Case analysis of information security risk perceptions

The scientific rationality used by experts towards risk evaluation is expressed as the product of its likelihood of occurrence with its consequences or impacts (ENISA, 2006a). This directly opposes the subjective nature of risk perception, often appearing as inconsistent if not completely irrational (Byrne, 2003). Risk perception theories are a pathway to explain the subjective nature of risk and a deeper insight into the human\u27s cognitive system. Those theories may help to explain why people see, act and plan for risks in the way that they do, the weaknesses that exist in the human decision mechanisms and their impact on risk perceptions and decisions. By questioning the existence of risk perception in the information security field of study, this research acknowledges those risk perception theories and provides a measure of their influence when rating information security risks. The research measures the existence of risk perception issues by asking a participating sample of people to rate the likelihood of ten information security risks that carried previously measured statistics. In order to archive this, an online survey was designed to capture risk-rating information from an informed sample as well as a measure of their self-assessed information security knowledge. By measuring the gaps between the participants\u27 answers and the known occurrences of those risks, the research highlighted a number of disparities revealing the existence of risk perception divergence. A statistical analysis of the results was performed with the intent of highlighting gaps in the perception of the given risks. This analysis also allowed the research to narrow down the scope of risks that may or may not have been perceived with higher or lower gaps than other risks. Further analysis specifically identified the risks affected by those gaps, their statistical significance, strength and direction. The areas displaying the highest perception gaps resided with risks that were generally rare, new and unfamiliar or were being publicised in the popular media. Finally, this research investigated whether or not the self-assessed respondents\u27 knowledge is a factor influencing people\u27s risk ratings in the online survey and thereby a factor in the way those risks are perceived. A correlation analysis was used to determine the degree of association between the participants\u27 risk ratings and their perceived and self-rated information security knowledge

Information Security Surveys: A Review of the Methodologies, the Critics and a Pragmatic Approach to their Purposes and Usage

Each year the latest information security surveys are released to the computing and business communities. Often their findings and their methodologies are subject to criticism from the information security community, professional bodies and others in the profession. This paper looks at the viewpoints of both the producers and the critics of the surveys. The criticisms cover such issues as the methodologies, the response rates, the experience of the respondents, the design of the questions and the interpretation of the results. This paper looks at these issues and discusses the validity of these criticisms, the impact of the surveys and their value to business and government. It compares the methodologies of some of the largest local and international players in the area. It discusses the issues arising from flawed methodologies, inaccurate information and poor processes, including the perceived lack of integrity and the accuracy of the measurements and methodologies. Despite the strong criticism a middle ground emerged. Data input by the participants, whether accurate or not, may be highly subjective and influenced by their environment and business profile. Furthermore, security at a business level may be extremely complex, the governance principles dictating that the organisation profile, management ideologies and core business values must be accounted for and balanced even for IT. The paper also considers the interpretation of the results and how they may be influenced by current and future products and the vendors of those products. Finally the paper takes a closer look at the use of the surveys in a business context and attempts to show that if constructively used, these surveys can be powerful metric tools used in driving information security strategies in spite of their perceived deficiencies

Analyzing drug load and release from pharmaceutical nanocarriers for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases

