Michele Guerra, PhD

Hey there! I’m Michele, a passionate researcher specializing in mobile user privacy and security, with a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Molise, Italy.
In July 2024, I successfully defended my dissertation, "Enhancing Mobile User Privacy through a Context-Aware Permission Model," earning the highest praise from the academic committee. My PhD journey has been marked by the publication of multiple research papers, engaging presentations at international conferences, and active contributions as a reviewer in the research community. I’ve also had the privilege of co-supervising over 20 students on their thesis projects and participating in several funded research initiatives.
As of March 2025, I am a Postdoctoral Associate at NYU Abu Dhabi, working in the CSP Lab under Prof. Christina Pöpper, focusing on mobile security and AI-driven threat detection.
I will always be grateful for the mentorship of Prof. Fausto Fasano and Prof. Rocco Oliveto, whose guidance has been instrumental in shaping my research and professional growth.
🚀 Excited for what’s ahead—let’s make mobile security smarter, safer, and more user-centric!

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Recent News

March 2025 | Officially a Postdoctoral Associate at NYU Abu Dhabi!🌴🌎🟣

New chapter unlocked! 🚀 As of this month, I’m officially a Postdoctoral Associate at NYU Abu Dhabi, diving deep into cybersecurity at the Center for Cyber Security. 🔍💻 You can now find me in the CSP Lab, working under the guidance of the amazing Prof. Christina Pöpper. If you’re in Abu Dhabi and hear someone passionately talking about security, permissions, and digital defenses over a cup of strong Arabic coffee ☕—yep, that’s probably me. 😆 Excited for this journey and the incredible research ahead! 🔥🔒 Stay tuned for updates from the desert cyber front! 🏜️💾

March 2025 | Arrivederci UNIMOL 💙🎓

Every journey has its milestones, and leaving UNIMOL is definitely one of those bittersweet moments. After years of incredible experiences, learning, and collaborations, it’s time for a new adventure—but UNIMOL will always be a part of me. From the classrooms to research challenges, every step has shaped who I am today. A huge thank you to my mentors, colleagues, and friends who made this journey so special. This isn’t a goodbye—just an “arrivederci”! Once UNIMOL, always UNIMOL! 💙

January 2025 | Paper Accepted: Smarter Permissions for Android Security! 📱🔒

Kicking off the year with a bang! 🎉 Our paper, *"Assessing the Effectiveness of an LLM-Based Permission Model for Android,"* was accepted at ICISSP25! 🚀 Tackling one of Android’s biggest challenges—permissions—our research explores how Large Language Models (LLMs) can transform the way users interact with app permissions. By analyzing UI context and dynamically evaluating requests, our system hits an impressive accuracy in detecting unnecessary or harmful permissions. 🤖✨ The goal? Empower users with smarter, real-time decisions while reducing risks and cognitive load. A safer, smarter Android ecosystem is on the horizon! 🌟📱

December 2024 | 🎉 Paper Accepted! Breaking Ground: AI + EEG = Diagnostic Revolution! 🧠⚡

Just back from the BIBM conference in Lisbon, where I presented our latest research: *"Exploring the Diagnostic Potential of LLMs in Schizophrenia Detection through EEG Analysis."* Imagine AI-powered models like GPT-4 teaming up with EEG data to crack the mysteries of schizophrenia. 🤖✨ By combining GPT-4-like AI with EEG brainwave data, we uncovered how machines can help clinicians detect schizophrenia with precision and clarity. The result? Smarter, faster, and more accurate diagnoses! 🔬💡 This is Symbiotic AI at its finest—helping doctors unlock the brain’s secrets while keeping things transparent and clinically relevant. Stay tuned as we bridge the gap between machine learning and mental health! 🚀🧠

