Mir Ali Shahidi - Biography

Mir Ali Shahidi, born in 1986 in Tehran, Iran, is a seasoned and versatile expert in ethical hacking, network security, and information management. With over a decade of experience in the ICT sector, he has played a pivotal role in defending critical infrastructures against emerging cyber threats while maintaining compliance with international standards and ethical boundaries.

His educational background in theoretical sciences—mathematics, chemistry, and physics—formed the analytical foundation for his later mastery in digital systems and cybersecurity strategies. This rigorous academic grounding has been instrumental in refining his capabilities in reverse engineering, malware analysis, encryption, and high-level threat intelligence operations.

Mir Ali has led and executed a wide range of penetration testing and vulnerability assessments under strict NDAs and formal contracts. His operational role within Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERT) has allowed him to respond rapidly and effectively to high-severity incidents, minimizing damage and ensuring rapid recovery. He is well-versed in advanced methodologies such as social engineering, digital forensics, zero-day analysis, and secure network architecture planning.

In addition to his technical acumen, Mir Ali is a business-oriented innovator. As an entrepreneur, he has launched and supported ICT-focused business ventures, designed growth strategies, and cultivated technical partnerships across sectors. His work seamlessly integrates ethical responsibility with innovation, emphasizing lawful practices, transparency, and collaborative progress.

Beyond his professional scope, Mir Ali is deeply engaged in an active lifestyle. He is passionate about mountaineering and is a trained cycling technician, maintaining and repairing professional bicycles. He enjoys cultural and artistic pursuits—particularly Iranian handmade carpets, a domain of both family heritage and personal expertise. He finds intellectual satisfaction in studying philosophy, politics, and media, and values experiences that combine learning with real-world exploration.

He believes in lifelong learning and continuously updates his knowledge through certifications and practical applications. His vision is to contribute to a secure, connected, and ethically driven digital future while mentoring others and expanding his network of trusted professionals worldwide.

Technical Expertise Overview

Mir Ali’s technical portfolio encompasses full-stack programming, advanced networking, cybersecurity, and systems administration. His programming expertise includes but is not limited to:

• Programming Languages: C, C++, Java, Python, JavaScript (ES6+), TypeScript, C#, Ruby, PHP, SQL, Bash, PowerShell, QBasic, HTML, CSS, XML, JSON, YAML
• Frameworks & Libraries: Spring/Spring Boot, Django, Flask, FastAPI, .NET Core, ASP.NET MVC, Ruby on Rails, Laravel, CodeIgniter, Express.js, Next.js, Nuxt.js, React.js, Angular, Vue.js, jQuery, Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS, Material UI
• Database Technologies: Relational (MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle), NoSQL (MongoDB, CouchDB, DynamoDB), In-Memory (Redis, Memcached), Graph (Neo4j), Document (RavenDB), Key-Value Stores, Time Series (InfluxDB)
• Database Management Tools: SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), MySQL Workbench, pgAdmin, phpMyAdmin, Robo 3T, DBeaver, Navicat, DataGrip
• Web & Application Servers: Apache HTTP Server, Nginx, Node.js, Tomcat, Microsoft IIS, Lighttpd, Caddy, Varnish, HAProxy, nginx-proxy, WSGI/Gunicorn, uWSGI, PM2
• Computer Networking: ICND1/2, CCNA, CCNP, CCIE, CCAr; concepts such as IPv4/IPv6, LAN/WAN, VLAN, STP, OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, RIP, NAT, PAT, DNS, DHCP, QoS, VPN, MPLS, SDN, network segmentation, and redundancy protocols (HSRP, VRRP, GLBP)
• Security Protocols & Standards: TCP/IP Stack, OSI Model, SSL/TLS, SSH, HTTPS, IPsec, SNMPv3, Radius, Kerberos, OAuth2, SAML, OpenID Connect, DNSSEC, NAC, Zero Trust Architecture
• Cybersecurity & Ethical Hacking: CEH, penetration testing (web, network, wireless, mobile), red teaming, vulnerability scanning, social engineering, malware analysis, buffer overflow exploitation, reverse engineering, CVSS, threat modeling, OWASP Top 10, Metasploit, Burp Suite, Nmap, Wireshark, Nikto, Aircrack-ng
• Security Technologies: IDS/IPS (Snort, Suricata), firewalls (pfSense, iptables, Cisco ASA), endpoint protection (EDR/XDR), SIEM systems (Splunk, ELK, IBM QRadar), VPN gateways, honeypots, DLP, PKI, SSL certificate management, hardware security modules (HSM)
• Information Security Management: ISMS based on ISO/IEC 27001, NIST Cybersecurity Framework, CIS Controls, PDCA cycle, CIA triad, risk assessments, BIA (Business Impact Analysis), GAP analysis, BCP, DRP, SOC management, RPU (Risk Prevention Unit), RTU (Real-Time Updates), vulnerability management lifecycle
• Cloud & Virtualization: VMware vSphere/ESXi, VirtualBox, KVM/QEMU, Docker, Podman, Kubernetes, OpenStack, AWS (EC2, S3, IAM, VPC), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, cloud security posture management (CSPM)
• DevOps & Automation: CI/CD pipelines (GitLab CI, Jenkins, GitHub Actions), Ansible, Terraform, Bash scripting, PowerShell automation, Git, SVN, Helm, system monitoring (Nagios, Zabbix, Prometheus + Grafana)
• Operating Systems: Windows Server (2008–2022), Linux distributions (Debian, Ubuntu, CentOS, Red Hat, Kali Linux), UNIX (Solaris, AIX), macOS; system administration, shell scripting, services hardening
• Digital Forensics & Incident Response: Memory forensics (Volatility), file system forensics, disk image analysis (FTK, Autopsy), log analysis, timeline reconstruction, SIEM correlation, threat hunting, phishing attack tracing

