20,483 research outputs found
The Viability and Potential Consequences of IoT-Based Ransomware
With the increased threat of ransomware and the substantial growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) market, there is significant motivation for attackers to carry out IoT-based ransomware campaigns. In this thesis, the viability of such malware is tested.
As part of this work, various techniques that could be used by ransomware developers to attack commercial IoT devices were explored. First, methods that attackers could use to communicate with the victim were examined, such that a ransom note was able to be reliably sent to a victim. Next, the viability of using "bricking" as a method of ransom was evaluated, such that devices could be remotely disabled unless the victim makes a payment to the attacker. Research was then performed to ascertain whether it was possible to remotely gain persistence on IoT devices, which would improve the efficacy of existing ransomware methods, and provide opportunities for more advanced ransomware to be created. Finally, after successfully identifying a number of persistence techniques, the viability of privacy-invasion based ransomware was analysed.
For each assessed technique, proofs of concept were developed. A range of devices -- with various intended purposes, such as routers, cameras and phones -- were used to test the viability of these proofs of concept. To test communication hijacking, devices' "channels of communication" -- such as web services and embedded screens -- were identified, then hijacked to display custom ransom notes. During the analysis of bricking-based ransomware, a working proof of concept was created, which was then able to remotely brick five IoT devices. After analysing the storage design of an assortment of IoT devices, six different persistence techniques were identified, which were then successfully tested on four devices, such that malicious filesystem modifications would be retained after the device was rebooted. When researching privacy-invasion based ransomware, several methods were created to extract information from data sources that can be commonly found on IoT devices, such as nearby WiFi signals, images from cameras, or audio from microphones. These were successfully implemented in a test environment such that ransomable data could be extracted, processed, and stored for later use to blackmail the victim.
Overall, IoT-based ransomware has not only been shown to be viable but also highly damaging to both IoT devices and their users. While the use of IoT-ransomware is still very uncommon "in the wild", the techniques demonstrated within this work highlight an urgent need to improve the security of IoT devices to avoid the risk of IoT-based ransomware causing havoc in our society. Finally, during the development of these proofs of concept, a number of potential countermeasures were identified, which can be used to limit the effectiveness of the attacking techniques discovered in this PhD research
Exploring the Training Factors that Influence the Role of Teaching Assistants to Teach to Students With SEND in a Mainstream Classroom in England
With the implementation of inclusive education having become increasingly valued over the years, the training of Teaching Assistants (TAs) is now more important than ever, given that they work alongside pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (hereinafter SEND) in mainstream education classrooms. The current study explored the training factors that influence the role of TAs when it comes to teaching SEND students in mainstream classrooms in England during their one-year training period. This work aimed to increase understanding of how the training of TAs is seen to influence the development of their personal knowledge and professional skills. The study has significance for our comprehension of the connection between the TAs’ training and the quality of education in the classroom. In addition, this work investigated whether there existed a correlation between the teaching experience of TAs and their background information, such as their gender, age, grade level taught, years of teaching experience, and qualification level.
A critical realist theoretical approach was adopted for this two-phased study, which involved the mixing of adaptive and grounded theories respectively. The multi-method project featured 13 case studies, each of which involved a trainee TA, his/her college tutor, and the classroom teacher who was supervising the trainee TA. The analysis was based on using semi-structured interviews, various questionnaires, and non-participant observation methods for each of these case studies during the TA’s one-year training period. The primary analysis of the research was completed by comparing the various kinds of data collected from the participants in the first and second data collection stages of each case. Further analysis involved cross-case analysis using a grounded theory approach, which made it possible to draw conclusions and put forth several core propositions. Compared with previous research, the findings of the current study reveal many implications for the training and deployment conditions of TAs, while they also challenge the prevailing approaches in many aspects, in addition to offering more diversified, enriched, and comprehensive explanations of the critical pedagogical issues
BRAMAC: Compute-in-BRAM Architectures for Multiply-Accumulate on FPGAs
Deep neural network (DNN) inference using reduced integer precision has been
shown to achieve significant improvements in memory utilization and compute
throughput with little or no accuracy loss compared to full-precision
floating-point. Modern FPGA-based DNN inference relies heavily on the on-chip
block RAM (BRAM) for model storage and the digital signal processing (DSP) unit
for implementing the multiply-accumulate (MAC) operation, a fundamental DNN
primitive. In this paper, we enhance the existing BRAM to also compute MAC by
proposing BRAMAC (Compute-in-AM
rchitectures for
ultiply-cumulate). BRAMAC supports
2's complement 2- to 8-bit MAC in a small dummy BRAM array using a hybrid
bit-serial & bit-parallel data flow. Unlike previous compute-in-BRAM
architectures, BRAMAC allows read/write access to the main BRAM array while
computing in the dummy BRAM array, enabling both persistent and tiling-based
DNN inference. We explore two BRAMAC variants: BRAMAC-2SA (with 2 synchronous
dummy arrays) and BRAMAC-1DA (with 1 double-pumped dummy array).
