Beyond myelf
My life through products and technologies that I used to create content, innovate @work, understand how man explores this new [re]evolution: experiencing beautiful dreams and terrible nightmares. Since 1984, when I was ninth, my approach to this extension of our life is the application of technology to real-life and not the study of the technology itself. As a tool, what and how is it possible to do unusually and unexpectedly with technology? As a chess gamer, Lego enthusiast, and art lover, I try to recombine pieces, ideas, strategies, tactics, and techniques to create new connections, new perspectives, and discover a different approach to a problem; addressing needs in my experience in the information security scenario.
2020
and now... "live long and prosper"
It seems that the technological echo system has been put in place, with consolidated technology and well-defined business models. Society is largely involved in the digital transformation boosted by an eco-sustainable approach: from manufacturer to user. Finally, public services, remote banking, smart working, customized service for health, assurance, and security are accessible remotely via smartphone, tablet, laptop/desktop. Objects, cars are totally connected to each other, making our life better comfortable, our job more efficient: all it is thought to do more with less time and better quality. How do you think to use extra time and resources? Culture, sports, environment, helping other people, sharing? I try to make a difference in my daily life, innovating, fighting bureaucracy, simplifying processes, keeping in mind usable security, and adding value to my job. A.I. is now ready to use and this the new mile stone to develop, create and re-image our life.
2010
iPad: "energizing"
The prodrome of new different mobile computing approach created to "consume" digital content and produce in the easiest way artwork, illustration, designs, documents, and presentation without a mouse! I created an interactive book with quizzes, animation, and so on to explain some Lego building techniques, heraldry to compose a coat of arms, and simple gaming apps to learn the local history of my little town using, as a pioneer, QR-CODE bi-dimensional code technology to create an open museum thought informative panels.
2008
iPhone: "beam me up"
I think the last new idea in Information and Communication Technology that definitely enabled the upload of our digital alter ego: a "digital gate" to access a new hybrid dimension. The iPhone and other clones, like Android champions, start the digital transformation influencing and radically changing economics, social interaction, and culture. In my perspective, the iPhone concept, including related business models, makes us like cyborgs by extending our ability to communicate and connect with each other, to the network, and to other devices, perceiving the surrounding reality in an augmented way. Like a Star Trek "tricorder" this new digital Swiss Knife is able to connect with banks, enterprise applications, video surveillance systems, and public administration. The "everywhere" computing is now a reality and so the attack surface pushes the boundaries to cybersecurity issues. A new kind of cyber threat rises in this new scenario with a much more security impact in real life than virtual. I created my first mobile App to pushing cybersecurity bulletins, initiatives to the community of public administration
2004
Linux Ubuntu: "strange and new worlds"
The computer forensics era began in my experience in 2001, but it was software-driven through Encase and then FTK. With Linux like Ubuntu operating system, I discover a new and best valuable way to retrieve information from digital evidence extracted from storage devices, computers, USB drives, databases, operating systems, software, and web application to preserve the integrity of row data. Collecting meta-data and information from Open Source Intelligence is the activity that I am able to perform with a forensic workstation based on Ubuntu and other specific distros. Log analysis and volatile memory forensics acquisition were other recurrent and most challenging technical activities in that years. I was engaged for more years as a technical consultant in judgment related to digital evidence acquisition and analysis.
2002
Back to the Mac.. "back to the future"
Wow! Like a phoenix bird, I have risen. Creativity, design, different and divergent approach from Windows XP technical culture homologation. I used this machine, with great integration of hardware and software, and an incredible user experience to produce content innovatively. My focus is on video and photo editing, illustration, creating artwork, design, and crafting stunning keynotes and reports. I used these skills in my various job role to improve the value of the analysis by using innovative designs to show and communicate content. Web design brought open source CMS (Joomla, WordPress, Drupal) is one of the most activities in this intense period also cybersecurity-related side: logs, web application firewall, OWASP first guidelines, defacement, DDOS, hijacking: a nightmare! I created the first cyber security portal for the Italian public administration constituency during my professional experience in the building of the first Italian government CERT.
1997
The first laptop: "deep space"
My law studies led me to discover the world of law enforcement; I thought it might be a way to express myself using my computer knowledge to apply it daily for a good cause. So I participate in many selections and finally, I was selected to join with Italian financial and economic police: typically banking, like the defense sector, was the most advanced in using computers. So I became a student in the military school: during this incredible period, I use my self-owned first laptop, a well-assembled IBM Think pad with discrete performance, to manage the classrooms, experiment with innovative approaches to managing some recursive operations. Only now I have appreciated the know-how acquired in office automation because now I was able to apply it in a real scenario and not in a stereotyped exercise. I designed the first digital coat of arms of my course and I create an annual report of all the activities and the proposal for the first intranet website with a PoC and demo. Suddenly I was involved in an operative scenario with the investigation and it was amazing for me to create databases and detailed reports that are able to join different off-line sources and try to discover positives matches, anomalies, and a rarity to find a coherent pattern to address further investigations about financial frauds.
