Android device hacking tricks and countermeasures

© 2016 IEEE. Cybercrimes have increased against Android devices due to the increased usage of Instant Messaging, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Webcam Applications that are built into the Android device, resulting in invasion of the victim\u27s privacy. The existing studies demonstrate how to utilize the vulnerabilities of the Android device; however, none have proposed a comprehensive study highlighting the hacking tricks and their countermeasures. This study demonstrates how to discover and fully control the Android device using existing tools. Furthermore, it proposes a novel GPS Tracking Application. The purpose of this research is twofold: 1. To demonstrate how to disclose the victim\u27s sensitive information after performing diverse hacking tricks; and 2. To implement countermeasures for each Android hacking tricks. The author believe that such a scenario is needed for implementing awareness among Android device users. Also, it shows Android and Instant Messaging Application developers to mitigate existing vulnerabilities, thereby enhancing security levels

Adoption, Diffusion and Use of E-Government Services in the Abu Dhabi Police Force

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are becoming increasingly prevalent in peoples’ daily lives due to the presence of e-government. This research aims to identify and understand factors affecting the adoption and use of e-government services in a public sector organisation in a developing country, in this case, Abu Dhabi Police Force (ADPF) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). For this purpose a theoretical framework based on existing e-government and e-services literature was developed. To determine its applicability, a qualitative approach involving 200 participants’ interviews was used in this study. The questions for the interviews were based on the constructs derived from classic theories in the literature. The theories are: Diffusion of Innovations Theory (DOI), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Decomposed Theory of Planned Behaviour (DTPB) and e-Commerce’s Trustworthiness models. The research study results revealed that departments that had roles and responsibilities aligned with government online products and services, adopted e-services better. Where training and awareness was provided, individuals adopted e-services better, and where trust in the provision of e-services was divided in two. The first relates to e-services being better than a manual service as e-services provide clarity and transparency. The second form of trust aligns with confidentiality and privacy. A subset of the research revealed that demographic factors that include, an organisational structure position and the role that one has, inhibit or encourages the use and adoption of e-services. The contributions from this research are anticipated to be a better understanding of the adoption, diffusion and use of e-services in the UAE region. For theory, this research study provided a diverse approach (qualitative research) in an organisational context, the development of a conceptual framework specific to Abu Dhabi’s public sector department and finally, there is research conducted on government to employee e-services in Abu Dhabi, a rare occurrence. For policymakers, the contribution of this research is that the research can understand the impacts of policies and strategies used for developing and implementing e-services. For practice the contribution can be in the form of results that organisations providing external consultancy services in the UAE can identify and understand. Therefore, results such as, lower positions individuals in departments not utilising e-services emerged and suggest that awareness should be inherent within the organisation. By doing so, fewer risks and waste of resources in the form of time and personnel can be avoided

Prevalence Of and Factors Associated With Overweight, Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome among School Children and Adolescents in Ras Alkhaimah, United Arab Emirates – 2016-2017

Introduction: The prevalence of childhood obesity is reported to be increasing rapidly in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Excess adiposity is a key independent risk factor for the future development of cardiometabolic disorders such as metabolic syndrome. Population-based studies using representative samples are required to provide accurate and valid estimates of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Currently, there is a dearth of pediatric obesity research conducted in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. Aims: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome among school children in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. Method: Using a cross-sectional study design, a random representative sample of children (N=1184; 43% males) aged 6-18 years was recruited from government and private schools in Ras Al Khaimah, during the academic year 2016-2017. Participants completed a questionnaire collecting sociodemographic and lifestyle behavior data. Anthropometric (i.e. height, body mass, and waist circumference) and blood pressure measurements were conducted using standard procedures. Body mass index-derived estimates of obesity were calculated using three international cut-offs: Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF), and the World Health Organization (WHO). Participants aged 10-18 years (N=413) provided a fasting venous blood sample to assess fasting blood glucose, lipid levels, and glycated hemoglobin. Metabolic syndrome was classified using the International Diabetes Federation criteria. Results: The overall prevalence of combined overweight/obesity was 37.2% (CDC), 37.7% (IOTF), and 40.1% (WHO). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 6.6% (11.4% males, females 3.1%, P=0.001). Multivariate logistic regression identified that maternal obesity was positively associated with childhood overweight and obesity (p \u3c 0.05). Father education, dark vegetables, and full-fat milk were negatively associated with overweight and obesity (p \u3c 0.05). Significant contributions: This study confirms a high prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents in Ras Al Khaimah. Mother obesity, Father Education, full milk, and dark vegetables were identified as correlates of childhood obesity. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome will continue to increase unless school-based obesity interventions are implemented across the UAE. Gap filled: This is the first study in RAK estimated the prevalence of overweight and obesity for 18 years using 3 international BMI definitions and investigated the associated factors of childhood obesity. Furthermore, it is the first study to estimate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the northern emirates