In the context of new strategy development for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases, especially Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, nanoparticular systems are considered as promising alternatives to the current treatments. Indeed, because of the accumulation of supramolecular objects in the epithelium of inflammatory bowel, a passive targeting could be achieved using drug carriers with the aim of increasing the efficacy and the safety for the patient. The objective of the present dissertation is to establish appropriate analytical methods to characterize nanocarriers and secondarily microcarriers. Two different types of formulations, namely the lipid nanoparticles (Lipidot®) and the poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microand nanoparticles were investigated. Studies were performed using budesonide and cyclosporine A as active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). In vitro drug release testing methods based on the derivative spectrophotometry using a fiber optic system were successfully developed for PLGA drug carriers whereas for the first time a solid phase extraction method for nanoparticles was designed and implemented to evaluate the carrying performances of the Lipidot®. Furthermore, the concept of automation was strongly considered during the selection step of analytical techniques with the following outlook: speed up the commercialization of nanopharmaceuticals.Im Rahmen der Entwicklung von neuen Strategien für die Behandlung von entzündlichen Darmerkrankungen, hauptsächlich Morbus Crohn und Colitis ulcerosa, werden Nanopartikularsysteme als vielversprechende Alternativen zu aktuellen Behandlungen betrachtet. Tatsächlich könnte, aufgrund einer Akkumulation von supramolekularen Partikeln im Epithelium von entzündlichen Geweben, ein „passive targeting“ mit Nanoträgern erreicht werden und somit zu einer erhöhten Wirksamkeit und größeren Sicherheit für den Patienten führen. Die vorliegende Dissertation beabsichtigt geeignete analytische Methoden zu entwickeln, um nanopartikulare/mikropartikulare Träger zu charakterisieren. Zwei verschiedene Formulierungen für den Transport von Wirkstoffen, nämlich die Lipid-Nanopartikel (Lipidot®) und die Poly(lactid-co-Glycolid) (PLGA) Mikro- und Nanopartikel wurden untersucht. Für die Experimente wurden Budesonid und Cyclosporine A ausgewählt. In vitro Freisetzungsmethoden wurden für PLGA-Wirkstoffträger mit einer Kombination aus Ableitungsspektrophotometrie und einem Fiberoptic Freisetzungssystem erfolgreich entwickelt. Außerdem, wurde erstmalig eine Festphasenextraktionsmethode für die Evaluierung der Beladung von Lipidot® für verkapselte Wirkstoffe entwickelt und angewendet. Darüber hinaus wurde besonderer Wert auf das Konzept der Automatisierung während der Methodenentwicklung gelegt, um die Kommerzialisierung von Nanopharmazeutika zu beschleunigen

Spatialiser la transition énergétique: Vers la production d'"écosystèmes énergétiques territoriaux" en milieu ruralRapport intermédiaireOctobre 2014

Cette recherche vise à interroger la « cohérence spatiale » des logiques de substitution énergétique à l’œuvre en France. On part du constat que les innovations dans ce domaine sont le plus souvent appréhendées dans une logique techniciste, se traduisant en terme d’aménagement par une banalisation et une uniformisation du territoire et des paysages. Dans ce contexte la transition énergétique représente un enjeu spatial de premier ordre devant être saisi dans toute sa complexité, par les diverses échelles d’aménagement qu'elle touche : architecturale, urbaine et paysagère. A cet égard, ce débat doit être impérativement relayé par une réflexion critique sur les logiques d'innovation en cours, en vue d'élaborer d'autres concepts et approches, pour qualifier cette transition et l'aborder en termes de projet. Les territoires ruraux de faible densité à dominante agricole et forestière constituent notre terrain d'étude privilégié. On est parti de l’hypothèse que ces territoires représentent un enjeu de projet stratégique, tant par leurs évolutions démographiques et économiques, que par leur potentiel de production énergétique lié à leurs ressources naturelles. Prenant en compte ces caractéristiques, un des objectifs clefs de cette recherche sera d'identifier à l'échelle locale le nouveau substrat énergétique, mettant à profit la puissance des quatre éléments propres aux énergies renouvelables - énergie chimique contenue dans la biomasse ; énergie mécanique de l'eau ou du vent ; énergie thermique de l'eau chaude du sous-sol ou du rayonnement solaire. Autrement dit, il sera question de préfigurer une nouvelle « économie de l'habiter » en milieu rural, liée à la mise en place de ce nouveau substrat technique et énergétique. Dans cette optique deux concepts fédérateurs sont élaborés de manière hypothétique à cette étape de notre travail : - celui d'« écosystème énergétique territorial », permettant de croiser les « échelles énergétiques » et de travailler autant au stade de « l'énergie finale » (les outils et les infrastructures influant sur la dépense d'énergie), qu'au stade de « l'énergie primaire » (les formes sous lesquelles la nature livre l'énergie)- celui de « plan local d'énergie et de paysage », permettant d'identifier les implications à l'échelle architecturale et territoriale, de ce nouveau substrat énergétique, à moyen et à long termes. Méthodologie de recherche : Cette réponse élaborée conjointement avec des enseignants-chercheurs de l’ENSAG et du réseau ERPS vise à poursuivre une méthode de recherche spécifique explorée précédemment fondée sur l'interdisciplinarité : la recherche par le projet. Selon cette méthode, le projet joue un double rôle : heuristique et expérimental. La dimension heuristique, développée dans la première phase de la recherche consiste à faire émerger par le projet, dans le cadre des ateliers de Master, des questions architecturales et territoriales stratégiques par rapport à nos objectifs de recherche. Traitées d'un point de vue scientifique, ces questions permettront de formuler des hypothèses qui seront livrées aux concepteurs et testées dans le second temps de projet, la phase expérimentale. Le matériel produit à l’issue de ces phases de projet sera ensuite analysé par l’équipe afin de dégager des résultats discutés dans le cadre élargi d’un séminaire international. Au travers de ces travaux en atelier, il s’agit de produire des connaissances spécifiques, susceptibles renouveler nos pratiques d'aménagement vers la construction d'une nouvelle alliance homme/territoire basée sur une redéfinition de notre rapport à l'énergie et à ses modes de production. En somme, de la recherche par l’action et pour l’action. Sa mise en application repose sur une dynamique de travail interdisciplinaire combinant activité scientifique, activité pédagogique et activité de mise en œuvre d'un projet expérimental, à partir du territoire de la commune d'Ambert située dans le Parc naturel régional du Livradois-Forez

