Identification as a deterrent for security enhancement in cognitive radio networks

Cognitive Radio Networks (CRNs) are prone to emerging coexistence security threats such as Primary User Emulation Attack (PUEA). Specifically, a malicious CRN may mimic licensees’ (Primary Users (PUs)) signal characteristics to force another CRN to vacate its channels thinking that PUs have returned. While existing schemes are promising to some extent on detecting PUEAs, they are not able to prevent the attacks. In this article, we propose a PUEA Deterrent (PUED) algorithm that can provide PUEAs' commission details: offender CRNs and attacks’ time and bandwidth. There are many similarities between PUED and Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) in terms of: deterrence strategy, reason for use, surveillance characteristics, surveillance outcome, and operation site. According to the criminology literature, robust CCTV systems have shown a significant reduction in visible offences (e.g. vehicle theft), reducing crime rates by 80%. Similarly, PUED will contribute the same effectiveness in deterring PUEAs. Furthermore, providing PUEAs’ details will prevent the network’s cognitive engine from considering the attacks as real PUs, consequently avoiding devising unreliable spectrum models for the attacked channels. Extensive simulations show the effectiveness of the PUED algorithm in terms of improving CRNs’ performance

NEUROWAR IS HERE!

Mysterious attacks on the human brain have begun plaguing U.S. diplomats and officials with increasing frequency, ranging from overseas diplomatic outposts to right here in the United States. Known in the media as Havana Syndrome, these attacks appear to be signaling a new form of warfare—one that is focused on enhancing, targeting, and weaponizing the human brain—neurowarfare. Indeed, the human brain is at the center of a biotechnological revolution currently underway. At the same time, great power competition has returned to the forefront of international relations, as China and Russia seek to contest America’s global leadership. In an increasingly globalized and interconnected world, this contest is ultimately a battle of ideas and influence, with more value placed on information and non-lethal means to manipulate and control both adversaries and domestic populations alike. The battle for influence begins and ends in the human mind, where reality is perceived. The implications of these developments point to both a new form and domain of warfare centering on the human brain. By highlighting recent attacks targeting the brain and revealing research from the United States and its two main competitors—China and Russia—this thesis seeks to argue that neurowar is not just coming, but rather is already here and is likely to fundamentally alter conflict and warfare.Lieutenant Colonel, United States Air ForceMajor, United States Air ForceApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

The Army Role in Achieving Deterrence in Cyberspace

In 2015, the Department of Defense (DoD) released the DoD Cyber Strategy which explicitly calls for a comprehensive strategy to provide credible deterrence in cyberspace against threats from key state and nonstate actors. To be effective, such activities must be coordinated with ongoing deterrence efforts in the physical realm, especially those of near-peers impacting critical global regions such as China in the Asia-Pacific region and Russia in Europe. It is important for the U.S. Army to identify and plan for any unique roles that they may provide to these endeavors. This study explores the evolving concept of deterrence in cyberspace in three major areas: • First, the monograph addresses the question: What is the current U.S. deterrence posture for cyberspace? The discussion includes an assessment of relevant current national and DoD policies and concepts as well as an examination of key issues for cyber deterrence found in professional literature. • Second, it examines the question: What are the Army’s roles in cyberspace deterrence? This section provides background information on how Army cyber forces operate and examines the potential contributions of these forces to the deterrence efforts in cyberspace as well as in the broader context of strategic deterrence. The section also addresses how the priority of these contributions may change with escalating levels of conflict. • Third, the monograph provides recommendations for changing or adapting the DoD and Army responsibilities to better define and implement the evolving concepts and actions supporting deterrence in the dynamic domain of cyberspace.https://press.armywarcollege.edu/monographs/1379/thumbnail.jp

Towards realisation of spectrum sharing of cognitive radio networks

Cognitive radio networks (CRN) have emerged as a promising solution to spectrum shortcoming, thanks to Professor Mitola who coined Cognitive Radios. To enable efficient communications, CRNs need to avoid interference to both Primary (licensee) Users (PUs), and among themselves (called self-coexistence). In this thesis, we focus on self-coexistence issues. Very briefly, the problems are categorised into intentional and unintentional interference. Firstly, unintentional interference includes: 1) CRNs administration; 2) Overcrowded CRNs Situation; 3) Missed spectrum detection; 4) Inter-cell Interference (ICI); and 5) Inability to model Secondary Users’ (SUs) activity. In intentional interference there is Primary User Emulation Attack (PUEA). To administer CRN operations (Prob. 1), in our first contribution, we proposed CogMnet, which aims to manage the spectrum sharing of centralised networks. CogMnet divides the country into locations. It then dedicates a real-time database for each location to record CRNs’ utilisations in real time, where each database includes three storage units: Networks locations storage unit; Real-time storage unit; and Historical storage unit. To tackle Prob. 2, our second contribution is CRNAC, a network admission control algorithm that aims to calculate the maximum number of CRNs allowed in any location. CRNAC has been tested and evaluated using MATLAB. To prevent research problems 3, 4, and to tackle research problem (5), our third contribution is RCNC, a new design for an infrastructure-based CRN core. The architecture of RCNC consists of two engines: Monitor and Coordinator Engine (MNCE) and Modified Cognitive Engine (MCE). Comprehensive simulation scenarios using ICS Designer (by ATDI) have validated some of RCNC’s components. In the last contribution, to deter PUEA (the intentional interference type), we developed a PUEA Deterrent (PUED) algorithm capable of detecting PUEAs commission details. PUED must be implemented by a PUEA Identifier Component in the MNCE in RCNC after every spectrum handing off. Therefore, PUED works like a CCTV system. According to criminology, robust CCTV systems have shown a significant prevention of clear visible theft, reducing crime rates by 80%. Therefore, we believe that our algorithm will do the same. Extensive simulations using a Vienna simulator showed the effectiveness of the PUED algorithm in terms of improving CRNs’ performance

