An evidence-based forensic taxonomy of windows phone dating apps

Advances in technologies including development of smartphone features have contributed to the growth of mobile applications, including dating apps. However, online dating services can be misused. To support law enforcement investigations, a forensic taxonomy that provides a systematic classification of forensic artifacts from Windows Phone 8 (WP8) dating apps is presented in this study. The taxonomy has three categories, namely: Apps Categories, Artifacts Categories, and Data Partition Categories. This taxonomy is built based on the findings from a case study of 28 mobile dating apps, using mobile forensic tools. The dating app taxonomy can be used to inform future studies of dating and related apps, such as those from Android and iOS platforms

Factors Influencing the Adoption of Cloud Incident Handling Strategy: A Preliminary Study in Malaysia

This study seeks to understand the factors influencing the adoption of an incident handling strategy by organisational cloud service users. We propose a conceptual model that draws upon the Situation Awareness (SA) model and Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) to guide this research. 40 organisational cloud service users in Malaysia were surveyed. We also conduct face-to-face interviews with participants from four of the organisations. Findings from the study indicate that four PMT factors (Perceived Vulnerability, Self-Efficacy, Response Efficacy, and Perceived Severity) have a significantly influence on the adoption of cloud incident handling strategy within the organisations. We, therefore, suggest a successful adoption cloud incident handling strategy by organisational cloud service users involves the nexus between these four PMT factors. We also outline future research required to validate the model

An evidence-based forensic taxonomy of Windows phone communication apps

Communication apps can be an important source of evidence in a forensic investigation (e.g., in the investigation of a drug, trafficking or terrorism case where the communications apps were used by the accused persons during the transactions or planning activities)., This study presents the first evidence-based forensic taxonomy of Windows Phone communication apps, using an existing two-dimensional, Android forensic taxonomy as a baseline. Specifically, 30 Windows Phone communication apps, including Instant Messaging (IM) and Voice, over IP (VoIP) apps, are examined. Artifacts extracted using physical acquisition are analyzed, and seven digital evidence objects of forensic, interest are identified, namely: Call Log, Chats, Contacts, Locations, Installed Applications, SMSs and User Accounts. Findings from this study, would help to facilitate timely and effective forensic investigations involving Windows Phone communication apps

Forensic investigation of P2P cloud storage services and backbone for IoT networks : BitTorrent Sync as a case study

Cloud computing has been regarded as the technology enabler for the Internet of Things (IoT). To ensure the most effective collection of IoT-based evidence, it is vital for forensic practitioners to possess a contemporary understanding of the artefacts from different cloud services. In this paper, we seek to determine the data remnants from the use of BitTorrent Sync version 2.0. Findings from our research using mobile and computer devices running Windows 8.1, Mac OS X Mavericks 10.9.5, Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS, iOS 7.1.2, and Android KitKat 4.4.4 suggested that artefacts relating to the installation, uninstallation, log-in, log-off, and file synchronisation could be recovered, which are potential sources of IoT forensics. We also present a forensically sound investigation methodology for BitTorrent Sync

Analyzing factors that affect e-syariah adoption by shar'ie lawyers

This study discusses the importance of implementing E-Syariah, which is a Government-to-Citizen (G2C) application, in fulfi lling the needs to improve Shariah Courts’ administration in Malaysia. Its objective is to identify factors that affect the intention and utilization of E-Syariah by its targeted users, the Malaysian Shar’ie lawyers, which are currently lacking. A self-administered questionnaire was utilized and responses from 240 Shar’ie lawyers were collected and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results from the analysis indicate that behavioral intention to use E-Syariah is positively infl uenced by performance expectancy and technical facilitating conditions; and use behavior of using E-Syariah is positively affected by behavioral intention to utilize E-Syariah. Findings from this study contribute to the literature on user acceptance of information system and can assist the federal agency and policy makers in evaluating the effectiveness of their efforts in implementing E-Syariah

