6,381 research outputs found
A Survey on Forensics and Compliance Auditing for Critical Infrastructure Protection
The broadening dependency and reliance that modern societies have on essential services
provided by Critical Infrastructures is increasing the relevance of their trustworthiness. However, Critical
Infrastructures are attractive targets for cyberattacks, due to the potential for considerable impact, not just
at the economic level but also in terms of physical damage and even loss of human life. Complementing
traditional security mechanisms, forensics and compliance audit processes play an important role in ensuring
Critical Infrastructure trustworthiness. Compliance auditing contributes to checking if security measures are
in place and compliant with standards and internal policies. Forensics assist the investigation of past security
incidents. Since these two areas significantly overlap, in terms of data sources, tools and techniques, they can
be merged into unified Forensics and Compliance Auditing (FCA) frameworks. In this paper, we survey the
latest developments, methodologies, challenges, and solutions addressing forensics and compliance auditing
in the scope of Critical Infrastructure Protection. This survey focuses on relevant contributions, capable of
tackling the requirements imposed by massively distributed and complex Industrial Automation and Control
Systems, in terms of handling large volumes of heterogeneous data (that can be noisy, ambiguous, and
redundant) for analytic purposes, with adequate performance and reliability. The achieved results produced
a taxonomy in the field of FCA whose key categories denote the relevant topics in the literature. Also, the
collected knowledge resulted in the establishment of a reference FCA architecture, proposed as a generic
template for a converged platform. These results are intended to guide future research on forensics and
compliance auditing for Critical Infrastructure Protection.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Configuration Management of Distributed Systems over Unreliable and Hostile Networks
Economic incentives of large criminal profits and the threat of legal consequences have pushed criminals to continuously improve their malware, especially command and control channels. This thesis applied concepts from successful malware command and control to explore the survivability and resilience of benign configuration management systems.
This work expands on existing stage models of malware life cycle to contribute a new model for identifying malware concepts applicable to benign configuration management. The Hidden Master architecture is a contribution to master-agent network communication. In the Hidden Master architecture, communication between master and agent is asynchronous and can operate trough intermediate nodes. This protects the master secret key, which gives full control of all computers participating in configuration management. Multiple improvements to idempotent configuration were proposed, including the definition of the minimal base resource dependency model, simplified resource revalidation and the use of imperative general purpose language for defining idempotent configuration.
Following the constructive research approach, the improvements to configuration management were designed into two prototypes. This allowed validation in laboratory testing, in two case studies and in expert interviews. In laboratory testing, the Hidden Master prototype was more resilient than leading configuration management tools in high load and low memory conditions, and against packet loss and corruption. Only the research prototype was adaptable to a network without stable topology due to the asynchronous nature of the Hidden Master architecture.
The main case study used the research prototype in a complex environment to deploy a multi-room, authenticated audiovisual system for a client of an organization deploying the configuration. The case studies indicated that imperative general purpose language can be used for idempotent configuration in real life, for defining new configurations in unexpected situations using the base resources, and abstracting those using standard language features; and that such a system seems easy to learn.
