Curriculum vitae · Updated August 2026

Pedro Escaleira

Serverless Security Researcher · PhD Student · Aveiro, Portugal

GitHub ORCID ResearchGate Google Scholar Scopus

Summary

PhD student and researcher at the University of Aveiro and Instituto de Telecomunicações, working at the intersection of cloud security and distributed systems. Current research focuses on dynamic, transparent protection mechanisms for serverless applications.

Experience

February 2022 — Present

Junior Researcher

Instituto de Telecomunicações · Aveiro, Portugal

I explore serverless computing security as part of my PhD research while contributing to the Route 25 and ATE projects, designing proofs of concept for orchestrating and migrating digital-twin applications at the edge.

Previously, in the NETEDGE project, I proposed a Multi-access Edge Computing as a Service (MECaaS) architecture aligned with European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) standards, contributed to ETSI Open Source MANO (OSM), and researched Moving Target Defense for MEC applications and Virtual Network Functions (VNFs).

March 2021 — February 2022

Research Grant

University of Aveiro · Aveiro, Portugal

Worked on the AUGMANITY project to evaluate the Intel Smart Edge Open platform and its alignment with ETSI MEC references. First interaction with the ETSI standards ecosystem.

April 2020 — October 2020

Research Initiation Grant

University of Aveiro · Aveiro, Portugal

Worked under the EHDEN project scope, assessing how the research group could leverage Kubernetes and Kafka for data infrastructure.

Education

September 2023 — Present (Ongoing)

Doctorate · Computer Engineering

University of Aveiro

Thesis: Dynamic Protection of Serverless Applications

This PhD research focuses on studying dynamic, transparent security mechanisms for serverless applications across functions, workflows, and orchestration layers. It aims to transparently detect and mitigate threats at runtime without modifying user code while preserving cloud-native scalability and performance.

September 2020 — December 2022

Master's · Cybersecurity

University of Aveiro

19/20 Final · Thesis 20/20

Thesis: Securing Real World 5G MEC Deployments

Proposed an enhanced MEC-NFV architecture with containerization support and MTD as a Service (MTDaaS) for cloud operators. Winner of 3 national awards.

Thesis record

September 2017 — June 2020

Bachelor's · Informatics Engineering

University of Aveiro

18/20 Final

Foundation in software engineering, algorithms, systems, and networks.

Publications

Journal articles

2026

Enhancing Serverless Function Resilience Against Vulnerabilities with MoFaaS

Journal of Network and Systems Management, Vol. 34, No. 3

Escaleira, P., Cunha, V.A., Barraca, J.P., Gomes, D., Aguiar, R.L.

Publication

2025

A systematic review on security mechanisms for serverless computing

Cluster Computing, Vol. 28, No. 7, p. 465

Escaleira, P., Cunha, V.A., Barraca, J.P., Gomes, D., Aguiar, R.L.

Publication

2023

Moving Target Defense for the cloud/edge Telco environments

Internet of Things, Vol. 24, p. 100916

Escaleira, P., Cunha, V.A., Gomes, D., Barraca, J.P., Aguiar, R.L.

Publication

Conference proceedings

2026Accepted

PoliFlow: Inferring Control-Flow Policies from Serverless Workflows

2026 22nd International Conference on Network and Service Management (CNSM)

Coutinho, Pedro, Escaleira, P., Rocha, David, Almeida, João, Gomes, D., Aguiar, R.L.

2026

PoliFlow: Inferring Control-Flow Policies from Serverless Workflows

IEEE International Symposium on Cluster, Cloud and Internet Computing (IEEE CCGrid)

Escaleira, P., Cunha, V.A., Barraca, J.P., Gomes, D., Aguiar, R.L.

Publication Presentation

2026Accepted

FADO: Detecting Anomalies in Serverless Functions via eBPF System Call Tracing

IEEE Network Operations and Management Symposium (IEEE NOMS)

Durval, P., Escaleira, P., Cunha, V.A., Gomes, D., Aguiar, R.L.

2025

Federation-Aware MEC Architecture for Dynamic Service Migration

IEEE Conference on Network Function Virtualization and Software-Defined Networking (IEEE NFV-SDN)

Magalhães, D., Matos, M., Escaleira, P., Santos, D., Corujo, D., Gomes, D., Aguiar, R.

Publication

2024

MoFaaS: A Moving Target Defense Approach to Fortify Functions as a Service

IEEE Symposium on Computers and Communications (IEEE ISCC)

Escaleira, P., Cunha, V.A., Barraca, J.P., Gomes, D., Aguiar, R.L.

Publication

2024

Automatic Service Migration in a MEC-NFV Environment

IEEE Conference on Network Function Virtualization and Software-Defined Networks (IEEE NFV-SDN)

Pereira, P., Escaleira, P., Gomes, D., Aguiar, R.

Publication

2024

Automatic Service Migration in a MEC-NFV Environment for a User Mobility Scenario

IEEE Conference on Network Function Virtualization and Software-Defined Networks (IEEE NFV-SDN) — Demo

Pereira, P., Ferreira, P., Cardita, F., Castanheta, A., Cruz, H., Oliveira, L., Teixeira, S., Escaleira, P., Gomes, D., Aguiar, R.

Publication

2024

Exploring Multi-access Edge Computing Federation for V2X scenarios in the Route 25 project

IEEE Mediterranean Electrotechnical Conference (IEEE MELECON)

Fonseca, J., Santos, D., Vieira, E., Silva, J., Escaleira, P., et al.

