XML Schema-based Minification for Communication of Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) Systems in Cloud Environments

XML-based communication governs most of today's systems communication, due to its capability of representing complex structural and hierarchical data. However, XML document structure is considered a huge and bulky data that can be reduced to minimize bandwidth usage, transmission time, and maximize performance. This contributes to a more efficient and utilized resource usage. In cloud environments, this affects the amount of money the consumer pays. Several techniques are used to achieve this goal. This paper discusses these techniques and proposes a new XML Schema-based Minification technique. The proposed technique works on XML Structure reduction using minification. The proposed technique provides a separation between the meaningful names and the underlying minified names, which enhances software/code readability. This technique is applied to Intrusion Detection Message Exchange Format (IDMEF) messages, as part of Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system communication hosted on Microsoft Azure Cloud. Test results show message size reduction ranging from 8.15% to 50.34% in the raw message, without using time-consuming compression techniques. Adding GZip compression to the proposed technique produces 66.1% shorter message size compared to original XML messages.Comment: XML, JSON, Minification, XML Schema, Cloud, Log, Communication, Compression, XMill, GZip, Code Generation, Code Readability, 9 pages, 12 figures, 5 tables, Journal Articl

Simulation of complex environments:the Fuzzy Cognitive Agent

The world is becoming increasingly competitive by the action of liberalised national and global markets. In parallel these markets have become increasingly complex making it difficult for participants to optimise their trading actions. In response, many differing computer simulation techniques have been investigated to develop either a deeper understanding of these evolving markets or to create effective system support tools. In this paper we report our efforts to develop a novel simulation platform using fuzzy cognitive agents (FCA). Our approach encapsulates fuzzy cognitive maps (FCM) generated on the Matlab Simulink platform within commercially available agent software. We firstly present our implementation of Matlab Simulink FCMs and then show how such FCMs can be integrated within a conceptual FCA architecture. Finally we report on our efforts to realise an FCA by the integration of a Matlab Simulink based FCM with the Jack Intelligent Agent Toolkit

Kompetensi guru dalam pengajaran amali reka bentuk dan teknologi di Sekolah Rendah Daerah Batu Pahat

Kompetensi bermaksud kemampuan atau kecekapan seseorang individu dalam melakukan sesuatu tugasan. Kompetensi juga merujuk kepada kemampuan seseorang dalam melaksanakan sesuatu yang diperolehi melalui pendidikan dan juga merujuk kepada prestasi dan perbuatan yang rasional untuk memenuhi spesifikasi tertentu di dalam pelaksanaan tugas-tugas pendidikan. Objektif kajian ini dijalankan adalah untuk mengenalpasti tahap kompetensi guru terhadap pengajaran amali Reka Bentuk dan Teknologi di Sekolah Rendah Daerah Batu Pahat. Kajian ini berbentuk tinjauan deskriptif yang menggunakan borang soal selidik sebagai instrumen kajian. Borang soal selidik yang dibina adalah berdasarkan kepada tiga elemen iaitu elemen pengetahuan, kemahiran dan sikap. Seramai 118 orang guru yang mengajar mata pelajaran ini telah terlibat sebagai responden. Data yang dikumpulkan telah dianalisis dengan menggunakan perisian Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) versi 19 yang melibatkan statistik skor min dan ujian-T tidak bersandar. Hasil dapatan kajian yang diperolehi menunjukkan guru-guru Reka Bentuk dan Teknoogi mempunyai tahap kompetensi yang tinggi terhadap proses pengajaran amali iaitu skor min yang diperolehi pada elemen pengetahuan adalah 4.23, elemen kemahiran adalah 4.30, dan elemen sikap adalah 4.47. Dapatan kajian juga menunjukkan tidak terdapat perbezaan yang signifikan terhadap tahap kompetensi berdasarkan jantina guru lelaki dan guru perempuan dengan nilai sigifikan melebihi 0.05 iaitu sebanyak 0.059. Beberapa cadangan untuk penambahbaikan juga dikemukan dalam kajian ini. Hasil dari dapatan kajian ini dapat digunakan sebagai cadangan garis panduan kepada guru-guru Reka Bentuk dan Teknologi untuk mencapai Standard Kompetensi Guru

Sustainable economic development : concept, principles and management from Islamic perspective

The basic concern of development in Islamic economic system is on human welfare. This is in line with the very basic objective of Islamic jurisprudence (Shari’ah ) which puts important to the welfare of the people and their relief from hardship. Economic development should be consistent with this central objective of shari`ah. The center for development process in Islam relies on man as an economic agent. It is man to be educated on the entire development process by integrating sosial development, economic development and environmental conservation and protection. This paper attempts to explain the concept, principles and management of sustainable economic development from Islamic perspective. The paper would start by defining the concept of sustainable economic development and development goals. Next, the Islamic principles for sustainable economic development would be discussed, followed by the discussion on the management of sustainable economic development from Islamic perspective. In conclusion, the paper strongly suggests the economic development process to fully adhere to the Islamic principles as the key for sustainable development which covers both the material and non-material aspects of life. Keywords: Sustainable development, Economic development, management, Islamic economics, economic syste