Paediatric asthma clinical pathway: Impact on cost and quality of care

INTRODUCTION: Uncontrolled asthma may cause an increase in healthcare utilisation, hospital admission and productivity loss. With the increasing burden of asthma in Malaysia, strategies aimed at reducing cost of care should be explored. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine if a clinical pathway (CPW) for inpatient paediatric asthma would reduce average length of stay (ALOS), improve asthma management and decrease cost. METHODS: A quasi-experimental, pre-post study was used to evaluate the CPW effectiveness. Paediatric inpatients aged 5-18 years old, admitted for acute asthma exacerbation from September 2015 to April 2016 were prospectively recruited. Data from patients admitted from January-July 2015 were used as control. CPW training was carried out in August 2015 using standardised modules. Direct admission cost from the provider’s prospective was calculated. Outcomes compared were differences in ALOS, discharge medication, readmission within 28 days of discharge and cost. RESULTS: ALOS is 26 hours lower in the CPW group for severe exacerbations and underlying uncontrolled asthma (19.2 hours) which is clinically significant as patients have shorter hospital stay. More newly-diagnosed intermittent asthmatics were discharged with relievers in the CPW group (p-value 0.006). None of the patients in the CPW group had readmissions (p-value 0.16). Mean treatment cost for patients in the intervention group is higher at RM843.39 (SD ±48.99, versus RM779.21 SD±44.33). CONCLUSION: This study found that management using a CPW may benefit asthmatic patients with uncontrolled asthma admitted with severe exacerbation. Further studies will be needed to explore CPW’s impact on asthma management starting from the emergency department. © 2019, Malaysian Medical Association. All rights reserved

Improving nitrogen availability on a tropical peat soil cultivated with Ananas comosus L. Merr. using pineapple residue ash

The objectives of this study were to use pineapple residue ash to (i) reduce ammonium and nitrate leaching and (ii) improve essential nutrient availability on a tropical peat soil under pineapple cultivation. Laboratory leaching experiments were carried out to determine the effectiveness of pineapple residue ash in controlling nitrogen loss from a tropical peat soil. Ion exchange resin method was used to determine nitrogen availability. Treatments evaluated were (i) different amounts of pineapple residue ash (25, 50, 70, and 100%) + NPK fertilizer, (ii) NPK fertilizer, and (iii) peat soil alone. Peat soils with pineapple residue ash reduced ammonium and nitrate losses because of adsorption of ammonium and nitrate by hydroxyl and C–O radicals of the pineapple residue ash. There was an improvement in ammonium and nitrate availability because the pineapple residue ash was able to increase the peat soil pH and this facilitated organic nitrogen mineralization and nitrification. The pineapple residue ash also improved nitrogen uptake, pineapple fresh fruit yield, and fruit quality. Ammonium and nitrate varied with soil depth because of high preferential flow of the peat soil water. Combined use of NPK fertilizers and 25% pineapple residue ash improved nitrogen availability whereas amending NPK with 50%, 70%, and 100% pineapple residue ash were more effective in improving nitrogen uptake, fresh fruit yield, and fruit quality of pineapple. Pineapple residue ash can also have significant liming effect

Impulse flashover characteristics of oil palm trunk (OPT) veneer plywood

Oil palm is one of the largest crop industries in South East Asia, thus, it is of importance to use all parts of the Oil palm trees. Recently Oil Palm Trunks (OPT) have been used to make veneer, which can be processed to produce plywood. Even though OPT plywood doesn't have the same mechanical properties as timber, with proper treatment and adhesives during the processing of veneer to plywood, it can be made to compete with hardwood. OPT plywood has been used in various applications from wooden appliances to housing and roofing structures. These structures are at risk of surface flashovers through lightning and electrical breakdowns. However, no study has been conducted on the effects or characteristics of OPT plywood. In this paper, the effects of impulse surface flashover under different conditions on three-layered OPT plywood has been analyzed. Experiments were conducted to identify the characteristics of OPT under clean and dry, clean and wet, and contaminated surface conditions for both parallel and perpendicular fiber orientations. The 50% breakdown voltage was determined by the up and down method. Results identified the importance of the fibre orientation and the decrease in breakdown voltage under contaminants