Phishing and pharming: helping consumers avoid Internet fraud

The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s Consumer Regulation Outreach Group offers advice to Internet users on avoiding scams.Fraud ; Consumer protection ; Internet

Photocurable Bioink for the Inkjet 3D Pharming of Hydrophilic Drugs.

Novel strategies are required to manufacture customized oral solid dosage forms for personalized medicine applications. 3D Pharming, the direct printing of pharmaceutical tablets, is an attractive strategy, since it allows for the rapid production of solid dosage forms containing custom drug dosages. This study reports on the design and characterization of a biocompatible photocurable pharmaceutical polymer for inkjet 3D printing that is suitable for hydrophilic active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). Specifically, hyaluronic acid was functionalized with norbornene moieties that, in the presence of poly(ethylene) glycol dithiol, Eosin Y as a photoinitiator, and a visible light source, undergoes a rapid step-growth polymerization reaction through thiol-ene chemistry. The engineered bioink was loaded with Ropinirole HCL, dispensed through a piezoelectric nozzle onto a blank preform tablet, and polymerized. Drug release analysis of the tablet resulted in 60% release within 15 min of tablet dissolution. The study confirms the potential of inkjet printing for the rapid production of tablets through the deposition of a photocurable bioink designed for hydrophilic APIs

Considerations Regarding the Security and Protection of E-Banking Services Consumers’ Interests

A significant number of breaches in the security of electronic banking (e-Banking) system is reported each year, drawing attention to the need to protect and inform customers about the risk of exposure to malicious actions initiated by cyber-criminals. Financial institutions and consumers recognize the fact that attacks and financial frauds are becoming more complex and are perpetrated by a different class of criminal. This class is increasingly sophisticated and uses technology as part of their strategy. Furthermore, the specialists forecast that the current global recession is likely to increase the frequency of internal fraud and security breaches. The present research tries: (1) to analyze the potential dangers threatening the security of e- Banking services through a comprehensive investigation of the relevant literature; (2) to identify the tools and methods that can ensure the consumers’ protection in E-Banking, (3) to present the results of a pilot study regarding the Romanian consumer perception on the protection and security related to E-Banking servicesE-Banking services, security, consumer protection, cyber-attack

Market Strategies for a Tobacco Bio-Pharming Application: The Case of Gaucher's Disease Treatment

Small firms developing biotechnology applications often focus on establishing intellectual property rights, which can then be sold to more established firms with existing market chains. This paper explores the expected 'Buyout' price and economic surplus changes for an emerging bio-pharming application with transgenic tobacco. The results suggest a 'Buyout' price of about $1.75 billion. Yet despite this potentially large payout to the innovating firm, consumers also see significant surplus gains.Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

EFFECT OF PHARMING ATTACKS ONTHE FUNCTIONALITIES OF THE UNIVERSITY WEBSITES IN NORTHERN STATES OF NIGERIA

This paper investigates ‘the effects of pharming attacks on the functionalities of the University websites in Northern States of Nigeria. Two research objectives were stated: to find out the types of pharming attacks University websites are exposed to; and to identify the effects of pharming attacks on functionalities of the websites of the Universities in Northern States of Nigeria. The literature was reviewed based on research questions raised. Quantitative research methodology was adopted in the study. Multistage sampling technique (i.e. purposive, stratification, cluster, proportionate and simple random sampling) was used to select 9 Universities (3 each Federal, State and Private) with 127 ICT personnel which comprised of the Directors, the staff of the Software Development Units and the staff of the Networks Infrastructure and Security Units from a population of 61 Universities with 713 ICT personnel of the Universities in Northern States of Nigeria. Questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. The data collected were presented and analysed using mean, standard deviation, frequencies and percentages. The study found that human factors attacks, local host and local networks attacks, domain configuration attack and domain registration attack among others were the types of pharming attacks University websites in Northern States of Nigeria are exposed to; and pharming attacks do affect the functionalities of the websites of the Universities studied by causing existing administrative settings to be incorrectly configured, poisoning an entire Domain Name System server, manipulating legitimate website’s traffic and hijacking search result. Other effects include making communication system to become vulnerable, loss of confidence by stakeholders, tarnishing institution image and tricking unsuspecting individuals into revealing sensitive data among others. The paper concludes that if security safeguards are not adequate, pharmers run little risk of getting caught. They can attack a system using techniques the designers never even considered. The study recommended that Policy statements should be enforced to reduce the effects of pharming attacks on the websites of the Universities. The authorities of the Universities should also provide insurance covers for their ICT technologies and trust worthy Internet Service Providers should be maintained. &nbsp

The plant biotechnology flight: Is Africa on board?

The development of plant biotechnologies has been very rapid in recent times, especially in the developed countries. The technologies have created a new branch of biotechnology known as molecular farming, where plants are engineered to produce pharmaceutical and technical proteins in large quantities. An evaluation of the status of plant biotechnology development in Africa revealed that majority of the countries that are involved in biotech activities are still at the level of tissue culture applications. This calls for urgent and sincere commitments on the part of the various stakeholders in Africa, especially the governments, to the development of biotechnology capacity

The Fraud Act 2006 : The E-crime Prosecutor’s Champion or the Creator of a New Inchoate Offence?

An analysis of whether the Fraud Act 2006 is sufficently rebust to be able to tackle the challenges of e-crimePeer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Treatment effect of switching from intravenous to subcutaneous C1-inhibitor for prevention of hereditary angioedema attacks: COMPACT subgroup findings

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