01Control-flow integrity
PoliFlow
Infers control-flow policies from serverless workflows and enforces them transparently at runtime, protecting the intended execution structure without modifying function code.
Serverless security · Cloud-native systems
PedroEscaleira
I design transparent runtime defences for serverless applications, from control-flow enforcement to system-call anomaly detection.
PhD student · University of Aveiro
10+Publications and accepted papers
3Master thesis awards (2023)
TSCETSI Open Source MANO member
01
Research
Selected research
My work explores how serverless applications can be protected transparently across workflows, functions, and orchestration layers—while leaving the tenant's application code unchanged.
02Moving target defence
MoFaaS
Uses moving target defence and n-version programming to improve the resilience of vulnerable serverless functions while preserving the availability expected from cloud-native applications.
03Runtime anomaly detection
FADO
Detects anomalous serverless function behaviour from eBPF system-call traces, extending protection from workflow structure into the function runtime.
02
Current focus
Dynamic Protection of Serverless Applications
My PhD investigates adaptive, transparent mechanisms that can detect and mitigate threats at runtime while preserving cloud-native scalability and performance.
Workflow integrityRuntime detectionAdaptive mitigation
03
Background
About me
I am a PhD student and researcher at the University of Aveiro and Instituto de Telecomunicações. My current work focuses on dynamic protection for serverless applications, building on a background in cybersecurity, 5G, NFV, and edge computing.
Before beginning my PhD, I worked on standards-aligned MEC architectures and moving-target defence. Since 2024, I have served on the Technical Steering Committee of ETSI Open Source MANO.
Serverless ComputingCloud SecurityCybersecurityEdge ComputingNetwork Functions Virtualization
ETSI OSM Technical Steering Committee
Contributing to the technical direction of a standards-aligned open-source network orchestration project.
Three national thesis awards
Recognition from IEEE Portugal, AP2SI, and APDC for the Master's thesis on securing real-world 5G MEC deployments.
CVE-2022-35503
Critical vulnerability disclosed in ETSI OSM and later used as a practical security challenge at an OSM Hackfest.
Selected publications
Enhancing Serverless Function Resilience Against Vulnerabilities with MoFaaS
Journal of Network and Systems Management, Vol. 34, No. 3
PoliFlow: Inferring Control-Flow Policies from Serverless Workflows
IEEE International Symposium on Cluster, Cloud and Internet Computing (IEEE CCGrid)
A systematic review on security mechanisms for serverless computing
Cluster Computing, Vol. 28, No. 7, p. 465