Infrared Eclipses of the Strongly Irradiated Planet WASP-33b, and Oscillations of its Host Star

We observe two secondary eclipses of the strongly irradiated transiting planet WASP-33b in the Ks band, and one secondary eclipse each at 3.6- and 4.5 microns using Warm Spitzer. This planet orbits an A5V delta-Scuti star that is known to exhibit low amplitude non-radial p-mode oscillations at about 0.1-percent semi-amplitude. We detect stellar oscillations in all of our infrared eclipse data, and also in one night of observations at J-band out of eclipse. The oscillation amplitude, in all infrared bands except Ks, is about the same as in the optical. However, the stellar oscillations in Ks band have about twice the amplitude as seen in the optical, possibly because the Brackett-gamma line falls in this bandpass. We use our best-fit values for the eclipse depth, as well as the 0.9 micron eclipse observed by Smith et al., to explore possible states of the exoplanetary atmosphere, based on the method of Madhusudhan and Seager. On this basis we find two possible states for the atmospheric structure of WASP-33b. One possibility is a non-inverted temperature structure in spite of the strong irradiance, but this model requires an enhanced carbon abundance (C/O>1). The alternative model has solar composition, but an inverted temperature structure. Spectroscopy of the planet at secondary eclipse, using a spectral resolution that can resolve the water vapor band structure, should be able to break the degeneracy between these very different possible states of the exoplanetary atmosphere. However, both of those model atmospheres absorb nearly all of the stellar irradiance with minimal longitudinal re-distribution of energy, strengthening the hypothesis of Cowan et al. that the most strongly irradiated planets circulate energy poorly. Our measurement of the central phase of the eclipse yields e*cos(omega)=0.0003 +/-0.00013, which we regard as being consistent with a circular orbit.Comment: 23 pages, 9 figures, 3 tables, accepted for the Astrophysical Journa