Certifications

• CompTIA: A+, Network+, Security+, PenTest+, CySA+, CASP+
• Cisco: CCNA (Routing & Switching, CyberOps), CCNP (Enterprise, Security), CCIE (Security), CCAr (Architect), CCSP (Security Professional)
• EC-Council: CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker), ECSA, CHFI (Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator), LPT (Licensed Penetration Tester)
• ISACA: CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor), CISM (Certified Information Security Manager), CRISC (Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control)
• Offensive Security: OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional), OSWP, OSEP (if applicable)
• ISC²: SSCP, CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional)
• Linux Professional Institute: LPIC-1, LPIC-2 (Linux System Administration), RHCSA/RHCE (if applicable)
• Other: QBasic Programming, VSAT Communication Systems, Flowchart Algorithm Design, Python Programming, HTML5/CSS3, Java SE, Web Security Fundamentals

Experience

• Senior Information Security Analyst with over 10 years of practical experience
• Active member of national and international Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERT/CIRT/SOC)
• Lead Penetration Tester under government and enterprise-level NDAs and technical contracts
• Project Lead in Network Infrastructure Optimization and Zero Trust Security Design
• Architect of Secure-by-Design Systems in Cloud (AWS, Azure), Hybrid, and On-Prem environments
• Cybersecurity Consultant for telecom providers, ISPs, financial institutions, and startups
• Trainer and mentor for cybersecurity bootcamps and ethical hacking workshops
• Contributing author to security policy documentation and internal compliance frameworks

Skills Snapshot

• Security Auditing, Risk Management, and Vulnerability Assessment (CVSS, Nessus, OpenVAS)
• Advanced Encryption & Cryptography: AES, RSA, ECC, SHA, GPG, PGP, SSL/TLS, PKI Lifecycle
• Digital Forensics & Threat Analysis: Memory, disk, and network forensics using FTK, Autopsy, Volatility, and ELK
• Incident Response & SOC Operations: Playbooks, Threat Hunting, SIEM Tuning (Splunk, QRadar, Elastic Stack)
• Secure Software Development Life Cycle (SSDLC), OWASP Top 10, CWE/SANS 25, DevSecOps
• Firewall Management (Cisco ASA, Palo Alto, Fortinet), IDS/IPS (Snort, Suricata), NAC, DLP
• Cloud Security: IAM, encryption at rest/in transit, container hardening, Kubernetes RBAC
• Penetration Testing: Web, Mobile, Wireless, Social Engineering, Physical Security

Education

• High School Diploma in Theoretical Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) – Tehran, Iran
• Extensive self-education through advanced cybersecurity labs and global certification tracks
• Regular attendee of international InfoSec conferences, CTF competitions, and cybersecurity webinars
• Independent research in cryptography, threat intelligence, and ethical hacking methodologies

Interests & Personal Activities

• Professional Mountain Biking, Long-Distance Cycling, and Maintenance Workshops
• Restoration and study of Persian cultural artifacts, especially handmade carpets and calligraphy
• Film enthusiast with a focus on international documentaries, socio-political cinema, and classic films
• Music aficionado with a deep appreciation for world music, ambient, Persian traditional, and jazz
• Traveler and nature explorer with a passion for rural ecotourism and heritage preservation
• Keen follower of global technology trends, cybersecurity regulations, digital rights, and geopolitics

Professional Philosophy

Mir Ali Shahidi strictly adheres to global ethical and legal standards in the field of cybersecurity. He believes in the responsible use of technology, ethical hacking practices, and transparent client engagement. With a zero-tolerance policy for black-hat activities, he ensures that all security assessments and offensive testing are conducted under proper legal frameworks, NDAs, and codes of conduct. His mission is to bridge the gap between secure design and business functionality, empowering organizations to stay resilient in an evolving threat landscape.