Android forensics: Investigating social networking cybercrimes against man-in-the-middle attacks

© 2016 IEEE. Cyber-Attacks are on the rise due to the increased usage of social networking application\u27s built-in Android devices via Wi-Fi connections, which has resulted in privacy issues. Several studies have been conducted to investigate Android phones, however, none of these have proposed a comprehensive Android investigation method, which begins with a Man-in-The-Middle attack and ending in a criminal investigation. The purpose of this research is to propose an Android forensics framework against such Wi-Fi attacks, using advanced forensic tools, such as the Cellebrite Universal Forensic Extraction Device and the Oxygen. This will assist the researcher to prove the suggested arguments in the following: 1. To implement guidelines for the forensic examiners, especially for those new in the field of forensics, and 2. To guide Android and social networking application developers to enhance the level of security. Furthermore, this study recommends the best data extraction methods designed for Android devices

ESTIMATION OF INFECTIOUS INTESTINAL DISEASE BURDEN AND DESCRIPTION OF THE INFECTIOUS DISEASE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM IN RAS AL KHAIMAH, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Introduction: Infectious disease (ID) is an ongoing problem worldwide. In order to manage this problem, it is important to have an integrated and effective surveillance system that can be used to estimate the burden of ID. There is a scarcity of studies published on the prevalence of IDs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), both in hospital settings and in the community. Infectious Intestinal Disease (IIDs) have been one of the most commonest IDs that have been studied in the community around the world, there are no studies on the prevalence of IIDs in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK). Furthermore, while the UAE is a member state of the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region that is working toward a plan to fulfil the implementation of the International Health Regulations, and has in recent years started developing surveillance systems for several IDs, there are no publications describing or assessing these systems. Aims: The aim of this study is to estimate the burden of IIDs in the community and to describe the surveillance system in the emirate of RAK. Method: In the first part of this research, a population-based cross-sectional study design using a telephone-based questionnaire was used to estimate IIDs in a representative sample of the RAK population (N= 1254; 57.3% males; 25.2 % below 18 years) from all age groups. Participants completed the questionnaire collecting the sociodemographic characteristics and information about IIDs during the four-week period prior to the telephone interview. The second part of this study was a descriptive scoping assessment of the core activities and supportive functions of the ID surveillance system in government health institutions in RAK based on the WHO guidelines.\ Results: Overall prevalence of IIDs was 4.2% in the four weeks prior to the interview. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified that being female (odds ratio (OR) 2.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.16-5.07) and having a middle-range monthly household income (~ USD 4080-\u3c6800: OR 5.42, 95%CI 1.15-25.48; ~ USD 6800\u3c9530: OR 7.13, 95% CI 1.47-34.57) were positively associated with IID. Age≥ 6 years was negatively associated with IID (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.90-0.99). Nearly half (49.1%) of participants with an IID sought medical care and 20.8% took over-the-counter medication. ID surveillance systems in RAK exist at two levels: the higher level of the Preventive Medicine Department (PMD) and the lower level of the hospitals. In the emirate of RAK, the basic structure, core functions and support functions of the ID surveillance systems exist at the two levels, however further development has been hampered by lack of standardization, limited training activities and the absence of a formal quality improvement process. Significant contributions: This study provides the first population-based prevalence estimates of IID in the UAE, which are similar to those reported in China (4%), but lower than those reported in Canada (10%), the Netherlands (7%), and the USA (6%). Furthermore, it is the first to describe the local ID surveillance system and identify areas for improvement. Gap filled: It provides baseline data for IIDs in the community and documentation of the current surveillance system in RAK