BRAMAC-2SA/BRAMAC-1DA can boost the peak MAC throughput of a large Arria-10
FPGA by 2.6/2.1, 2.3/2.0, and
1.9/1.7 for 2-bit, 4-bit, and 8-bit precisions, respectively at
the cost of 6.8%/3.4% increase in the FPGA core area. By adding
BRAMAC-2SA/BRAMAC-1DA to a state-of-the-art tiling-based DNN accelerator, an
average speedup of 2.05/1.7 and 1.33/1.52 can
be achieved for AlexNet and ResNet-34, respectively across different model
precisions.Comment: 11 pages, 13 figures, 3 tables, FCCM conference 202
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Where measurement stops: A review of systematic reviews exploring international research evidence on the impact of staff qualification levels in ECEC on the experiences of, and outcomes for, children and families.
Qualifications vary widely for those employed within the ECEC sector; this is of particular concern within the English context where questions are raised about sustainability. An inconsistent approach to training and qualifications has contributed to a perception of ECEC as low skilled work. Apprenticeships and part-time distance learning courses have become commonplace, enabling practitioners to work and study concurrently; however, this strategy has blurred the boundaries between initial training and CPD.
There is a persistent concern about how to improve educational attainment for young children. In the English context, the Early Years Workforce Strategy (DfE 2017) acknowledged the impact of specialised graduates. Other evidence notes that better qualified practitioners provide higher quality provision (Mathers et al. 2011) and that such provision is positively associated with children’s attainment and progress throughout primary school (Sylva et al. 2011). More recently, Bonetti and Blanden (2020) found a small positive association between the presence of graduate level staff in private, voluntary, and independent settings and 5-year-olds’ attainment on the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP) (DfE 2018) although the authors note that improved outcomes were modest.
It is widely accepted that quality in ECEC matters to the families of young children. In the context of England, successive governments have committed to the expansion of fully subsidised ‘15-hour’ and ‘30-hour’ provision for 2-4 year olds, not only to promote children’s development, but also to support parental employment, particularly for disadvantaged families. Previous initiatives to support parents and families, such as the Sure Start local programmes, found positive impacts for parents and families yet spending cuts have led to more than 30% of Sure Start Centres (more than 1000) closing since 2009 (Smith et al. 2018). A renewed interest in impact on families has been referenced recently in the enhancement of Family Hubs and a discussion of how they may build on existing Sure Start provision (DHSC 2021).
In 2021, it is impossible to consider the experiences of young children and their families without acknowledging the ongoing context of Covid-19. The pandemic situation has impacted both children and families in many ways, including their access to quality education and care, thus worsening an already precarious situation. A further layer of complexity and concern is the impact of pervasive inequalities on the lives of many young children and their families; around 4.3 million children were noted as living in poverty in the UK in 2020 with numbers rising to include the impact of the pandemic (Hirsch and Stone 2021).
Our findings are based on the analysis of 25 reviews which included over 764 research studies. These reviews focused on research evidence of the relationship between practitioner qualifications/training and their links to better outcomes for young children and their families. Reviews were included in the study following a systematic review process based on protocols established by the Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre (EPPI-Centre) (Gough, Oliver, and Thomas 2012). Internationally published literature (written in English) was searched using EBSCO (to include ASC, BEI, ERC and ERIC) and SCOPUS. The search took place in October 2020 and fields included were titles, abstracts and keywords; the search strategy is set out in Appendix 1. Publications were limited to those published between 2002-2020. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to the initial 18579 articles to arrive at the 25 articles analysed for our report
Paranormal Investigators: Exploring a Positive Social Construct Through Paranormal Belief and Investigations
This thesis is a case study providing a more detailed look into how a local paranormal investigation team forms a community that cultivates social benefits beyond proving the supernatural’s existence. Folklore provides a path to understanding supernatural beliefs and fears, furthering the understanding of paranormal communities and any advantages of being a part of or receiving help from paranormal investigators and investigations. The paranormal or the supernatural defies standard explanation. For example, ghosts and UFOs, at times, are not explained away with traditional scientific theories and hypotheses. Paranormal investigators, also called paranormal researchers, choose to study the paranormal phenomena considered unexplainable, often forming paranormal groups who discuss, investigate, and explore possible explanations of hauntings and other supernatural events.