Three Saturn-mass planets transiting F-type stars revealed with TESS and HARPS

While the sample of confirmed exoplanets continues to increase, the population of transiting exoplanets around early-type stars is still limited. These planets allow us to investigate the planet properties and formation pathways over a wide range of stellar masses and study the impact of high irradiation on hot Jupiters orbiting such stars. We report the discovery of TOI-615b, TOI-622b, and TOI-2641b, three Saturn-mass planets transiting main sequence, F-type stars. The planets were identified by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and confirmed with complementary ground-based and radial velocity observations. TOI-615b is a highly irradiated ($\sim$1277 $F_{\oplus}$) and bloated Saturn-mass planet (1.69$^{+0.05}_{-0.06}$$R_{Jup}$ and 0.43$^{+0.09}_{-0.08}$$M_{Jup}$) in a 4.66 day orbit transiting a 6850 K star. TOI-622b has a radius of 0.82$^{+0.03}_{-0.03}$$R_{Jup}$ and a mass of 0.30$^{+0.07}_{-0.08}$~$M_{Jup}$ in a 6.40 day orbit. Despite its high insolation flux ($\sim$600 $F_{\oplus}$), TOI-622b does not show any evidence of radius inflation. TOI-2641b is a 0.37$^{+0.05}_{-0.04}$$M_{Jup}$ planet in a 4.88 day orbit with a grazing transit (b = 1.04$^{+0.05}_{-0.06 }$) that results in a poorly constrained radius of 1.61$^{+0.46}_{-0.64}$$R_{Jup}$. Additionally, TOI-615b is considered attractive for atmospheric studies via transmission spectroscopy with ground-based spectrographs and $\textit{JWST}$. Future atmospheric and spin-orbit alignment observations are essential since they can provide information on the atmospheric composition, formation and migration of exoplanets across various stellar types.Comment: 16 pages, 17 figures, submitted to A&

A pair of Sub-Neptunes transiting the bright K-dwarf TOI-1064 characterised with CHEOPS

Funding: TGW, ACC, and KH acknowledge support from STFC consolidated grant numbers ST/R000824/1 and ST/V000861/1, and UKSA grant ST/R003203/1.We report the discovery and characterization of a pair of sub-Neptunes transiting the bright K-dwarf TOI-1064 (TIC 79748331), initially detected in the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) photometry. To characterize the system, we performed and retrieved the CHaracterising ExOPlanets Satellite (CHEOPS), TESS, and ground-based photometry, the High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) high-resolution spectroscopy, and Gemini speckle imaging. We characterize the host star and determine Teff,⋆=4734±67K⁠, R⋆=0.726±0.007R⊙⁠, and M⋆=0.748±0.032M⊙⁠. We present a novel detrending method based on point spread function shape-change modelling and demonstrate its suitability to correct flux variations in CHEOPS data. We confirm the planetary nature of both bodies and find that TOI-1064 b has an orbital period of Pb = 6.44387 ± 0.00003 d, a radius of Rb = 2.59 ± 0.04 R⊕, and a mass of Mb=13.5+1.7−1.8 M⊕, whilst TOI-1064 c has an orbital period of Pc=12.22657+0.00005−0.00004 d, a radius of Rc = 2.65 ± 0.04 R⊕, and a 3σ upper mass limit of 8.5 M⊕. From the high-precision photometry we obtain radius uncertainties of ∼1.6 per cent, allowing us to conduct internal structure and atmospheric escape modelling. TOI-1064 b is one of the densest, well-characterized sub-Neptunes, with a tenuous atmosphere that can be explained by the loss of a primordial envelope following migration through the protoplanetary disc. It is likely that TOI-1064 c has an extended atmosphere due to the tentative low density, however further radial velocities are needed to confirm this scenario and the similar radii, different masses nature of this system. The high-precision data and modelling of TOI-1064 b are important for planets in this region of mass–radius space, and it allow us to identify a trend in bulk density–stellar metallicity for massive sub-Neptunes that may hint at the formation of this population of planets.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

