-based Privacy Metrics: Privacy Attacks against “Truly Anonymous” Synthetic Datasets,” has been accepted to IEEE Security & Privacy.
Pre-print: arxiv.org/pdf/2312.05114
Pre-print: arxiv.org/pdf/2312.05114
March 11, 2025 at 4:42 PM
And it was also amazing to be physically with Georgi (at Schloss Dagstuhl of all places) for the first time in 1.5 years when we got the news! :)
Reposted by Emiliano De Cristofaro
Happy to announce that Georgi's paper, “The Inadequacy of Similarity-based Privacy Metrics: Privacy Attacks against “Truly Anonymous” Synthetic Datasets,” has been accepted to IEEE Security & Privacy.
Pre-print: arxiv.org/pdf/2312.05114
Pre-print: arxiv.org/pdf/2312.05114
March 11, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Happy to announce that Georgi's paper, “The Inadequacy of Similarity-based Privacy Metrics: Privacy Attacks against “Truly Anonymous” Synthetic Datasets,” has been accepted to IEEE Security & Privacy.
Pre-print: arxiv.org/pdf/2312.05114
Pre-print: arxiv.org/pdf/2312.05114
Not an urban legend — the sausage vending machine near the Schloss Dagstuhl exists! And they seem very successful too as it’s almost empty! Just outside a small backerei in the middle of nowhere. When in a Germany…
March 10, 2025 at 5:28 AM
Not an urban legend — the sausage vending machine near the Schloss Dagstuhl exists! And they seem very successful too as it’s almost empty! Just outside a small backerei in the middle of nowhere. When in a Germany…
On my way to NDSS on the most amazing train. See y’all in a bit.
February 25, 2025 at 3:55 PM
On my way to NDSS on the most amazing train. See y’all in a bit.
Waiting for S&P reviewers to respond to our rebuttal
February 21, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Waiting for S&P reviewers to respond to our rebuttal
I couldn't sleep last night.
February 16, 2025 at 12:15 AM
I couldn't sleep last night.
The adjective sounds very superfluous
February 15, 2025 at 11:06 PM
The adjective sounds very superfluous