An Improved Image Watermarking by Modifying Selected DWT-DCT Coefficients

Digital images can be easily copied or manipulated by irresponsible persons. The right property needs to be secured and protected from illegal copies and piracy. Digital watermarking is one of the solutions to protect the intellectual property of digital images. This paper proposed the adaptive scaling factor based on selected DWT-DCT coefficients of its image content. The adaptive scaling factor was generated based on the role of selected DWT-DCT coefficients against the average value of DWT-DCT coefficients. The watermark image was embedded by using a proposed set of rules that consider the adaptive scaling factor. The experimental results showed that the proposed scheme achieved high PSNR value of 47dB, SSIM value of about 0.987 and an embedded watermark resistance to several attacks in the watermarked image

Cyber Security and Critical Infrastructures

This book contains the manuscripts that were accepted for publication in the MDPI Special Topic "Cyber Security and Critical Infrastructure" after a rigorous peer-review process. Authors from academia, government and industry contributed their innovative solutions, consistent with the interdisciplinary nature of cybersecurity. The book contains 16 articles: an editorial explaining current challenges, innovative solutions, real-world experiences including critical infrastructure, 15 original papers that present state-of-the-art innovative solutions to attacks on critical systems, and a review of cloud, edge computing, and fog's security and privacy issues

Explaining intellectual property: the emergence of intangible property contract regulation in the XXI century

The rise of the digital environment and the Internet during the last decades resulted in a number of novel issues in the field of intellectual property rights (IPRs) and Internet contract (IC) regulation. Many doctrinal approaches have attempted to elaborate adequate models for the management of IPRs and IC implementation. From the technical point of view, several solutions to managing IPRs and implementing IC exist. We still miss, however, a fullyfledged theoretical framework that articulates the features of the new kinds of property that arise in relation to digital goods and the role of users’ input. The lack of a legal and regulatory theory of new kinds of property is often at the origin of provisions that are not very accurate or stringent to the users who are held accountable and responsible for their actions. The aim of this dissertation is to suggest basic subject-matter design principles that should be taken into account when drafting and enacting intellectual property and contract laws: Principle 1: Provide precise, clear, and unambiguous definitions of key concepts and terms such as intangible property, intangible property rights, intangible property works and goods, IPM. This principle is needed for achieving a certain level of legal certainty and limiting the scope of the laws implementation. The analysis of existing intellectual property (IP) and IC laws in different jurisdictions across continents suggests that according to the development and creation of new forms of creativity it is possible to defining core terms of intangible property protection. Principle 2: Enforce IP legislation in the context of intangible property provisions. The review of legal regimes under various legal frameworks as well as the overview of legislation in the U.S. and in Europe suggests that intangible property provisions tend to change the allocation of rights previously embodied in the respective national IP laws. Particularly significant shifts can be observed in areas such as rights of use, access, communication and traditional user privileges such as fair use or the 'right' to make private copies. Thus, it is crucial to carefully design the framework applicable to IPM, provide appropriate mechanisms for the effective enforcement of rights, analyse the interplay of the exception regime with the other core elements of the IP framework. Principle 3: Enforce IC discretion with regard to principles of contract law and remedies and adhere to the principle of the new transaction environment. IC frameworks provide some degrees of flexibility in new method of manifesting contractual intention and analytical process of establishing the contents of a contract. Establishing the obligations of the parties should carefully consider the analytical process of defining the contents of a contract, thereby following the principle of contractual intention (PCI). Among the usual options to be considered are the analytical process of establishing the obligations of the parties, the incorporation of descriptions of the contractual subject matter and assertions as to its quality or performance and liability perspective. In addition, the interplay among the liability provisions and the other elements of the framework, including scope and exceptions, must be equilibrated. Principle 4: The monitoring and review of the effects of the IPM need to incorporate necessary procedures and tools of intangible property rights protection. It is crucial to establish mechanisms that take into account the effects of Internet innovations. Such processes and tools might include technical, legislative and procedure review and might focus, among others things, on the core zones of concern outlined in the context of this dissertation with special attention on the IPM. In sum, IP and IC law might provide a helpful structure for intangible property regulation with these principles in mind. The discussion of the various options and approaches helps to determine the necessary components and infrastructure of the IPM

Navigating Copyright for Libraries

Much of the information that libraries make available is protected by copyright or subject to the terms of license agreements. This reader presents an overview of current issues in copyright law reform. The chapters present salient points, overviews of the law and legal concepts, selected comparisons of approaches around the world, significance of the topic, and opportunities for reform, advocacy, and other related resources

Revisiting the legal regulation of digital identity in the light of global implementation and local difference

This thesis aims to address a vital gap that has emerged in the digital identity regulatory discourse: how can the legal regulation of digital identity mirror the global nature of digital identity and be compatible with national local difference? Digital identity, or the digital representation of an individual, is a complex concept, which manifests in myriad forms (e.g. authenticators, claims, data or information, identifiers, presence, relationship representations and reputation) and natures. As such, it engages a gamut of legal domains ranging from criminal law, constitutional law, human rights law, law of identity schemes, contract law, intellectual property law, tort law and data protection law. Digital identity is global and local in its nature, influence and effects. Yet, the digital identity regulatory discourse has primarily developed in and focussed on the digitally advanced West, leaving out countries like India which are developing strong digital presences, with their own digital identity perceptions and needs. This situation is adverse to the sustained future of digital identity. Thus, the contribution of this thesis lies in filling this gap and preparing the ground for a dialogue between different countries with different national agendas through building international and local awareness of how similarities and differences operate in respect of digital identity, its regulation and providing a modest solution to help preserve the global and local dimensions of digital identity and its regulation. To this end, the thesis carried out comparative legal research on the legal regulation of digital identity using the UK and India as base jurisdictions. The original hypothesis was that that immense differences in the legal regulation of digital identity between the comparator countries would emerge. Yet, though differences were evident, considerable degrees of similarity also emerged, not just on the superficial level of mere identity of rules, but also in legal practice, in large part attributable to India’s penchant for legal transplants. While the transplantation of Western law did not result in a full-scale rejection of the transplanted laws in relation to digital identity in India, there are indications of anomalies caused by the imposition of Western cultural norms through law on an Indian society ill prepared for it. Thus there has resulted a tension between the local and the global, the indigenous and the externally imposed. The challenge is thus to resolve this, taking into account, on the one hand the need to maintain the global nature and relevance of digital identity and the other, the need to accommodate and be responsive to local differences. The thesis proposes a tentative solution called the tri-elemental framework (TeF) which draws from the Indian philosophical and legal concept of dharma (and its elements of Sad Achara, Vyavahara and Prayaschitta) and learns from the most universally relevant digital identity proposal, De Hert’s right to identity. The solution provides one way in which the law regulating digital identity, whatever its nature, can be made sense of and acquire cultural meaning appropriate to local contexts

Navigating Copyright for Libraries – Purpose and Scope

Information is a critical resource for personal, economic and social development. Libraries and archives are the primary access point to information for individuals and communities with much of the information protected by copyright or licence terms. In this complex legal environment, librarians and information professionals operate at the fulcrum of copyright’s balance, ensuring understanding of and compliance with copyright legislation and enabling access to knowledge in the pursuit of research, education and innovation. This book, produced on behalf of the IFLA Copyright and other Legal Matters (CLM) Advisory Committee, provides basic and advanced information about copyright, outlines limitations and exceptions, discusses communicating with users and highlights emerging copyright issues. The chapters note the significance of the topic; describe salient points of the law and legal concepts; present selected comparisons of approaches around the world; highlight opportunities for reform and advocacy; and help libraries and librarians find their way through the copyright maze