Auditable Data Structures

The classic notion of history-independence guarantees that if a data structure is ever observed, only its current contents are revealed, not the history of operations that built it. This powerful concept has applications, for example, to e-voting and data retention compliance, where data structure histories should be private. The concept of weak history-independence (WHI) assumes only a single observation will ever occur, while strong history-independence (SHI) allows for multiple observations at arbitrary times. WHI constructions tend to be fast, but provide no repeatability, while SHI constructions provide unlimited repeatability, but tend to be slow. We introduce auditable data structures, where an auditor can observe data structures at arbitrary times (as in SHI), but we relax the unrealistic restriction that data structures cannot react to observations, since in most applications of history-independence, data owners know when observations have occurred. We consider two audit scenarios—secure topology, where an auditor can observe the contents and pointers of a data structure, and secure implementation, where an auditor can observe the memory layout of a data structure. We present a generic template for auditable data structures and, as a foundation for any auditable data structure, an Auditable Memory Manager (AMM), which is an efficient memory manager that translates any auditable data structure with a secure topology into one with a secure implementation. We give a prototype implementation that provides empirical evidence that the worst-case time running times of our AMM are 45× to 8,300× faster than those of a well-known SHI memory manager. Thus, auditable data structures provide a practical way of achieving time efficiency, as in WHI, while allowing for multiple audits, as in SHI

Auditable data structures: theory and applications

Every digital process needs to consume some data in order to work properly. It is very common for applications to use some external data in their processes, getting them by sources such as external APIs. Therefore, trusting the received data becomes crucial in such scenarios, considering that if the data are not self-produced by the consumer, the trust in the external data source, or in the data that the source produces, can not always be taken for granted. The most used approach to generate trust in the external source is based on authenticated data structures, that are able to authenticate the source when queried through the generation of proofs. Such proofs are useful to assess authenticity or integrity, however, an external user could also be interested in verifying the data history and its consistency. This problem seems to be unaddressed by current literature, which proposes some approaches aimed at executing audits by internal actors with prior knowledge about the data structures. In this paper, we address the scenario of an external auditor with no data knowledge that wants to verify the data history consistency. We analyze the terminology and the current state of the art of the auditable data structures, then we will propose a general framework to support external audits from both internal and external users

Improving identification and audit of disability within Child Health Services

This project was commissioned by the Department of Health to survey existing data collections regarding childhood disability across the domains of education, health and social care and to collect definitions of disability from across three domains. A systematic review was conducted which addressed the two aims. The findings were discussed in consultation of findings with key professionals from across the UK and with some contacts in Europe, both electronically and in a professional working focus group. The review of published academic and grey literature identified vast disparities between the way that data is collected, coded and used across the three domains. The disparities between the definitions of disability used across the domains further prevent the data being drawn together in a cohesive manner that may then be used to facilitate effective planning of services both locally and nationally. The project did, however, identify one coding system that may potentially offer a solution to these difficulties, the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health – Children and Youth Version (ICF-CY, World Health Organisation, 2007). This coding system has demonstrated a capacity to resolve issues with data collections in Europe and has been the subject of policy recommendations presented to the European Parliament on the 16th September 2008. It is proposed that while immediate change is not possible, a staged approach, beginning with a pilot study of the utility of the ICF-CY, should be conducted to test its efficiency in providing effective harmonisation of data collections across the three domains and its applicability in the identification of childhood disability. Alongside this, it is important for the ICF-CY considered by the project group overseeing the implementation of the Child Health, Maternity and CAMHS Care Records

Parsimonious Catchment and River Flow Modelling

It is increasingly the case that models are being developed as “evolving” products rather than\ud one-off application tools, such that auditable modelling versus ad hoc treatment of models becomes a\ud pivotal issue. Auditable modelling is particularly vital to “parsimonious modelling” aimed at meeting\ud specific modelling requirements. This paper outlines various contributory factors and aims to seed\ud proactively a research topic by inextricably linking value/risk management to parsimonious modelling.\ud Value management in modelling may be implemented in terms of incorporating “enough detail” into a\ud model so that the synergy among the constituent units of the model captures that of the real system. It is a\ud problem of diminishing returns, since further reductions in the constituent units will create an\ud unacceptable difference between the model and the real system; conversely, any further detail will add to\ud the cost of modelling without returning any significant benefit. The paper also defines risk management\ud in relation to modelling. It presents a qualitative framework for value/risk management towards\ud parsimonious modelling by the categorisation of “modelling techniques” in terms of “control volume.

Valences considering the identification of risks in terms of public internal audit

Risks get new valences into the public sector within an economy characterized by resource limitation, increase of public exigency regarding services and diversification of the activities in the public sector entities. By carrying out this fundamental research we consider the problem of classification of risks from point of view of public internal audit. This study is based on a synthesis of the ideas published by national and international accounting regulators, accounting bodies and works put forward on the matter. We define the concept of risk, identify the types of risks in terms of public internal audit at European and national level, we determine the correlation between the audit risk optimization and the expedience of public financing use and propose a model to evaluate risks.audit risk, public internal audit, risk.

Information Security management: A human challenge?

This paper considers to what extent the management of Information Security is a human challenge. It suggests that the human challenge lies in accepting that individuals in the organisation have not only an identity conferred by their role but also a personal and social identity that they bring with them to work. The challenge that faces organisations is to manage this while trying to achieve the optimum configuration of resources in order to meet business objectives. The paper considers the challenges for Information Security from an organisational perspective and develops an argument that builds on research from the fields of management and organisational behaviour. It concludes that the human challenge of Information Security management has largely been neglected and suggests that to address the issue we need to look at the skills needed to change organisational culture, the identity of the Information Security Manager and effective communication between Information Security Managers, end users and Senior Managers