November 2024 | Big Win: SINTIA Project Funded! 💻🤖

Exciting news! Our 3-year project, *SINTIA – Innovative Telemedicine Systems with Artificial Intelligence,* has just secured funding! 🎉 SINTIA aims to revolutionize healthcare by combining cutting-edge AI with telemedicine, bringing smarter diagnostics and personalized care to patients everywhere. 🩺🌐 This is more than a project—it’s a step toward making advanced healthcare accessible, efficient, and innovative. Stay tuned as we build the future of telemedicine, one breakthrough at a time! 🚀💡

August 2024 | Research Mode: AI Meets Android Security! 🤖

Actually, I'm a researcher at University of Molise in the Mosaic Lab! My mission? To bring the power of AI to the world of Android security testing. From my PhD roots to now, I’m diving deep into automating the hunt for app vulnerabilities. It’s like giving apps an AI-powered bodyguard, one line of code at a time. Stay tuned as I explore how machines can outsmart malware and make your favorite apps safer than ever! 📱💡

July 2024 | PhD Unlocked: Cracking the Code on Mobile Privacy! 🚀

In July 2024, I officially leveled up with a PhD in Computer Science! My thesis, "Enhancing Mobile User Privacy through a Context-Aware Permission Model," tackled one of today’s hottest tech topics—how to keep your personal data safe in a mobile-first world. It was a wild ride of coding, researching, and outsmarting sneaky apps! Now, with this shiny new degree, I’m ready to push privacy boundaries even further. Stay tuned for more adventures in making the digital world a safer place! 🔐📱

July 2024 | 🎉 Paper Accepted! Seeing is Believing in Android Privacy 👀📜

Exciting news! Our paper, "Seeing is Believing: Assessing and Enhancing Android Privacy Indicators through Eye-Tracking Analysis," has just been accepted by the "Communications in Computer and Information Science" journal, featured in a special issue of the ICISSP conference. This research uses eye-tracking tech to uncover what users really notice about privacy indicators on Android, aiming to make privacy more visible and effective. It’s a big win in the quest for better digital security—proof that seeing truly is believing! Stay tuned as we take these findings to the next level. 📱🔍

May 2024 | Funding Secured: StartUp-24 Project Takes Off! 💡📱

Big news from May 2024—our research project "StartUp-24: Dynamic Authorization Management in Android using Artificial Intelligence Models" has been officially funded by the Computer Science department at the University of Molise! This project aims to revolutionize how Android apps manage permissions, using AI to make authorization smarter, safer, and more dynamic. It’s a huge step forward in the world of mobile security, and we can’t wait to dive in and start coding the future. Stay tuned as we push the boundaries of what’s possible with AI in Android! 🤖🔐

April 2024 | Presenting at ICSE 2024: Privacy Indicators in the Spotlight! 🎤🌍

I proudly presented our TSE paper, "An Empirical Study on the Effectiveness of Privacy Indicators," as journal first at ICSE 2024 in Lisbon. It was an amazing experience to showcase our work at such conference.

February 2024 | Presented at ICISSP 2024: Privacy Indicators Meet Eye Tracking! 👁️✨

I had the pleasure of presenting our paper, "Visual Attention and Privacy Indicators in Android: Insights from Eye Tracking," at the ICISSP 2024 in Rome. A special shoutout to Michele Deodato from NYU Abu Dhabi for his invaluable contributions and to Vittorio Perozzi, my undergraduate thesis student.

November 2023 | Proud Mentor Moment: Roberto Milanese Joins the PhD Ranks! 🚀🤖

I’m thrilled to share some fantastic news about Roberto Milanese, my former thesis student from both his undergraduate and master’s studies. Roberto has been accepted into the prestigious national PhD program in Artificial Intelligence and is now part of the Mosaic Lab at the University of Molise—our very own research hub! He’ll be diving deep into AI-driven testing, focusing on both security and functionality for Android. Watching him grow from student to fellow researcher is a proud moment for me, and I can’t wait to see the incredible work he’s about to accomplish. Go get ’em, Roberto! 🎉👏

PhD in Computer Science

Cybersecurity Expert

Working on Mobile Security and Privacy

Expert in Effective Communication