Bernd Schoolmann
Senior Software Engineer at Bitwarden
Japan
Summary
🤩
Rockstar🎓
Top SchoolBernd Schoolmann is a senior software engineer with a decade of hands-on experience across backend, frontend and game development, currently strengthening Bitwarden’s core cryptographic platform. He combines deep practical security expertise—gained from CTFs and finding critical bugs in widely used software—with production-grade engineering, having implemented Argon2 KDFs, PRF key rotation, and SSH features across Bitwarden’s server and client stacks. Based in Japan and fluent in full-stack delivery, he moves seamlessly between API/database work and client-side integrations to harden platforms end-to-end. His academic foundation from RWTH Aachen (MSc, Software Systems Engineering) underpins a methodical approach to secure design and automated processes that prevent vault corruption at scale.
10 years of coding experience
5 years of employment as a software developer
Master of Science - MS, Software Systems Engineering, 1.3 (German scale), Master of Science - MS, Software Systems Engineering, 1.3 (German scale) at RWTH Aachen University
German, English, Japanese
Stackoverflow
789reputation
37kreached
18answers
2questions
Github Skills (43)
database-migrations10
javascript10
typescript10
asp-net-core10
security10
security-protocol10
sql-server10
argon2i10
cryptography10
typescript-types10
dotnet-core10
database-migration10
typescripts10
csharp10
angular10
Programming languages (17)
Github contributions (5)
bitwarden/clients
Jan 2023 - Apr 2025
Bitwarden client apps (web, browser extension, desktop, and cli).
Role in this project:
Full-stack Developer
Full-stack DeveloperContributions:505 reviews, 415 PRs, 1510 pushes in 2 years 3 months
Contributions summary:Bernd implemented the Argon2 KDF (Key Derivation Function) for password security across Bitwarden client applications, significantly enhancing the security of user accounts. They made extensive code changes across the web, browser extension, and desktop clients, which involved integrating the Argon2 library, making changes to the webpack configuration, and implementing features in Angular components. Additionally, the user was involved in configuring KDF options and adding SSH key functionality.
web-browserclisafarifirefoxbrowser
bitwarden/server
Jan 2023 - Jan 2023
Bitwarden infrastructure/backend (API, database, Docker, etc).
Role in this project:Back-end Developer
Back-end DeveloperContributions:51 reviews, 1 commit, 45 PRs in 1 day
Contributions summary:Bernd made significant contributions to the `bitwarden/server` repository, focusing on backend development and database interactions. Their work involved adding and modifying features related to key derivation functions (KDF) for password security, database migrations, and the implementation of PRF key rotation, preventing vault corruption. The user also implemented SSH key features, further enhancing security, and contributed to various validators and controllers, demonstrating a strong understanding of the application's internal workings and security protocols. These modifications indicate a focus on improving the security and functionality of the Bitwarden infrastructure.
database-apisql-serverdockersignalrdatabase
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