Evaluating the Provision of Botnet Defences using Translational Research Concepts.

Botnet research frequently draws on concepts from other fields. An example is the use of epidemiological models when studying botnet propagation, which facilitate an understanding of bot spread dynamics and the exploration of behavioural theory. Whilst the literature is rich with these models, it is lacking in work aimed at connecting the insights of theoretical research with day-to-day practice. To address this, we look at botnets through the lens of implementation science, a discipline from the field of translational research in health care, which is designed to evaluate the implementation process. In this paper, we explore key concepts of implementation science, and propose a framework-based approach to improve the provision of security measures to network entities. We demonstrate the approach using existing propagation models, and discuss the role of implementation science in malware defence

Coping Mechanisms in South Sudan in Relation to Different Types of Shock

This helpdesk report provides an assessment of the negative and positive coping mechanisms of different groups (based on wealth (below the poverty line/elites), gender, age, (dis)abilities, geographies (rural/urban), and ethnicity of people in South Sudan in relation to different types of shock. The report highlights that coping strategies are varied and multifaceted, they are a product of the vulnerability of particular individuals, households and communities and are the product of responses to shocks and stressors that may be acute or chronic. It is important to note that coping strategies in the South Sudanese context have often been developed in response to food insecurity, climatic change and conflict and that new shocks may undermine these existing strategies, necessitate evolution of these or the adoption of new strategies. Given the complexity and broad nature of the subject, the report is broad in its scope and structured into the following three sections: Context, Vulnerability and Coping strategies

Worm Control for Small Ruminants in Tropical Asia

Livestock Production/Industries,

Survival in the e-conomy: 2nd Australian information warfare & security conference 2001

This is an international conference for academics and industry specialists in information warfare, security, and other related fields. The conference has drawn participants from national and international organisations

All Bark and No Byte: A Case Study on Nuclear Weapons\u27 Role in Cyber Deterrence

In what some scholars consider a marked departure from its traditional policy, the U.S.\u27 2018 Nuclear Deterrence Posture Review declared that the U.S. would consider the use of nuclear weapons in response to significant, non-nuclear strategic attacks. However, despite real-world examples of the type of significant cyberattacks on U.S., allied, or partner civilian population or infrastructure alluded to in the Review, the factors that might trigger multidomain escalation remain underexplored, which creates a credibility gap in the U.S.\u27 deterrence policy. This paper explores these factors by providing a case study of the North Korean WannaCry and Russian NotPetya cyberattacks and compares the potential flashpoints caused by each attack with declared U.S. nuclear policy. In so doing, it examines how the presence of a traditional nuclear deterrent affects a state\u27s ability to deter cyberattacks

Preliminaries of orthogonal layered defence using functional and assurance controls in industrial control systems

Industrial Control Systems (ICSs) are responsible for the automation of different processes and the overall control of systems that include highly sensitive potential targets such as nuclear facilities, energy-distribution, water-supply, and mass-transit systems. Given the increased complexity and rapid evolvement of their threat landscape, and the fact that these systems form part of the Critical National infrastructure (CNI), makes them an emerging domain of conflict, terrorist attacks, and a playground for cyberexploitation. Existing layered-defence approaches are increasingly criticised for their inability to adequately protect against resourceful and persistent adversaries. It is therefore essential that emerging techniques, such as orthogonality, be combined with existing security strategies to leverage defence advantages against adaptive and often asymmetrical attack vectors. The concept of orthogonality is relatively new and unexplored in an ICS environment and consists of having assurance control as well as functional control at each layer. Our work seeks to partially articulate a framework where multiple functional and assurance controls are introduced at each layer of ICS architectural design to further enhance security while maintaining critical real-time transfer of command and control traffic

Evaluation of UK sheep farmers’ attitudes and behaviours towards sustainable roundworm control

