Marco Olivieri, Polytechnic University of Bari, among the seven winners of theses on national security

The awarded study concerns an innovative interception architecture capable of capturing and sharing with the Authorities traffic originating from any point in the 5G network and, at the same time, enabling the traffic intercepted in the network to be decrypted. The research was carried out in the Telematics and iTNT-NS laboratories of the Department of Electrical and Information Engineering of Poliba

May 19, 2026

Seven young graduates, seven degree theses, seven awards for a single common thread: putting university knowledge at the service of national security, with ideas, skills, tools.

Among the seven national awardees is also Marco Olivieri. Twenty-five years old, from Matera, with a master's degree in Telecommunications Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Bari in 2025, grade 110/110 with honors (supervisor Prof. Giuseppe Piro), who with his degree thesis, a study on “an innovative architecture for lawful interception in future mobile telecommunications systems” was awarded, together with six other colleagues, by the selection committee of the VII edition of the “A Thesis for National Security” Award. Initiative promoted by the Department of Information for Security(DIS), Presidency of the Council of Ministers, with the aim of bringing young people closer to the world of Intelligence and promoting the study of topics of strategic importance for the protection of national interests. Since 2014, the Award has established itself over time as one of the main initiatives of the Italian Intelligence community for the promotion of security culture.

The award ceremony took place on May 18 in Rome, at Palazzo Dante, the headquarters of Italian Intelligence. The winners were awarded by the Director General of DIS Vittorio Rizzi, by the Director of AISE Giovanni Caravelli and by the Director of AISI Bruno Valensise.

I lavori premiati riguardano le sfide che oggi attraversano la sicurezza del Paese: dalla vulnerabilità dei modelli di intelligenza artificiale alla competizione per i minerali critici; dalla sicurezza energetica e ambientale alla guerra anti-satellitare; dal contrasto alla disinformazione coordinata alle nuove architetture per le intercettazioni legali nel 5G; fino alla proliferazione nucleare e alla tenuta degli equilibri strategici internazionali.

“In Europe – the winner Marco Olivieri states to “Poliba Chronicle” – more than 80% of criminal networks threaten strategic assets for socio-economic development through activities such as cybercrime, illicit trafficking of drugs, firearms and explosives, environmental crimes, fraud, counterfeiting, crimes against the person and organized property crimes. In this context, lawful interceptions represent an investigative tool of enormous strategic value for the Authorities. They make it possible to prevent, identify and investigate serious crimes and terrorist phenomena, supporting both intelligence activities and the collection of evidence usable in judicial proceedings. The continuous evolution of telecommunications and digital infrastructures – continues – inevitably requires constant updating of interception technologies and methodologies.

The thesis work carried out in the course “Wireless Network Security”, in collaboration with the research group based in the Telematics and iTNT-NS laboratories of the Department of Electrical and Information Engineering of the Polytechnic University of Bari, has helped provide new concrete and effective solutions. The designed and experimentally validated solution is structured in two distinct aspects. On the one hand, an innovative interception architecture is defined, capable of capturing and sharing with the competent Authorities the traffic originating from any point of the 5G network. On the other hand, the use of advanced cryptographic algorithms, known as key escrow, has been proposed, through which it is possible to ensure the protection of communications and, at the same time, allow authorized Authorities to decrypt the traffic intercepted in the network. The proposed solution – concludes with satisfaction – guarantees an effective balance between the protection of privacy and the needs of public security.

Congratulations from the Rector to Marco Olivieri, Umberto Fratino.

For the 7th edition of the “A Thesis for National Security” Award there were 98 applications from 35 Italian universities. The Committee awarded 7 prizes, worth 3,000 euros each.

The winners of the 7th edition: Mattia Alfano, University of Milan; Matteo Gioele Collu, University of Padua; Marco Inzerillo, LUISS Guido Carli University of Rome. Luca Mazzini, University of Florence; Elisa Muratore, University of Trento; Marco Olivieri, Polytechnic University of Bari; Camilla Tuan, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna.

The article Marco Olivieri, Polytechnic University of Bari, among the seven winners of theses on national security comes from Poliba Chronicle.