1995
Windows 95, "The Internet" and first mobile phone Motorola MicroTac 8200: a new "Voyager" begins
This is the return to my passion for computers but oriented, this time, in assembling custom components (motherboard, processor, fun, power unit, hard drive (master/slave), configuring drivers and software with a mission. In fact, I ask my friend that I helped: what do you aspect for this machine? What do you like to do? So I try to set up the machine also with a particular keyboard (Microsoft natural keyboard or separated keyboard) or scanner (horizontal or vertical), printer, and so on to specially craft a customized PC to address and teach the best practices using the computer not only gaming. I think I was a pioneer because I decorate with a self-designed sticker the horrible beige chassis (middle or high case) or paint it with spray vivid color, paying attention to grouping internal cables with custom labels. I organize for my community a forum to resolve little problems providing a simple tutorial to do something interesting and creative with a computer, involving musicians, graphics, architects, and so on. I am able to purchase my first mobile phone! I apply my computer experiences in my legal studies with very unexpected results. Yes, I love the computer but in that years the Italian university has a traditional and non so practical course, so I prefer studying something different where immediately apply information technology and my expertise, and its works fine!
1992
Olivetti PCS 286, MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows 3.1: "exit warp speed"
In my high school, I was selected to join an experimental class where I learned coding principles and IT fundamentals but the PC is only IBM M24 with DOS operating system and Turbo Pascal compiler and a strange software Windows 3.1 that lunch (win.exe) a user interface upon the operating system. Totally incompatible with my Macintosh, my family, bought me an Olivetti PCS 286 with the printer: I necessary to convert to this retrograde technology. First I used an amazing wordprocessor on a Mac, now WS4 (Word Star 4) wordprocessing to edit text and Lotus 123 as a digital sheet: the death of my enthusiasm and the tomb of my creative approach; it seems that the PC, according to IBM philosophy, exits only for an annoying business and office automation. Only my passion for making and printing invitation cards to my friends' parties survived: I was a star and considered a nerd in my little community town. I have no longer spent any summer in front of a computer monitor but on the beach with comics, friends, and motorcycles! Not all evils come to harm!
1989
Macintosh: "engage"
After Mickey Mouse comics as my first lectures, Italian comics bewitched me: first of all Diabolik with his incredible technological tricks, randomly discovered during annoying summer holidays spent in the pontine islands. But the Martin Mystere comic, still today, was my inspiration model: he is a special detective of archeological mystery and he uses an Apple Macintosh to store data, write articles, collect images, and make analyses between documents. My family gift me a preowned Macintosh dismissed by a lawyer. I experienced my first technological jump: from a monitor with 80 columns and a prompt with a blinking cursor to a Macintosh desktop:
I was fourteen, another summer holiday spent not in front of the sun but on an incredibly little portable monitor. Provided with a specific bag I was able to bring my Macintosh to my grandmother's house! I find my vocation in creating digital content and experimenting with ideas and ways to automate, focusing not on the computer itself but on what and how I do everything else with this incredible machine.
1987
Modem: "to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before"
Mail order purchase, this device is the first modem of Commodore 64 personal home computer: It connects to the expansion cartridge slot behind the keyboard chassis. Consider that I was living in ex pontine marshes: 100 km south of Rome in an agriculture context. Compatible with Italian carrier SIP to text news service "videotel". With the right setup provided to me by a technician of SIP, I live near a service station, I am able to connect with BBS: a new era rising. I get more detailed information about computer sciences, news, first tips and tricks (hack), and finally, I understand the value of a foreign language until then limited to: "the cat is under the table"! It took me hours to understand a text, having to translate everything with the dictionary. Accessing news not covered by traditional media also technology-related, It was a revelation and I was hooked on journalism, stories and communication
1984
C64: the first contact
During the fourth year of the first school cycle, I received a preowned Commodore 64: my first computer. I spent all summer holidays in the garage of my family's house with my friend to play video games and when I was alone, I start discovering BASIC programming language... for all other seasons! Simple games or animated graphics (sprite) were my favorite software programs: I try to modify the copied instructions enhancing interaction and giving its more control.