Advanced Algorithms for Satellite Communication Signal Processing

Dizertační práce je zaměřena na softwarově definované přijímače určené k úzkopásmové družicové komunikaci. Komunikační kanály družicových spojů zahrnujících komunikaci s hlubokým vesmírem jsou zatíženy vysokými úrovněmi šumu, typicky modelovaného AWGN, a silným Dopplerovým posuvem signálu způsobeným mimořádnou rychlostí pohybu objektu. Dizertační práce představuje možné postupy řešení výpočetně efektivní digitální downkonverze úzkopásmových signálů a systému odhadu kmitočtu nosné úzkopásmových signálů zatížených Dopplerovým posuvem v řádu násobků šířky pásma signálu. Popis navrhovaných algoritmů zahrnuje analytický postup jejich vývoje a tam, kde je to možné, i analytické hodnocení jejich chování. Algoritmy jsou modelovány v prostředí MATLAB Simulink a tyto modely jsou využity pro ověření vlastností simulacemi. Modely byly také využity k experimentálním testům na reálném signálu přijatém z družice PSAT v laboratoři experimentálních družic na ústavu radioelektroniky.The dissertation is focused on software defined receivers intended for narrowband satellite communication. The satellite communication channel including deep space communication suffers from a high level of noise, typically modeled by AWGN, and from a strong Doppler shift of a signal caused by the unprecedented speed of an object in motion. The dissertation shows possible approaches to the issues of computationally efficient digital downconversion of narrowband signals and the carrier frequency estimation of narrowband signals distorted by the Doppler shift in the order of multiples of the signal bandwidth. The description of the proposed algorithms includes an analytical approach of its development and, if possible, the analytical performance assessment. The algorithms are modeled in MATLAB Simulink and the models are used for validating the performance by the simulation. The models were also used for experimental tests on the real signal received from the PSAT satellite at the laboratory of experimental satellites at the department of radio electronics.

Developing e-assessment using the quiz activity within Moodle: empowering student learning

Using formative assessment within Moodle has been shown to encourage self-directed learning (Bromham & Oprandi, 2006). Our experience of using formative assessment quizzes as stand alone entities, as well as within Moodle lessons, has been used to introduce Moodle assessment quizzes over the past year in Level 1 and Level 2 Life Sciences courses. This experience has been distilled to inform the content of this workshop. Some advantages of incorporating assessments in the form of Moodle quizzes are that they allow for quick, reproducible and flexible assessment with a relatively small initial set-up cost, and substantial long-term staff and administration savings. One significant advantage is that staff and room pressures can be reduced as students can attempt the assessment at a time and location of their choice within a specified time period. This flexibility can help to reduce student stress associated with completion of a continuous assessment for their course. It is also a relatively simple process to account for students entitled to extra time during assessments. Providing clear instructions beforehand and at the start of the quiz ensures that students understand their responsibilities for completion of this assessment and ultimately the course. There are some disadvantages and limitations to the system as it currently exists, for example there is the perceived ability for students to “cheat” by completing the assessment as a group, accessing books and the internet. Strategies to account for these can be put in place and will be discussed in detail during the workshop. This workshop aims to take the participants through the initial set up of a quiz, highlighting the various question types and how these can be used to create a challenging assessment that can be quickly graded and prove informative for staff and course development. Reference Bromham L. & Oprandi P. (2006) Evolution online: developing active and blended learning by using a virtual learning environment in an introductory biology course. Journal of Biological Education 41 (1): 21-25

Techniques for the dynamic randomization of network attributes

Critical infrastructure control systems continue to foster predictable communication paths and static configurations that allow easy access to our networked critical infrastructure around the world. This makes them attractive and easy targets for cyber-attack. We have developed technologies that address these attack vectors by automatically reconfiguring network settings. Applying these protective measures will convert control systems into «moving targets» that proactively defend themselves against attack. This «Moving Target Defense» (MTD) revolves about the movement of network reconfiguration, securely communicating reconfiguration specifications to other network nodes as required, and ensuring that connectivity between nodes is uninterrupted. Software-defined Networking (SDN) is leveraged to meet many of these goals. Our MTD approach eliminates adversaries targeting known static attributes of network devices and systems, and consists of the following three techniques: (1) Network Randomization for TCP/UDP Ports; (2) Network Randomization for IP Addresses; (3) Network Randomization for Network Paths In this paper, we describe the implementation of the aforementioned technologies. We also discuss the individual and collective successes for the techniques, challenges for deployment, constraints and assumptions, and the performance implications for each technique

Safety verification of ADA programs in MURPHY

MURPHY is a experimental methodology, which will include an integrated tool set, for building safety-critical, real-time software. Although it is language independent, many safety-critical software projects are currently planning to use Ada. This paper presents the semantic templates for the verification of the safety of Ada programs using Software Fault Tree Analysis. An example is shown of applying the technique to an Ada program, and the tools in the MURPHY tool set to aid in this type of analysis are described