Potential business benefits were identified and evaluated using individual semistructured expert interviews. Respondents agreed that the models and the Hidden Master architecture could reduce costs and risks, improve developer productivity and allow faster time-to-market. Protection of master secret keys and the reduced need for incident response were seen as key drivers for improved security. Low-cost geographic scaling and leveraging file serving capabilities of commodity servers were seen to improve scaling and resiliency. Respondents identified jurisdictional legal limitations to encryption and requirements for cloud operator auditing as factors potentially limiting the full use of some concepts
Strategies to prevent Type 2 Diabetes in the postnatal period, in women with history of Gestational Diabetes Exploring different research methodologies based on dietary and pharmacological interventions
Aim and objectives The aim of this thesis is to investigate methods to prevent the progression to type 2 diabetes in the immediate postnatal period, in women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The objectives of this thesis are to explore the views of pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes and healthcare professionals, with regards to the use of an app in the postnatal period which will provide information about diet for type 2 diabetes prevention. The development of a protocol for a single-arm feasibility study on a Mediterranean-style diet for the prevention of type 2 diabetes in the postnatal period. To pilot the trial design and study processes and assess the feasibility of a large-scale trial on the effectiveness of a Mediterranean-style diet in postnatal period for type 2 diabetes prevention. To examine the acceptability of a Mediterranean-style diet for type 2 diabetes prevention in women taking part in a feasibility study and explore the opinions of women and healthcare professionals on trial processes. To develop a protocol for a pilot trial on metformin for the prevention of type 2 diabetes in the postnatal period. Pilot the trial design and study processes and assess the feasibility of a large-scale trial on the effectiveness of metformin in postnatal period for type 2 diabetes prevention. Methods The methods employed in this thesis include a cross-sectional survey, a single arm mixed method feasibility study with qualitative evaluation (which included the use of an app) and a mixed method randomised controlled double blind feasibility study with the use of metformin or placebo. Results Survey The survey demonstrated that app usage is part of everyday life, with 84% (85/101) of pregnant GDM women and 82% (71/87) of healthcare professionals using apps daily. All pregnant women who participated in this survey had a device by which they could access apps (100%, 101/101) and 95% (179/188) of the participants had a smartphone. The participants agreed that an app which provides dietary information in the postnatal period for diabetes prevention would be welcomed by postnatal women with GDM history. Single arm feasibility study on a Mediterranean-style diet for the prevention of T2D in the postnatal period (MERIT) A total of 69% (83/121) of eligible multi-ethnic women agreed to participate and 67% (56/83) of those initially recruited commenced the intervention. The last visit (12 months postnatally) was completed by 73.2% (41/56) of participants. A higher number of participants completed visit 2 (which is at 6 months postnatally) 80.4% (45/56), but this visit was completed remotely due to COVID-19 pandemic lockdown restrictions, whereas visit 3 was completed face-to-face. Participants had high engagement with the coach, both face-to-face and via phone-calls or text messages. Adherence based on the ESTEEM diet questionnaire was high at the end of the study. There was a trend of reduction of total dysglycaemia, and the participants weight was also reduced by 1.3kg, from visit 1 (6 to 13 weeks) to visit 3 (12 months postnatally). Clinical effectiveness discussion is exploratory due to the small sample size. The intervention and trial processes were acceptable to women and healthcare professionals, adherence was high when women had a supportive environment, provided by their family and the health coach. The group chat function was not successful in this study. Randomised double-blind placebo-controlled pilot trial on metformin for the prevention of T2D in the postnatal period (OMAhA) A total of 57.9% (175/302) of eligible multi-ethnic women agreed to take part in the study, out of those 82.3% (144/175) were randomised to receive metformin or placebo. The attendance rates for visits 2 (6 months) and 3 (12 months) were similar, with 54.6% (71/130) and 55.7 (64/115) attending each visit respectively. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic visit 3 was completed over the phone for 21.7% (39/115) of the participants which led to limited blood samples collection. Total dysglycaemia reduction was evident in the metformin group (18.3%) compared to the placebo group (24.7%) but this discussion is exploratory, and the study is not powered to measure effectiveness. The metformin group maintained their weight throughout the study, whereas the placebo group gained 400g. Adherence was 54.1% (participants who took at least 75% of the recommended dosage). The study was acceptable to both women and healthcare professionals, but the element of peer-support should be included in future studies. Conclusion It is feasible and acceptable to recruit women in the postnatal period in studies that are focused on diabetes prevention and introduce dietary or pharmacological interventions. The MERIT protocol will have to be revised to address how follow-up rates can be improved. The OMAhA protocol will also be revised to target improvement in adherence and follow-up rates. The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown restrictions and staffing issues have impacted data collection of both studies. More research is needed in this population with larger sample sizes to be able to prove efficacy. The strongest motivator that affects adherence and retention is the womanâs perception of her own risk of developing diabetes. Future studies should include the element of peer support and an education session about the risk of Type 2 Diabetes in postnatal period
