Linking Threat Avoidance and Security Adoption: A Theoretical Model For SMEs

A deficiency exists in the Information Systems Security literature because of the tendency to regard IT threat avoidance and IT security adoption as separate behaviours. In addressing the deficiency this research in progress focuses on SMEs, for several reasons including their strategic importance globally, the current trend among cybercriminals to conduct more high volume, low risk attacks against weaker targets and also because of the individualistic behavioural patterns in SMEs. Drawing on several well-established behavioural theories, this paper synthesises elements of these theories into a holistic model, with coping theory placed firmly at is centre. This study will make several contributions to the field, initially creating an empirically validated model for behaviours surrounding both avoidance and preventative actions in small firms and also in presenting and prioritising a specific view of the external factors influencing how threats are appraised, assessed and dealt with

Contextualising the Insider Threat: A Mixed Method Study

The insider threat is potentially the most damaging and costly threat to organisations, and while there is a considerable body of literature aimed at understanding this phenomenon, we contend that the theories contained in such literature are most beneficial if they can be utilised in a way that is contextually relevant. Our research, and this paper, is specifically focussed on developing and improving this contextual validity. We find that malicious acts arising from disgruntlement are perceived as very real problems in practice. We also present a current list of non-malicious aberrant behaviors and show how they rank in relative seriousness to one another. Given that the primary motivation for conducting this study is the view that reliance on the traditional conceptualization of a boundary or perimeter is no longer viable, our essential contribution lies in devising a series of vignettes that empirically reflect this current contextual validity

The mapping class group and the Meyer function for plane curves

For each d>=2, the mapping class group for plane curves of degree d will be defined and it is proved that there exists uniquely the Meyer function on this group. In the case of d=4, using our Meyer function, we can define the local signature for 4-dimensional fiber spaces whose general fibers are non-hyperelliptic compact Riemann surfaces of genus 3. Some computations of our local signature will be given.Comment: 24 pages, typo adde

Observations of total RONO2 over the boreal forest: NO x sinks and HNO3 sources

In contrast with the textbook view of remote chemistry where HNO 3 formation is the primary sink of nitrogen oxides, recent theoretical analyses show that formation of RONO2 (ΣANs) from isoprene and other terpene precursors is the primary net chemical loss of nitrogen oxides over the remote continents where the concentration of nitrogen oxides is low. This then increases the prominence of questions concerning the chemical lifetime and ultimate fate of ΣANs. We present observations of nitrogen oxides and organic molecules collected over the Canadian boreal forest during the summer which show that ΣANs account for ∼20% of total oxidized nitrogen and that their instantaneous production rate is larger than that of HNO3. This confirms the primary role of reactions producing ΣANs as a control over the lifetime of NOx (NOx =NO+NO2) in remote, continental environments. However, HNO 3 is generally present in larger concentrations than ΣANs indicating that the atmospheric lifetime of ΣANs is shorter than the HNO3 lifetime. We in-vestigate a range of proposed loss mechanisms that would explain the inferred lifetime of ΣANs finding that in combination with deposition, two processes are consistent with the observations: (1) rapid ozonolysis of isoprene nitrates where at least ∼40% of the ozonolysis producs t ts release NOx from the carbon backbone and/or (2) hydrolysis of particulate organic nitrates with HNO3 as a product. Implications of these ideas for our understanding of NOx and NOy budget in remote and rural locations are discussed. © Author(s) 2013

My home, your workplace: people with physical disability negotiate their sexual health without crossing professional boundaries

This paper aims to describe research that examined the views of people with physical disability, living in Australia, of their sexual well-being needs from their own perspective. We explored the impact their sexual well-being needs had on their relationships with professional carers. A social model of disability was used to understand how sexual well-being is facilitated or denied in community care. We also explored whether clients' sexual well-being needs could be met without carers or clients 'crossing the line'. Our findings indicate the multiple ways that 'professional boundaries' were negotiated between clients and professional carers. The data show that the location of the 'line' changed, depending on a range of personal, social, economic and environmental factors. The data also show a gap between the sexual well-being needs of people living with a physical disability and the level of support provided at the social and organisational levels. Suggestions are made for research and practice directions

The role of external broadcasting in a closed political system

This article investigates the role and impact of external broadcasting (radio and television) on a closed political system, through the example of the two post-war German states: the West German Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the East German German Democratic Republic (GDR). The aim is to debunk myths about the influence of external broadcasting on the events that led to German reunification in 1990. The study follows a historical approach and discusses what role external media played during the years of a divided Germany. The findings are based on several historical sources, research reports from the 1950s and 1960s and over 100 biographical interviews with former residents of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). The article analyses the impact of external broadcasting on citizens and the political elite in times of crisis as well as during everyday life

