Hi, I'm Rian. I'm a computer science student at UNC Chapel Hill originally from Cuba, now working at the intersection of cybersecurity, systems, and low-level tech.
I like taking things apart, including hardware, software, and protocols, just to see how they work (and how they break). Outside of systems work, I enjoy making maps in video games, animating in 3D Blender, and breaking down how games are built and why they work.
When I'm not tinkering, I'm usually thinking about how to make tech safer, more reliable, and more human.
ThinkPad T480
Tearing down and rebuilding a ThinkPad T480 with a focus on security and system hardening.
This includes BIOS/UEFI work, OS customization, scripting, and generally pushing the machine past what it was meant to do.
Nintendo DS Mods
Modifying and experimenting with a Nintendo DS, from hardware tweaks to software exploration.
A fun way for me to learn more about embedded systems, constraints, and how games interact with hardware.
This Website
Designed and built from scratch. A place to experiment with layout, visuals, and interaction while documenting projects, ideas,
and things I'm learning along the way.
Raspberry Pi 4 Pi-hole
Running a Pi-hole on a Raspberry Pi 4 to block ads and trackers at the network level.
A hands-on project in networking, DNS, and privacy-focused infrastructure.
Cybersecurity & Systems
Operating systems security, threat analysis, system hardening, vulnerability assessment, protocol analysis, embedded systems security
roles, labs, and what i focused on in each position.
In this role, I support and maintain secure, HIPAA-compliant systems critical to medical education and research.
My work involves assisting faculty, staff, and students across clinical and academic platforms while ensuring that access controls,
endpoint security, and data protections are properly enforced. I regularly troubleshoot operating system, application, and infrastructure
issues, gaining hands-on experience with healthcare IT environments where reliability, privacy, and security are essential.
This position has strengthened my understanding of real-world security constraints and the importance of maintaining trust in sensitive systems.
During this internship, I worked on low-level embedded systems security and performance optimization. I reverse-engineered the QSPI
communication protocol to optimize 8x16 and 16x16 antenna arrays, identifying key bottlenecks in data transmission. To address these
limitations, I implemented a data-slicing strategy that split arrays into four vertical domains, enabling more efficient handling of
40-bit packets. This work resulted in a fourfold increase in throughput and improved system responsiveness. The experience deepened
my understanding of hardware-software interaction, protocol design, and performance-aware security engineering.
As a cybersecurity research intern, I examined the security posture of Raspberry Pi-based systems used in Department of Defense
embedded environments. My work focused on identifying common attack vectors such as default credentials, open network services, and
operating system vulnerabilities, particularly those exploitable by fast-spreading malicious code. I compared security weaknesses
across different operating systems and proposed mitigation strategies tailored for DoD use cases, including credential hardening,
service reduction, encryption, and update practices. This role introduced me to threat modeling in constrained systems and reinforced
the importance of proactive defense at the operating system level.
projects, experiments, and creative side quests.
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areas i'm exploring and where i want to go next.
I'm interested in cybersecurity work centered on operating systems, low-level systems, and infrastructure security. I enjoy problems
that require understanding how software, hardware, and users interact, especially in environments where reliability and trust are critical.
focus: os security, low-level systems, infrastructure
I'm particularly drawn to embedded systems and hardware-aware security, including firmware, device-level protections, and
hardware-software interfaces. I'm interested in designing systems that are secure by default, resilient to misuse, and robust
in constrained or high-stakes environments.
I'm interested in research-driven environments that combine theory with hands-on engineering. This includes security research,
systems experimentation, and applied work that translates technical insight into practical protections for real-world systems.
focus: applied research, systems experimentation
I'm motivated by work that prioritizes public trust, safety, and long-term impact. I care about building technology that people
can rely on, especially in contexts where security failures have real consequences for communities and institutions.
focus: reliability, safety, long-term impact
version 26.1.14 - status: online - A universe without stories is just empty space.