Publication

2022

Multi-access Edge Computing as a Service

IEEE International Conference on Network and Service Management (IEEE CNSM)

Escaleira, P., Mota, M., Gomes, D., Barraca, J.P., Aguiar, R.L.

Publication

Research mentoring

In progressCompleted

Reactive Defense for Serverless Functions via System Call Monitoring

Carlos Ferreira · University of Aveiro

In progressOngoing

Optimising MEC through Lightweight Orchestration and Automation

Pedro Coutinho · University of Aveiro

2025Completed

Detecting Anomalous Behavior in Serverless Functions with System Call Monitoring

Pedro Durval · University of Aveiro

2025Completed

Multi-cluster Migration of MEC Applications

Diogo Magalhães · University of Aveiro

2024Completed

Secure Lifecycle for MEC NetApps

Sofia Vaz · University of Aveiro

Thesis record

2024Completed

Open Source MEC Platform

Pedro Pereira · University of Aveiro

Thesis record

2023Completed

Extending MANO to the Edge

Diogo Vicente · University of Aveiro

Thesis record

Awards

2023

Outstanding MSc Thesis Award

IEEE Portugal Section

Awarded by IEEE Portugal to recognize exceptional Master's theses in the technical areas under the scope of IEEE.

2023

Merit Award for Masters in Information Security

AP2SI · €1,000

Annual prize for the most outstanding Master's thesis in Cybersecurity in Portugal.

2023

Best Thesis Award — Telecommunications

APDC · €1,500

Awarded to "Securing Real World 5G MEC Deployments" among dissertations from Portugal's Consortium of Engineering Schools.

2022

ETSI OSM Release Twelve Outstanding Technical Contributor

ETSI OSM

In recognition of excellent and dedicated work within ETSI OSM during its Release TWELVE cycle.

2021

Cyber Perseu CTF — 1st Place

Portuguese Army

Won the Ciber Perseu Capture the Flag competition alongside a team of Master's in Cybersecurity students.

2021

Think Twice 3rd Edition — High Difficulty Project

Think Twice

Won in the High Difficulty Project modality — creating a secure web application assessed by competing teams.

2019

Seeds for the Future

Huawei

One of ten Portuguese students selected for Huawei's global initiative — a two-week training programme at HQ in Shenzhen, China.

2018–19

Academic Merit Scholarship (×2)

University of Aveiro

Scholarship equivalent to annual tuition fees, awarded for maintaining an average grade ≥ 17.5/20.

Interventions in the Scientific Community

2024–26

Technical Steering Committee Member

ETSI Open Source MANO (OSM) · Europe

Ongoing

2026

Technical Program Committee

IEEE 103rd Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC2026-Spring) · Nice, France

Track: Emerging Technologies, 6G and Beyond

2026

Technical Program Committee

31st IEEE Symposium on Computers and Communications (ISCC) · Vilamoura, Portugal

2026

Technical Program Committee

32nd International Conference on Telecommunications (ICT) · Thessaloniki, Greece

2025

Technical Program Committee

IEEE 102nd Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC2025-Fall) · Chengdu, China

Track: Emerging Technologies, 6G and Beyond

2025

Technical Program Committee

30th IEEE Symposium on Computers and Communications (ISCC) · Bologna, Italy

2025

Technical Program Committee

IEEE 101st Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC2025-Spring) · Oslo, Norway

Track: Emerging Technologies, 6G and Beyond

2024

Technical Program Committee

29th IEEE Symposium on Computers and Communications (ISCC) · Paris, France

2024

Technical Program Committee

4th International Workshop "From Cloud to Things" (Cloud2Things) · Biarritz, France

Journal reviews

2026

Cluster Computing1
The Journal of Supercomputing1
Scientific Reports1
IEEE Transactions on Cloud Computing1
Year total4

2025

ACM Transactions on Privacy and Security1
Computer Communications1
IEEE Communications Standards Magazine1
Year total3

2024

Internet Technology Letters1
Cluster Computing1
Year total2

2023

Internet Technology Letters3
IEEE Communications Magazine1
Year total4

Conference reviews

2026

IEEE Symposium on Computers and Communications (ISCC)4
INFORUM - Simpósio de Informática2
International Conference on Telecommunications2
IEEE Industrial Electronics and Applications Conference1
ASU International Conference in Emerging Technologies for Sustainability and Intelligent Systems1
Year total10

2025

IEEE Symposium on Computers and Communications (ISCC)3
ACM UbiComp / ISWC2
IEEE Global Communications Conference2
IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference1
Year total8

2024

IEEE Symposium on Computers and Communications (ISCC)3
International Conference on Internet of Things, Big Data and Security1
IEEE Middle East and North Africa Communications Conference1
International Conference on Intelligent Systems for Cybersecurity1
IEEE Annual Congress on Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT)1
IEEE PIMRC1
IEEE International Conference on Pervasive Computing and Communications1
Year total9

2023

IEEE Conference on Standards for Communications and Networking (CSCN)1
Year total1

Teaching

2024/25

Information and Organisational Security

University of Aveiro

Delivered 2 weekly 2-hour practical sessions (4 hours/week) throughout the first semester.

Updated and created slides for practical support classes
Updated practical guides for XSS/CORS, Certificate Validation, and Security in Linux
Graded 8 student groups across three practical project components

2023/24