‘Enhanced Encryption and Fine-Grained Authorization for Database Systems

The aim of this research is to enhance fine-grained authorization and encryption so that database systems are equipped with the controls necessary to help enterprises adhere to zero-trust security more effectively. For fine-grained authorization, this thesis has extended database systems with three new concepts: Row permissions, column masks and trusted contexts. Row permissions and column masks provide data-centric security so the security policy cannot be bypassed as with database views, for example. They also coexist in harmony with the rest of the database core tenets so that enterprises are not forced to compromise neither security nor database functionality. Trusted contexts provide applications in multitiered environments with a secure and controlled manner to propagate user identities to the database and therefore enable such applications to delegate the security policy to the database system where it is enforced more effectively. Trusted contexts also protect against application bypass so the application credentials cannot be abused to make database changes outside the scope of the application’s business logic. For encryption, this thesis has introduced a holistic database encryption solution to address the limitations of traditional database encryption methods. It too coexists in harmony with the rest of the database core tenets so that enterprises are not forced to choose between security and performance as with column encryption, for example. Lastly, row permissions, column masks, trusted contexts and holistic database encryption have all been implemented IBM DB2, where they are relied upon by thousands of organizations from around the world to protect critical data and adhere to zero-trust security more effectively

Database Optimization Aspects for Information Retrieval

There is a growing need for systems that can process queries, combining both structured data and text. One way to provide such functionality is to integrate information retrieval (IR) techniques in a database management system (DBMS). However, both IR and database research have been separate research fields for decades, resulting in different - even conflicting - approaches to data management. Each DBMS has a component called a "query optimizer", which plays a crucial role in the efficiency and flexibility of the system. So, for successful integration the IR techniques and data structures, as well as the DBMS query optimizer, should be adapted to enable mutual cooperation. The author concentrates on top-N queries - a common class of IR queries. An IR top-N query asks for the N best documents given a set of keywords. The author proposes processing the data in batches as a compromise between IR and DBMS query processing. Experiments with this technique show that porting IR optimization techniques is (still) not a promising option due to the additional administrative overhead. Two new mathematical models are introduced to eliminate this overhead: a model that predicts selectivity, which is a crucial factor in the execution costs, and a model that predicts the quality of the top-N

A browser-based tool for designing query interfaces to scientific databases

Scientists in the biological sciences need to retrieve information from a variety of data collections, traditionally maintained in SQL databases, in order to conduct research. Because current assistant tools are designed primarily for business and financial users, scientists have been forced to use the notoriously difficult command-line SQL interface, supplied as standard by most database vendors. The goal of our research has been to establish the requirements of scientific researchers and develop specialized query assistance tools to help them query data collections across the Internet. This thesis describes our work in developing HyperSQL, a Web-to-database scripting language, and most importantly, Query Designer, a user-oriented tool for designing query interfaces directly on Web browsers. Current browsers (i.e., Netscape, Internet Explorer) do not easily interoperate with databases without extensive "CGI" (Common Gateway Interface) programming. HyperSQL is a scripting language that enables database administrators to construct forms-based query interfaces intended for end-users who are not proficient with SQL. Query results are formatted as hypertext-clickable links which can be used to browse the database for related information, bring up Web pages, or access remote search engines. HyperSQL query interfaces are independent of the database computer, making it possible to construct different interfaces targeting distinct groups of users. Capitalizing on our experience with HyperSQL, we developed Query Designer, a user-oriented tool for building query interfaces directly on Web browsers. No experience in SQL and HTML programming is necessary. After choosing a target database, the user can build a personalized query interface by making menu selections and filling out forms--the tool automatically establishes network connections, and composes HTML and SQL code. The automatically generated query form can be used immediately to issue a query, customized, or saved for later use. Results returned from the database are dynamically formatted into hypertext for navigating related information in the database

Publish GIS Maps on the Web - The Implementation of ArcGIS Server

It is well known that Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have come to be an indispensable tool for analyzing and managing spatial data. The synergies between GIS and Web technologies, the Web-based GIS, are also demonstrating their usefulness. With web services GIS, geospatial information is readily available to all who need it. Whether it be administrators, finance, researchers, or constituents. All authorized users can securely access necessary geospatial information and integrate it into their daily workflow. This greatly reduces fragmented and compartmentalized workflows and communication, and increase efficiencies. ArcGIS Server, a ESRI GIS software, is a complete and integrated server-based geographic information system (GIS) which is mainly used to share GIS resources across an organization and across the web. ArcGIS Server gives organizations the ability to centralize GIS software on application servers and deliver GIS capabilities to large numbers of users over networks. This report describes in detail all the procedures needed to install and to put into operation ArcGIS server at the ¿Sensors, Radar Technologies and Cyber-security¿ Unit of the Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizens. Finally, every component is working correctly and each qualified user has the possibility to create and to publish their GIS maps. ArcGIS Server is a fundamental instrument used also to develop the ECI GIS project (the GIS of the European Critical Infrastructures). The ECI GIS project will realize prototypes that could be used also in support of the Directive COM(2006) 787 on the identification and designation of European Critical Infrastructure and the assessment of the need to improve their protection, helping the Commission to organize the transmission procedures foreseen in the Directive in a rational and efficient manner, by using ArcGIS Server tools.JRC.G.6-Sensors, radar technologies and cybersecurit

CHORUS Deliverable 2.1: State of the Art on Multimedia Search Engines

Based on the information provided by European projects and national initiatives related to multimedia search as well as domains experts that participated in the CHORUS Think-thanks and workshops, this document reports on the state of the art related to multimedia content search from, a technical, and socio-economic perspective. The technical perspective includes an up to date view on content based indexing and retrieval technologies, multimedia search in the context of mobile devices and peer-to-peer networks, and an overview of current evaluation and benchmark inititiatives to measure the performance of multimedia search engines. From a socio-economic perspective we inventorize the impact and legal consequences of these technical advances and point out future directions of research

Tools Integration for Supporting Software Measurement: A Systematic Literature Review

Software measurement (SM) is a key area to support process quality improvement and project management. Due to the nature of the measurement activities, tool support is essential. Tools can be combined to support the SM process and provide necessary information for decision making. However, tools are usually developed without concern for integration. As a result, organizations have to deal with integration issues to enable communication between tools. Aiming at investigating studies in the literature that report initiatives involving tool integration for supporting SM, we performed a systematic literature review. Twelve initiatives were found. This paper presents the results of the systematic review and discusses the main findings

Data mining industry : emerging trends and new opportunities

Thesis (M.Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, June 2000."May 2000."Includes bibliographical references (leaves 170-179).by Walter Alberto Aldana.M.Eng