Paranormal investigators help create and add positive benefits for the paranormal communities they serve and are worthy of further exploration and discussion as investigators provide support, knowledge, advice, resources, contacts, and connections for their clients. I have analyzed how the paranormal investigator group The Other Realm(TOR), located in Cache Valley, Utah, functions as a paranormal folk group that benefits their paranormal community. TORs paranormal community consists of clients and guests of their public ghost hunting events and other nearby paranormal investigation groups. TOR’s goal is to help those who feel they are experiencing a haunting by opening a safe space to share their paranormal beliefs and experiences without fear of ridicule and disbelief. Their focus is on the ghosts or spirits part of the paranormal phenomenon. The paranormal community serves a particular purpose for those who need help with their paranormal experiences and furthering each investigator’s esoteric knowledge
The Adirondack Chronology
The Adirondack Chronology is intended to be a useful resource for researchers and others interested in the Adirondacks and Adirondack history.https://digitalworks.union.edu/arlpublications/1000/thumbnail.jp
Virtual Robotics in Hybrid Teaching and Learning
Traditional robotics instruction in face-to-face classrooms, after-school clubs, and independent competition environments align with expensive, physical robot kits shared by students. Students or parent groups often elect themselves because of previous experience, expertise, or perceived technical ability to dominate the physical robotic platforms’ planning, engineering, building, and subsequent programming. This self-elected grabbing of control leaves students who are not regarded as well-positioned to contribute sidelined to observe the self-appointed experts of the group. Virtual robotics platforms provide educators and coaches with the unique opportunity to give every student access to a robot. Each student learns programming, math, and scientific forces that impact robots through simulated physics algorithms. With their customizable virtual environments, virtual robotics platforms such as Vex VR and Robot Virtual Worlds level the playing field. All students can learn, practice, and subsequently contribute to robotics-centered group projects or competitive teams in meaningful ways. This book chapter delineates the strategies to implement virtual robotics in hybrid classroom environments supported by the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework. Additionally, this chapter reviews how computer-aided design and augmented reality platforms provide students with the opportunity to incorporate 3D objects into virtual worlds
Development of a mobile automated air quality monitoring system for use in places of technogenic accidents on railway transport
A mobile air quality monitoring system (MAQMS) has been designed and implemented at railway infrastructure facilities. The system (or MAQMS) consists of two main parts: a single data processing server and information collection devices. The transmitter is based on the ATmega328 microcontroller. For component devices of MAQMS, the operation of which depends on Wi-Fi, a transmitter based on an ESP8266 microcontroller is used, which ensures stable communication according to the 802.11n standard. This standard is the main data transfer protocol between environmental data collection devices and the MQTT server. In the implemented MAQMS, the data processing server receives information via the MQTT protocol from all devices about the status of each sensor and the location of the device at the site of a railway accident accompanied by environmental pollution. All data with a certain periodicity is written to the database on the server in the appropriate format with timestamps. To access the stored data, a WEB interface is used, which allows you to administer the MAQMS from all devices that have a web browser
PIRM: Processing In Racetrack Memories
The growth in data needs of modern applications has created significant
challenges for modern systems leading a "memory wall." Spintronic Domain Wall
Memory (DWM), related to Spin-Transfer Torque Memory (STT-MRAM), provides
near-SRAM read/write performance, energy savings and nonvolatility, potential
for extremely high storage density, and does not have significant endurance
limitations. However, DWM's benefits cannot address data access latency and
throughput limitations of memory bus bandwidth. We propose PIRM, a DWM-based
in-memory computing solution that leverages the properties of DWM nanowires and
allows them to serve as polymorphic gates. While normally DWM is accessed by
applying spin polarized currents orthogonal to the nanowire at access points to
read individual bits, transverse access along the DWM nanowire allows the
differentiation of the aggregate resistance of multiple bits in the nanowire,
akin to a multilevel cell. PIRM leverages this transverse reading to directly
provide bulk-bitwise logic of multiple adjacent operands in the nanowire,
simultaneously. Based on this in-memory logic, PIRM provides a technique to
conduct multi-operand addition and two operand multiplication using transverse
access. PIRM provides a 1.6x speedup compared to the leading DRAM PIM technique
for query applications that leverage bulk bitwise operations. Compared to the
leading PIM technique for DWM, PIRM improves performance by 6.9x, 2.3x and
energy by 5.5x, 3.4x for 8-bit addition and multiplication, respectively. For
arithmetic heavy benchmarks, PIRM reduces access latency by 2.1x, while
decreasing energy consumption by 25.2x for a reasonable 10% area overhead
versus non-PIM DWM.Comment: This paper is accepted to the IEEE/ACM Symposium on
Microarchitecture, October 2022 under the title "CORUSCANT: Fast Efficient
Processing-in-Racetrack Memories
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