A detailed review of blockchain-based applications for protection against pandemic like COVID-19

The recent corona virus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has brought the issues of technological deficiencies and challenges of security and privacy, validating and maintaining anonymity, user control over records while fully utilizing the available records etc., that can be encountered in an emergency or pandemic condition. Blockchain technology has evolved as a promising solution in conditions that necessitate immutability, record integrity, and proper records authentication. Blockchain can effectively resolve the technical barriers and effectively utilize the available resources and infrastructure in pandemic situations like the current COVID-19. This paper provides an extensive review of various possible use cases of blockchain and available solutions for protection against the COVID-19 like situation. It gives an insight into the benefits and shortcomings of available solutions. It further provides the issues and challenges of adopting blockchain in a situation like COVID-19 and suggest future directions that can offer a platform for further improved and better solutions

Security and blockchain convergence with internet of multimedia things : current trends, research challenges and future directions

The Internet of Multimedia Things (IoMT) orchestration enables the integration of systems, software, cloud, and smart sensors into a single platform. The IoMT deals with scalar as well as multimedia data. In these networks, sensor-embedded devices and their data face numerous challenges when it comes to security. In this paper, a comprehensive review of the existing literature for IoMT is presented in the context of security and blockchain. The latest literature on all three aspects of security, i.e., authentication, privacy, and trust is provided to explore the challenges experienced by multimedia data. The convergence of blockchain and IoMT along with multimedia-enabled blockchain platforms are discussed for emerging applications. To highlight the significance of this survey, large-scale commercial projects focused on security and blockchain for multimedia applications are reviewed. The shortcomings of these projects are explored and suggestions for further improvement are provided. Based on the aforementioned discussion, we present our own case study for healthcare industry: a theoretical framework having security and blockchain as key enablers. The case study reflects the importance of security and blockchain in multimedia applications of healthcare sector. Finally, we discuss the convergence of emerging technologies with security, blockchain and IoMT to visualize the future of tomorrow's applications. © 2020 Elsevier Lt

Review on Lightweight Cryptography Techniques and Steganography Techniques for IOT Environment

In the modern world, technology has connected to our day-to-day life in different forms. The Internet of Things (IoT) has become an innovative criterion for mass implementations and a part of daily life. However, this rapid growth leads the huge traffic and security problems. There are several challenges arise while deploying IoT. The most common challenges are privacy and security during data transmission. To address these issues, various lightweight cryptography and steganography techniques were introduced. These techniques are helpful in securing the data over the IoT. The hybrid of cryptography and steganography mechanisms provides enhanced security to confidential messages. Any messages can be secured by cryptography or by embedding the messages into any media files, including text, audio, image, and video, using steganography. Hence, this article has provided a detailed review of efficient, lightweight security solutions based on cryptography and steganography and their function over IoT applications. The objective of the paper is to study and analyze various Light weight cryptography techniques and Steganography techniques for IoT. A few works of literature were reviewed in addition to their merits and limitations. Furthermore, the common problems in the reviewed techniques are explained in the discussion section with their parametric comparison. Finally, the future scope to improve IoT security solutions based on lightweight cryptography and steganography is mentioned in the conclusion part

Information Security and Cryptography-Encryption in Journalism

The purpose of this review paper is to garner knowledge about the information security and cryptography encryption practices implementation for journalistic work and its effectiveness in thwarting software security breaches in the wake of ‘Journalism After Snowden’. Systematic literature review for the ‘information security and cryptography encryption in journalism’ employed with an eye to synthesize existing practices in this field. For this, at first the existing approachable research article databases and search engines employed to download or get the abstract of relevant scientific articles which are then used for citation and summarization works in a systematic rigorous anatomization. Contingent upon them their analysis and synthesis employed to arrive at the findings. Research papers collated for the purpose of writing this review paper lighted up the vital issues related to investigative journalists’ safety practices promulgation inadequacies even after the UNESCO 2017 and 2022 guidelines for urgent instrumentalization needs of journalists on the part of its’ member States.Lattice Science Publication (LSP) © Copyright: All rights reserved

IoT Health Devices: Exploring Security Risks in the Connected Landscape

The concept of the Internet of Things (IoT) spans decades, and the same can be said for its inclusion in healthcare. The IoT is an attractive target in medicine; it offers considerable potential in expanding care. However, the application of the IoT in healthcare is fraught with an array of challenges, and also, through it, numerous vulnerabilities that translate to wider attack surfaces and deeper degrees of damage possible to both consumers and their confidence within health systems, as a result of patient-specific data being available to access. Further, when IoT health devices (IoTHDs) are developed, a diverse range of attacks are possible. To understand the risks in this new landscape, it is important to understand the architecture of IoTHDs, operations, and the social dynamics that may govern their interactions. This paper aims to document and create a map regarding IoTHDs, lay the groundwork for better understanding security risks in emerging IoTHD modalities through a multi-layer approach, and suggest means for improved governance and interaction. We also discuss technological innovations expected to set the stage for novel exploits leading into the middle and latter parts of the 21st century

Big data for monitoring educational systems

This report considers “how advances in big data are likely to transform the context and methodology of monitoring educational systems within a long-term perspective (10-30 years) and impact the evidence based policy development in the sector”, big data are “large amounts of different types of data produced with high velocity from a high number of various types of sources.” Five independent experts were commissioned by Ecorys, responding to themes of: students' privacy, educational equity and efficiency, student tracking, assessment and skills. The experts were asked to consider the “macro perspective on governance on educational systems at all levels from primary, secondary education and tertiary – the latter covering all aspects of tertiary from further, to higher, and to VET”, prioritising primary and secondary levels of education

Blockchain’s roles in strengthening cybersecurity and protecting privacy

This paper evaluates blockchain's roles in strengthening cybersecurity and protecting privacy. Since most of the data is currently stored in cloud data centers, it also compares how blockchain performs vis-vis the cloud in various aspects of security and privacy. Key underlying mechanisms related to the blockchain's impacts on the Internet of Things (IoT) security are also covered. From the security and privacy considerations, it highlights how blockchain-based solutions could possibly be, in many aspects, superior to the current IoT ecosystem, which mainly relies on centralized cloud servers through service providers. Using practical applications and real-world examples, the paper argues that blockchain's decentralized feature is likely to result in a low susceptibility to manipulation and forgery by malicious participants. Special consideration is also given to how blockchain-based identity and access management systems can address some of the key challenges associated with IoT security. The paper provides a detailed analysis and description of blockchain's roles in tracking the sources of insecurity in supply chains related to IoT devices. The paper also delves into how blockchain can make it possible to contain an IoT security breach in a targeted way after it is discovered. It discusses and evaluates initiatives of organizations, inter-organizational networks and industries on this front. A number of policy implications are discussed. First, in order to strengthen IoT, regulators can make it obligatory for firms to deploy blockchain in supply chain, especially in systems that are mission critical, and have substantial national security and economic benefits. Second, public policy efforts directed at protecting privacy using blockchain should focus on providing training to key stakeholders and increasing investment in this technology. Third, one way to enrich the blockchain ecosystem would be to turn attention to public–private partnerships. Finally, national governments should provide legal clarity and more information for parties to engage in smart contracts that are enforceable