Democratising migration governance : temporary labour migration and the responsibility to represent
Defence date: 20 January 2020Examining Board: Professor Rainer Bauböck, European University Institute (Supervisor); Professor Richard Bellamy, European University Institute Professor; Iseult Honohan, University College Dublin; Professor Valeria Ottonelli, UniversitĂ degli Studi di GenovaThis thesis explores the possibility of democratic citizenship of temporary migrants. The main problem I investigate is the persistent and systemic vulnerability of temporary migrants to domination. I argue temporary migrantsâ vulnerability to domination stems primarily from the fact that responsibilities towards them and their political membership are divided between their country of residence and of origin. While their lives are conditioned by both countries, they are democratically isolated from both. Are they merely partial citizens detached from any democratic politics? If not, what responsibility should each country bear towards temporary migrants within and beyond their jurisdictions? Should our commitments to democracy lead us to endorse a radical conception of migrant citizenship through which migrants represent their interests and perspectives in-between their country of residence and origin? This thesis addresses these normative issues surrounding temporary labour migration. It develops a democratic theory applicable to this phenomenon, explores the moral and political basis of migrantsâ freedom, and explains how the current arrangements might be changed to produce a more democratically just outcome. Its main contribution lies in establishing a new account of democratic citizenship and responsibility that coherently accommodates the political agencies of temporary migrants. The thesis introduces, in particular, a new normative concept and political agenda â the Responsibility to Represent (R2R). Under a system of R2R, both sending and receiving countries bear a shared obligation to stage migrantsâ contestatory voices in their public policy-making process for creating a society where everyone is free from domination. In summary, I argue that temporary migration programmes are just and legitimate, if and only if both sending and receiving states (1) recognise temporary migrants as bearers of a distinct life plan deserving equal treatment and non-domination, (2) provide them with necessary protections and sufficient resources for carrying out their plans while accommodating their possible changes, and (3) institutionalise contestatory channels for them to (de)legitimise the current structure of responsibility in-between two states
Cycling Through the Pandemic : Tactical Urbanism and the Implementation of Pop-Up Bike Lanes in the Time of COVID-19
Provides an international overview on how tactical urbanism was implemented to give more space to cycling
Demonstrates the conceptual framework surrounding tactical urbanism and how it plays out theoretically
Proposes new methodological insights to understand the effects of tactical urbanism intervention
LIPIcs, Volume 251, ITCS 2023, Complete Volume
LIPIcs, Volume 251, ITCS 2023, Complete Volum
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The impact of employees' working relations in creating and retaining trust: the case of the Bahrain Olympic Committee
Introduction: This thesis investigates the impact of employeesâ working relations in creating, maintaining and retaining trust in the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC).
Aim: The main aim of this thesis is to determine how the three groups of Organisational Trust variables, namely Social System Elements (SSE), Factors of Trustworthiness (FoT) and Third-Party Gossip (TPG), affect employeesâ Organisational Trust (OTR) in the BOC and promote Organisational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB). To answer this main aim, a conceptual framework was created that focused on exploring the following research aims: (1) the interrelationship between SSE and FoT, (2) the effect of SSE on OTR, (3) the impact of TPG on OTR and (4) the effect of OTR on overall OCB.
Methodology: The study uses a mixed-method case study research style that included in-depth semi-structured interviews with 17 managers, an online questionnaire survey with 320 employees of the BOC and an analysis of the BOCâs Annual Reports from 2015 to 2018.
Results: The qualitative and quantitative findings indicate, firstly, that there is a significant interrelationship between SSE and FoT, establishing that SSEâs perception of organisational justice (OJ), including that FoTs benevolence and integrity as the most important factors in yielding employeesâ trust in the BOC. Secondly, it has been established that SSEs have significant direct and indirect effects on OTR. Thirdly, negative and positive TPG concurrently occurred in the BOC and the prevalence of negative TPG poses more impact on OTR. Finally, this studyâs findings demonstrated OTRâs effect in generating OCB, including that Civic Virtue was rated as the most preferred of the five OCB themes; this indicates the managersâ and the employeesâ strong emotional attachment and support of the activities taking place at the BOC.