ANTECEDENTS AND CONSEQUENCES OF INTERNAL BRANDING: THE CASE OF ABU DHABI DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Internal branding is a new marketing paradigm to gain effective brand strategy that has recently emerged in the academic literature of marketing. It is a brand spirit that brings together brand loyalty, management and employees to their mutual benefit to create and deliver a value-added product or service to employees, customers and stakeholders (Keller, 1993). {Keller, 1993 #59}Generally, studies on the role of internal branding in creating a competitive organisational culture by considering antecedents that enable internal branding and its consequences do not exist within the UAE context. This study aims to show the importance of internal branding, and to develop and test a conceptual model that integrates specific constructs as antecedents and consequences of internal branding, these are external customer orientation, internal customer orientation, interdepartmental connectedness, quality of internal services, external customer satisfaction, and job satisfaction. The study takes on a quantitative approach a positivist enquiry, i.e., the primary research is in the form of a survey questionnaire and the secondary research is drawn from the literature. The questionnaire was designed and distributed amongst a selected sample of 300 employees from cross-functional sections in Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, where they were asked to test the suggested model. The findings identified four factors as the antecedents plus two factors as the consequences of internal branding. The study proposes an empirically tested integrated model of the antecedents and consequences of internal branding that will enable organisations to implement internal branding leading to business success. The developed conceptual model could contribute superior value to the Departments of the Abu Dhabi Government in general, and to the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development to contributing a practical business solution, particularly to its success. This study is the first to propose a model that integrates the antecedents and consequence of internal branding in a government setting in the UAE. The outcomes and findings of this study will, as it is hoped, to enrich the internal branding concept and literature, along with extensively extending insightful knowledge beyond the Western schools of thought to the UAE

Islamic banks and service quality : an empirical study of the UAE

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

NEW SECURITY PARADIGM – THE USE OF SOCIAL NETWORKS AS A FORM OF THREAT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY STATE

Abstract Islamic State depends on the recruitment of foreign fighters to execute attacks in their home countries. This paper examines the influence of social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube in the indoctrination and direction of young people into extremist and terrorist collectives. The study wholly depended on the qualitative analysis in unfolding the concerns related to social media and terrorism activities. After an in-depth exploration, the paper has proven that a good number of attacks are launched by homegrown terrorists who are self-radicalized and indoctrinated through YouTube videos, Facebook groups, and Tweets. Following this discovery, the researchers recommend collaboration between the social media owners and intelligence security agencies in combating terrorist activities online. The social media owners’ help in monitoring terrorists’ activities on their websites would thus help in improving the intelligence and the general security of the country

Calibrating PIRLS Test in Sultanate of Oman Using Item Response Theory

The study aimed to calibrate Oman data of the PIRLS test using the graded response model and to examine the psychometric properties of it, as well as identify the fit and unfit of its items. PIRLS2011 test booklets were used, which consisted of 146 test items (74 dichotomous and 72 polytomous). Items were divided into 13 booklets; each with two blocks (one literary and one informational). PIRLS test booklets were administered to 13 groups of fourth grade students in Sultanate of Oman with a total sample of 10394 students. Assumptions of IRT (unidimensionality and local independence) were examined and supported. Also, item fit was examined and supported using Samejima’s graded response model. The data was analyzed by Multilog7.03 program to estimate both item and ability parameters. Results indicated that the assumptions of IRT were proved. Also, IRT analysis revealed that 8 items showed unfit which represents only 5% of the test items. So, this result confirms that the test has good psychometric properties under the IRT