Provisioning Quality of Service of Wireless Telemedicine for E-Health Services: A Review

In general, on-line medical consultation reduces time required for medical consultation and induces improvement in the quality and efficiency of healthcare services. The scope of study includes several key features of present day e-health applications such as X-ray, ECG, video, diagnosis images and other common applications. Moreover, the provision of Quality of Service (QoS) in terms of specific medical care services in e-health, the priority set for e-health services and the support of QoS in wireless networks and techniques or methods aimed at IEEE 802.11 to secure the provision of QoS has been assessed as well. In e-health, medical services in remote places which include rustic healthcare centres, ships, ambulances and home healthcare services can be supported through the applications of e-health services such as medical databases, electronic health data and the transferring of text, video, sound and images. Given this, a proposal has been made for a multiple service wireless networking with multiple sets of priorities. In relation to the terms of an acceptable QoS level by the customers of e-health services, prioritization is an important criterion in a multi-traffic network. The requirement for QoS in medical networking of wireless broadband has paved the way for bandwidth prerequisites and the live transmission or real-time medical applications. The proposed wireless network is capable of handling medical applications for both normal and life-threatening conditions as characterized by the level of emergencies. In addition, the allocation of bandwidth and the system that controls admittance designed based on IEEE 802.16 especially for e-health services or wireless telemedicine will be discussed in this study. It has been concluded that under busy traffic conditions, the proposed architecture can used as a feasible and reliable infrastructure network for telemedicine

Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Strategic Stability and Nuclear Risk : Volume II East Asian Perspectives.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is not only undergoing a renaissance in its technical development, but is also starting to shape deterrence relations among nucleararmed states. This is already evident in East Asia, where asymmetries of power and capability have long driven nuclear posture and weapon acquisition. Continuing this trend, integration of AI into military platforms has the potential to offer weaker nuclear-armed states the opportunity to reset imbalances in capabilities, while at the same time exacerbating concerns that stronger states may use AI to further solidify their dominance and to engage in more provocative actions. This paradox of perceptions, as it is playing out in East Asia, is fuelled by a series of national biases and assumptions that permeate decision-making. They are also likely to serve as the basis for AI algorithms that drive future conventional and nuclear platforms

FROM FLIGHT LINES TO HEADLINES: HARNESSING TACTICAL AIR FORCE INFORMATION WARFARE FOR STRATEGIC EFFECTS

The current United States Air Force (USAF) information operations (IO) force posture, which operates predominately at the operational level with a small portion integrated at the tactical level within Special Operations Wings (SOW), is not distributed to effectively exploit the informational aspects of military activities. This research highlights the criticality of integrating IO officers across the levels of warfare, emphasizing their potential in conventional tactical units. This research analyzes the untapped synergy of IO, Agile Combat Employment (ACE), and air advising and finds that their integration demonstrates how integrated deterrence can be operationalized. Moreover, the study reveals discrepancies between doctrinal prescriptions and operational realities, which have led to impractical and occasionally inaccurate interpretations of how IO is employed in practice. In response, this research recommends revising the roles and functions of IO officers to align more closely with operational realities. Finally, the research advocates instilling an IO practitioner mindset across the force, emphasizing the significance of cognitive resilience—the capacity to counter foreign malign influence—as a fundamental function of IO. These recommendations aim to fortify the USAF’s tactical integration of IO, ensuring a more dynamic and resilient force capable of addressing the complexities of modern conflict.Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.Captain, United States Air Forc

The Messy Nuclear Landscape: Using Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping to Explore Plausible Nuclear Disarmament Scenarios

Nuclear weapons are seemingly permanent fixtures in international relations. Although nuclear abolitionists and actors within the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have taken significant steps towards designing a world without nuclear weapons, the longstanding realist logic that suggests nuclear disarmament is nonviable has born more fruit. On the other hand, some proponents of realism have suggested global nuclear disarmament is feasible, given that certain international instabilities are stabilized and that special care is taken during diplomatic negotiations. This presents an opportunity to test these predictions using fuzzy cognitive mapping, a computational modeling technique that identifies problems, their stakeholders, and stakeholders’ components in order to determine scenarios that solve complex disputes in ways that benefit the system as a whole. This study identifies two problems regarding nuclear disarmament. First, nuclear weapon states are resistant to giving up nuclear weapons, despite agreements to disarm. This problem follows realist logic. Second, the role that the IAEA plays in safeguarding special nuclear materials while guaranteeing states’ rights to nuclear technology is contrasted by states’ interest in maintaining levels of secrecy. These two problems constitute a “mess” that this study analyzes. Synthesis between the problems requires that solving one does not make the other worse. Therefore, this study tests various scenarios and finds that, given present-day international instabilities are stabilized, nuclear disarmament is feasible if three conditions are met: First, a global disarmament agreement must not unreasonably affect states’ sovereign rights outside of the agreement. Second, states outlying the NPT must be brought into the negotiations. Finally, present states with nuclear arsenals adopt the IAEA’s Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the Additional Protocol as a measure of good faith. A final factor suggests states’ rights to the technology inevitably means states should have an ability to re-proliferate in the event of future international instability that threatens global security. Once these steps are taken and technological rights guaranteed, this model suggests global nuclear disarmament is possible