Resilient networking in wireless sensor networks

This report deals with security in wireless sensor networks (WSNs), especially in network layer. Multiple secure routing protocols have been proposed in the literature. However, they often use the cryptography to secure routing functionalities. The cryptography alone is not enough to defend against multiple attacks due to the node compromise. Therefore, we need more algorithmic solutions. In this report, we focus on the behavior of routing protocols to determine which properties make them more resilient to attacks. Our aim is to find some answers to the following questions. Are there any existing protocols, not designed initially for security, but which already contain some inherently resilient properties against attacks under which some portion of the network nodes is compromised? If yes, which specific behaviors are making these protocols more resilient? We propose in this report an overview of security strategies for WSNs in general, including existing attacks and defensive measures. In this report we focus at the network layer in particular, and an analysis of the behavior of four particular routing protocols is provided to determine their inherent resiliency to insider attacks. The protocols considered are: Dynamic Source Routing (DSR), Gradient-Based Routing (GBR), Greedy Forwarding (GF) and Random Walk Routing (RWR)

Air Force Institute of Technology Research Report 2007

This report summarizes the research activities of the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management. It describes research interests and faculty expertise; lists student theses/dissertations; identifies research sponsors and contributions; and outlines the procedures for contacting the school. Included in the report are: faculty publications, conference presentations, consultations, and funded research projects. Research was conducted in the areas of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Electro-Optics, Computer Engineering and Computer Science, Systems and Engineering Management, Operational Sciences, Mathematics, Statistics and Engineering Physics

Understanding and strengthening European Union-Canada relations in Law of the Sea and Ocean Governance

The recent history of international ocean relations between Canada and the European Union (EU) merits particular scholarly attention. The headlines in the media have tended to focus on differences rather than commonalities, and in particular those few differences that led to confrontation, probably not without some assistance from the media. The “Turbot War” in the 1990s is by now a classic case of confrontation on the high seas motivated by conflicting fisheries and related conservation interests.https://digitalcommons.schulichlaw.dal.ca/faculty_books/1080/thumbnail.jp

Tackling the barriers to achieving Information Assurance

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Wolverhampton for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.This original, reflective practitioner study researched whether professionalising IA could be successfully achieved, in line with the UK Cyber Security Strategy expectations. The context was an observed changing dominant narrative from IA to cybersecurity. The research provides a dialectical relationship with the past to improve IA understanding. The Academic contribution: Using archival and survey data, the research traced the origins of the term IA and its practitioner usage, in the context of the increasing use of the neologism of cybersecurity, contributing to knowledge through historical research. Discourse analysis of predominantly UK government reports, policy direction, legislative and regulatory changes, reviewing texts to explore the functions served by specific constructions, mainly Information Security (Infosec) vs IA. The Researcher studied how accounts were linguistically constructed in terms of the descriptive, referential and rhetorical language used, and the function that serves. The results were captured in a chronological review of IA ontology. The Practitioner contribution: Through an initial Participatory Action Research (PAR) public sector case study, the researcher sought to make sense of how the IA profession operates and how it was maturing. Data collection from self-professed IA practitioners provided empirical evidence. The researcher undertook evolutionary work analysing survey responses and developed theories from the analysis to answer the research questions. The researcher observed a need to implement a unified approach to Information Governance (IG) on a large organisation-wide scale. Using a constructivist grounded theory the researcher developed a new theoretical framework - i3GRC™ (Integrated and Informed Information Governance, Risk, and Compliance) - based on what people actually say and do within the IA profession. i3GRC™ supports the required Information Protection (IP) through maturation from IA to holistic IG. Again, using PAR, the theoretical framework was tested through a private sector case study, the resultant experience strengthening the bridge between academia and practitioners

The Impact of Information and Communication Technology on Internal Control’s Prevention and Detection of Fraud

This study explores the Impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on internal control effectiveness in preventing and detecting fraud within the financial sector of a developing economy – Nigeria. Using a triangulation of questionnaire and interview techniques to investigate the internal control activities of Nigerian Internal Auditors in relation to their use of ICT in fraud prevention and detection, the study made use of cross-tabulations, correlation coefficients and one-way ANOVAs for the analysis of quantitative data, while thematic analysis was adopted for the qualitative aspects. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Omoteso et al.’s Three-Layered Model (TLM) were used to underpin the study in order to provide theoretical considerations of the issues involved. The study’s findings show that Nigerian Internal Auditors are increasingly adopting IT-based tools and techniques in their internal control activities. Secondly, the use of ICT-based tools and techniques in internal control positively impacts on Internal Auditors’ independence and objectivity. Also, the study’s findings indicate that Internal Auditors’ use of ICT-based tools and techniques has the potential of preventing electronic fraud, and such ICT-based tools and techniques are effective in detecting electronic fraud. However, continuous online auditing was found to be effective in preventing fraud, but not suited for fraud detection in financial businesses. This exploratory study sheds light on the impact of ICT usage on internal control’s effectiveness and on internal auditors’ independence. The study contributes to the debate on the significance of ICT adoption in accounting disciplines by identifying perceived benefits, organisational readiness, trust and external pressure as variables that could affect Internal Auditors’ use of ICT. Above all, this research was able to produce a new model: the Technology Effectiveness Planning and Evaluation Model (TEPEM), for the study of ICT adoption in internal control effectiveness for prevention and detection of fraud. As a result of its planning capability for external contingencies, the model is useful for the explanation of studies involving ICT in a unique macro environment of developing economies such as Nigeria, where electricity generation is in short supply and regulatory activities unpredictable. The model proposes that technology effectiveness (in the prevention and the detection of fraud) is a function of TAM variables (such as perceived benefits, organisational readiness, trust, external pressures), contingent factors (size of organisation, set-up and maintenance cost, staff training and infrastructural readiness), and an optimal mix of human and technological capabilitie

Salford postgraduate annual research conference (SPARC) 2012 proceedings

These proceedings bring together a selection of papers from the 2012 Salford Postgraduate Annual Research Conference (SPARC). They reflect the breadth and diversity of research interests showcased at the conference, at which over 130 researchers from Salford, the North West and other UK universities presented their work. 21 papers are collated here from the humanities, arts, social sciences, health, engineering, environment and life sciences, built environment and business