Contributions: Overall, this thesis substantially contributes to OTR literature, particularly in the context of the Middle East. It also proposes several insightful recommendations for future research and practical implications for practitioners in the field of Organisational Trust
Systemic Circular Economy Solutions for Fiber Reinforced Composites
This open access book provides an overview of the work undertaken within the FiberEUse project, which developed solutions enhancing the profitability of composite recycling and reuse in value-added products, with a cross-sectorial approach. Glass and carbon fiber reinforced polymers, or composites, are increasingly used as structural materials in many manufacturing sectors like transport, constructions and energy due to their better lightweight and corrosion resistance compared to metals. However, composite recycling is still a challenge since no significant added value in the recycling and reprocessing of composites is demonstrated. FiberEUse developed innovative solutions and business models towards sustainable Circular Economy solutions for post-use composite-made products. Three strategies are presented, namely mechanical recycling of short fibers, thermal recycling of long fibers and modular car parts design for sustainable disassembly and remanufacturing. The validation of the FiberEUse approach within eight industrial demonstrators shows the potentials towards new Circular Economy value-chains for composite materials
The Politics of Platformization: Amsterdam Dialogues on Platform Theory
What is platformization and why is it a relevant category in the contemporary political landscape? How is it related to cybernetics and the history of computation? This book tries to answer such questions by engaging in multidisciplinary dialogues about the first ten years of the emerging fields of platform studies and platform theory. It deploys a narrative and playful approach that makes use of anecdotes, personal histories, etymologies, and futurable speculations to investigate both the fragmented genealogy that led to platformization and the organizational and economic trends that guide nowadays platform sociotechnical imaginaries
Explainable temporal data mining techniques to support the prediction task in Medicine
In the last decades, the increasing amount of data available in all fields raises the necessity to discover new knowledge and explain the hidden information found. On one hand, the rapid increase of interest in, and use of, artificial intelligence (AI) in computer applications has raised a parallel concern about its ability (or lack thereof) to provide understandable, or explainable, results to users. In the biomedical informatics and computer science communities, there is considerable discussion about the `` un-explainable" nature of artificial intelligence, where often algorithms and systems leave users, and even developers, in the dark with respect to how results were obtained. Especially in the biomedical context, the necessity to explain an artificial intelligence system result is legitimate of the importance of patient safety. On the other hand, current database systems enable us to store huge quantities of data. Their analysis through data mining techniques provides the possibility to extract relevant knowledge and useful hidden information. Relationships and patterns within these data could provide new medical knowledge. The analysis of such healthcare/medical data collections could greatly help to observe the health conditions of the population and extract useful information that can be exploited in the assessment of healthcare/medical processes. Particularly, the prediction of medical events is essential for preventing disease, understanding disease mechanisms, and increasing patient quality of care. In this context, an important aspect is to verify whether the database content supports the capability of predicting future events. In this thesis, we start addressing the problem of explainability, discussing some of the most significant challenges need to be addressed with scientific and engineering rigor in a variety of biomedical domains. We analyze the ``temporal component" of explainability, focusing on detailing different perspectives such as: the use of temporal data, the temporal task, the temporal reasoning, and the dynamics of explainability in respect to the user perspective and to knowledge. Starting from this panorama, we focus our attention on two different temporal data mining techniques. The first one, based on trend abstractions, starting from the concept of Trend-Event Pattern and moving through the concept of prediction, we propose a new kind of predictive temporal patterns, namely Predictive Trend-Event Patterns (PTE-Ps). The framework aims to combine complex temporal features to extract a compact and non-redundant predictive set of patterns composed by such temporal features. The second one, based on functional dependencies, we propose a methodology for deriving a new kind of approximate temporal functional dependencies, called Approximate Predictive Functional Dependencies (APFDs), based on a three-window framework. We then discuss the concept of approximation, the data complexity of deriving an APFD, the introduction of two new error measures, and finally the quality of APFDs in terms of coverage and reliability. Exploiting these methodologies, we analyze intensive care unit data from the MIMIC dataset
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