TOI-836 : a super-Earth and mini-Neptune transiting a nearby K-dwarf

Funding: TGW, ACC, and KH acknowledge support from STFC consolidated grant numbers ST/R000824/1 and ST/V000861/1, and UKSA grant ST/R003203/1.We present the discovery of two exoplanets transiting TOI-836 (TIC 440887364) using data from TESS Sector 11 and Sector 38. TOI-836 is a bright (T = 8.5 mag), high proper motion (∼200 mas yr−1), low metallicity ([Fe/H]≈−0.28) K-dwarf with a mass of 0.68 ± 0.05 M⊙ and a radius of 0.67 ± 0.01 R⊙. We obtain photometric follow-up observations with a variety of facilities, and we use these data-sets to determine that the inner planet, TOI-836 b, is a 1.70 ± 0.07 R⊕ super-Earth in a 3.82 day orbit, placing it directly within the so-called ‘radius valley’. The outer planet, TOI-836 c, is a 2.59 ± 0.09 R⊕ mini-Neptune in an 8.60 day orbit. Radial velocity measurements reveal that TOI-836 b has a mass of 4.5 ± 0.9 M⊕, while TOI-836 c has a mass of 9.6 ± 2.6 M⊕. Photometric observations show Transit Timing Variations (TTVs) on the order of 20 minutes for TOI-836 c, although there are no detectable TTVs for TOI-836 b. The TTVs of planet TOI-836 c may be caused by an undetected exterior planet.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

TOI-836: A super-Earth and mini-Neptune transiting a nearby K-dwarf

We present the discovery of two exoplanets transiting TOI-836 (TIC 440887364) using data from TESS Sector 11 and Sector 38. TOI-836 is a bright ($T = 8.5$ mag), high proper motion ($\sim\,200$ mas yr$^{-1}$), low metallicity ([Fe/H]$\approx\,-0.28$) K-dwarf with a mass of $0.68\pm0.05$ M$_{\odot}$ and a radius of $0.67\pm0.01$ R$_{\odot}$. We obtain photometric follow-up observations with a variety of facilities, and we use these data-sets to determine that the inner planet, TOI-836 b, is a $1.70\pm0.07$ R$_{\oplus}$ super-Earth in a 3.82 day orbit, placing it directly within the so-called 'radius valley'. The outer planet, TOI-836 c, is a $2.59\pm0.09$ R$_{\oplus}$ mini-Neptune in an 8.60 day orbit. Radial velocity measurements reveal that TOI-836 b has a mass of $4.5\pm0.9$ M$_{\oplus}$ , while TOI-836 c has a mass of $9.6\pm2.6$ M$_{\oplus}$. Photometric observations show Transit Timing Variations (TTVs) on the order of 20 minutes for TOI-836 c, although there are no detectable TTVs for TOI-836 b. The TTVs of planet TOI-836 c may be caused by an undetected exterior planet

Transit timings variations in the three-planet system : TOI-270

We present ground- and space-based photometric observations of TOI-270 (L231-32), a system of three transiting planets consisting of one super-Earth and two sub-Neptunes discovered by TESS around a bright (K-mag = 8.25) M3V dwarf. The planets orbit near low-order mean-motion resonances (5:3 and 2:1) and are thus expected to exhibit large transit timing variations (TTVs). Following an extensive observing campaign using eight different observatories between 2018 and 2020, we now report a clear detection of TTVs for planets c and d, with amplitudes of ∼10 min and a super-period of ∼3 yr, as well as significantly refined estimates of the radii and mean orbital periods of all three planets. Dynamical modelling of the TTVs alone puts strong constraints on the mass ratio of planets c and d and on their eccentricities. When incorporating recently published constraints from radial velocity observations, we obtain masses of Mb=1.48±0.18M⊕⁠, Mc=6.20±0.31M⊕⁠, and Md=4.20±0.16M⊕ for planets b, c, and d, respectively. We also detect small but significant eccentricities for all three planets : eb = 0.0167 ± 0.0084, ec = 0.0044 ± 0.0006, and ed = 0.0066 ± 0.0020. Our findings imply an Earth-like rocky composition for the inner planet, and Earth-like cores with an additional He/H2O atmosphere for the outer two. TOI-270 is now one of the best constrained systems of small transiting planets, and it remains an excellent target for atmospheric characterization