Default policies for global optimisation of noisy functions with severe noise

Global optimisation of unknown noisy functions is a daunting task that appears in domains ranging from games to control problems to meta-parameter optimisation for machine learning. We show how to incorporate heuristics to Stochastic Simultaneous Optimistic Optimization (STOSOO), a global optimisation algorithm that has very weak requirements from the function. In our case, heuristics come in the form of Covariance Matrix Adaptation Evolution Strategy (CMA-ES). The new algorithm, termed Guided STOSOO (STOSOO-G), combines the ability of CMA-ES for fast local convergence (due to the algorithm following the “natural” gradient) and the global optimisation abilities of STOSOO. We compare all three algorithms in the “harder” parts of the Comparing Continuous Optimisers on Black-Box Optimization Benchmarking benchmark suite, which provides a default set of functions for testing. We show that our approach keeps the best of both worlds, i.e. the almost optimal exploration/exploitation of STOSOO with the local optimisation strength of CMA-ES

Spatial effects should be allowed for in primary care and other community-based cluster RCTS

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Typical advice on the design and analysis of cluster randomized trials (C-RCTs) focuses on allowance for the clustering at the level of the unit of allocation. However often C-RCTs are also organised spatially as may occur in the fields of Public Health and Primary Care where populations may even overlap.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We allowed for spatial effects on the error variance by a multiple membership model. These are a form of hierarchical model in which each lower level unit is a member of more than one higher level unit. Membership may be determined through adjacency or through Euclidean distance of centroids or in other ways such as the proportion of overlapping population. Such models may be estimated for Normal, binary and Poisson responses in Stata (v10 or above) as well as in WinBUGS or MLWin. We used this to analyse a dummy trial and two real, previously published cluster-allocated studies (one allocating general practices within one City and the other allocating general practices within one County) to investigate the extent to which ignoring spatial effects affected the estimate of treatment effect, using different methods for defining membership with Akaike's Information Criterion to determine the "best" model.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The best fitting model included both a fixed North-South gradient and a random cluster effect for the dummy RCT. For one of the real RCTs the best fitting model included both a random practice effect plus a multiple membership spatial term, while for the other RCT the best fitting model ignored the clustering but included a fixed North-South gradient. Alternative models which fitted only slightly less well all included spatial effects in one form or another, with some variation in parameter estimates (greater when less well fitting models were included).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These particular results are only illustrative. However, we believe when designing C-RCTs in a primary care setting the possibility of spatial effects should be considered in relation to the intervention and response, as well as any explanatory effect of fixed covariates, together with any implications for sample size and methods for planned analyses.</p

A Systematic Review of Mosquito Coils and Passive Emanators: Defining Recommendations for Spatial Repellency Testing Methodologies.

Mosquito coils, vaporizer mats and emanators confer protection against mosquito bites through the spatial action of emanated vapor or airborne pyrethroid particles. These products dominate the pest control market; therefore, it is vital to characterize mosquito responses elicited by the chemical actives and their potential for disease prevention. The aim of this review was to determine effects of mosquito coils and emanators on mosquito responses that reduce human-vector contact and to propose scientific consensus on terminologies and methodologies used for evaluation of product formats that could contain spatial chemical actives, including indoor residual spraying (IRS), long lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) and insecticide treated materials (ITMs). PubMed, (National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), U.S. National Library of Medicine, NIH), MEDLINE, LILAC, Cochrane library, IBECS and Armed Forces Pest Management Board Literature Retrieval System search engines were used to identify studies of pyrethroid based coils and emanators with key-words "Mosquito coils" "Mosquito emanators" and "Spatial repellents". It was concluded that there is need to improve statistical reporting of studies, and reach consensus in the methodologies and terminologies used through standardized testing guidelines. Despite differing evaluation methodologies, data showed that coils and emanators induce mortality, deterrence, repellency as well as reduce the ability of mosquitoes to feed on humans. Available data on efficacy outdoors, dose-response relationships and effective distance of coils and emanators is inadequate for developing a target product profile (TPP), which will be required for such chemicals before optimized implementation can occur for maximum benefits in disease control

Assessment of Chemical Inhibitor Addition to Improve the Gas Production from Biowaste

The coexistence of sulphate-reducing bacteria and methanogenic archaea in the reactors during the anaerobic digestion from sulphate-containing waste could favor the accumulation of sulfide on the biogas, and therefore reduce its quality. In this study, the effect of sulphate-reducing bacteria inhibitor (MoO−2 4 ) addition in a two phase system from sulphate-containing municipal solid waste to improve the quality of the biogas has been investigated. The results showed that although SRB and sulphide production decreased, the use of inhibitor was not effective to improve the anaerobic digestion in a two phase system from sulphate-containing waste, since a significant decrease on biogas and organic matter removal were observed. Before MoO−2 4 addition the average values of volatile solid were around 12 g/kg, after 5 days of inhibitor use, those values did exceed to 28 g/kg. Molybdate caused acidification in the reactor and it was according to decrease in the pH values. In relation to microbial consortia, the effect of inhibitor was a decrease in Bacteria (44%; 60% in sulphate-reducing bacteria) and Archaea (38%) population