One of the major constraints limiting the efficiency of sheep production is the control of gastrointestinal nematode parasites. Parasite control by strategic use of anthelmintics is threatened by the emergence of nematode populations that are resistant to the drugs available. It is therefore increasingly apparent that steps toward maintaining sustainable productivity in the growing face of anthelmintic resistance (AR) is required by farmers. To facilitate the uptake of sustainable approaches to parasite management, a comprehensive understanding of the various factors that may influence farmers’ decision-making processes is required. In order to establish which factors are influential, and determine their impact on farmers’ roundworm control behaviours, both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used including focus groups as well as attitudinal and behavioural questionnaires. A retrospective analysis was initially conducted of historical surveys designed to identify farm specific characteristics and parasite management practices including anthelmintic usage. The objectives of the analysis were to identify factors associated with uptake of best practice advice including farm characteristics and information sourcing. In addition, the implementation of sustainable roundworm control practices was investigated using two surveys conducted in 2000 and 2010. Logistic regression models were applied for univariable and multivariable analysis of dependent and independent variables. The next step was to conduct a series of focus groups in different geographic regions of Scotland. The main purposes were to explore sheep farmers’ attitudes towards different aspects of roundworm management, as well as to identify potential motivators and barriers to uptake of sustainable parasite control practices. The findings aided in the development of an attitudinal questionnaire used to canvass opinions representative on a national level. The concluding study involved a telephone survey of 400 Scottish sheep farmers, designed to elicit attitudes regarding roundworm control, AR and sustainable roundworm control practices. A quantitative statistical analysis technique (Structural Equation Modelling) was then used to test the relationships between socio-psychological factors and the uptake of sustainable roundworm control practices. The analysis of historical questionnaire data demonstrated evidence of a shift towards the use of practices to reduce the rate of AR development, most notably a decline in the practice of ‘dose and move’ as well as an overall reduction in treatment frequency. Statistical analysis identified significant associations between farm characteristics and specific treatment strategies. For example, larger farms were more likely to adopt a set treatment regimen (P=0.036), compared with smaller farms, which were more likely to treat based on clinical signs of infection (P=0.021). Sourcing of roundworm control information primarily from veterinarians was most associated with treatment timings with no parallels between time points. From the qualitative focus group studies conducted we identified four overarching themes impacting on sheep producers’ attitudes to roundworm control and best practice advice. These themes comprised: a lack of perceived need to change, the complexity of advice, the ease of implementation of recommended practices and the effectiveness of extension approaches. Additionally, the most important and implementable guidelines identified by sheep farmers were: ‘working out a roundworm control strategy with an advisor’ and ‘administering anthelmintics effectively’ with regard to correct drenching practice i.e. appropriate dosing, administration and drug storage procedures. These findings exhibited similarities with veterinarians’ rankings with also, ‘testing for AR’, ‘preserving susceptible parasites’ and ‘reducing dependence on anthelmintics’ receiving the lowest rankings for importance and implementability. The quantitative analysis from the attitudinal/behavioural questionnaire identified eleven factors with significant influences on the adoption of sustainable roundworm control practices. The key influences on overall adoption were farmers’ baseline understanding about roundworm control and self-reported confirmation of anthelmintic resistance in their flock. Additional positive influences included, positive attitudes to veterinary services, enterprise type and perceived risk of AR. Factors that were shown to have the greatest relative effects on individual parasite control practices included; the perceived resource requirements for implementing a quarantine strategy, farmers’ AR suspicions for instigating AR testing and the confirmation of AR for adopting faecal egg count monitoring. The findings have highlighted several factors which can influence sheep farmers’ decisions to reject or adopt recommended roundworm control practices. It is evident that the perceived complexity, lack of need and practicality of the current recommendations necessitates changes to how extension is designed and disseminated to farmers. The findings also suggest that improving farmers’ acceptance and uptake of diagnostic testing and improving underlying knowledge and awareness about nematode control is a significant target to influencing adoption of best practice behaviours. The importance of veterinarians as highly-trusted information resources validates the need for further engagement with veterinarians concerning sustainable parasite control approaches, to facilitate collaboration with farmers. The need for interaction between farmers and their advisors is key to resolving the issues raised to enable the necessary explanation, justification and execution of recommended practices to suit farmers’ needs and farming conditions

Offensive cyber: What are the possibilities of the use of offensive cyber as an offensive capability within the existing international legal framework?

Cyber is hot. Although the international community, scientists, military and NATO primarily focus on how to defend themselves against cyber attacks, this study mainly focuses on the offensive side of cyber. The thesis analyses the possibilities of the use of offensive cyber as a capability within the existing international legal framework. The thesis consists of two parts. The first part discusses what offensive cyber is and what its possibilities and capabilities are. Offensive use of cyber is new within modern warfare. Therefore it is important to describe and explain cyber attacks and offensive cyber operations thoroughly. In this part the definitions are set, and the base characteristics of cyber attack are discussed. Not only the possibilities of offensive cyber are described, but also dilemmas for the use of offensive cyber are explained. This first part concludes with possible scenarios for the use of offensive cyber operations. The second part of this thesis is a case study and analyses whether and how offensive cyber fits in, and complies with the existing international legal framework. Firstly, the aspects in the existing international legal framework are discussed, which are unambiguous for regular war scenarios, but seem difficult to interpret when it comes to cyber operations. Secondly, the case study is conducted by analysing the three main principles within the Laws of Armed Conflict (LoAC), proportionality, necessity and distinction, on the four recent cyber cases of Estonia 2007, Georgia 2008, Stuxnet 2010 and Libya 2011. The conclusion of the thesis is that the existing international legal framework is not fully suitable for the use of cyber as an offensive capability. Especially the attribution problem, collateral damage, and distinction between military and civil objects are problematic. As long as there is no consensus on international accepted cyber law that sets the boundaries for the use of offensive cyber, the existing international legal framework is applicable, and the use of offensive cyber will have its challenges and grey areas. A new international accepted legal cyber framework should limit, and set boundaries for the use of offensive cyber. On the other hand, developing a new international accepted legal framework, in which offensive cyber is appointed, is also an opportunity to exploit the optimum use of offensive cyber, within that framework