ANCHOR: logically-centralized security for Software-Defined Networks

While the centralization of SDN brought advantages such as a faster pace of innovation, it also disrupted some of the natural defenses of traditional architectures against different threats. The literature on SDN has mostly been concerned with the functional side, despite some specific works concerning non-functional properties like 'security' or 'dependability'. Though addressing the latter in an ad-hoc, piecemeal way, may work, it will most likely lead to efficiency and effectiveness problems. We claim that the enforcement of non-functional properties as a pillar of SDN robustness calls for a systemic approach. As a general concept, we propose ANCHOR, a subsystem architecture that promotes the logical centralization of non-functional properties. To show the effectiveness of the concept, we focus on 'security' in this paper: we identify the current security gaps in SDNs and we populate the architecture middleware with the appropriate security mechanisms, in a global and consistent manner. Essential security mechanisms provided by anchor include reliable entropy and resilient pseudo-random generators, and protocols for secure registration and association of SDN devices. We claim and justify in the paper that centralizing such mechanisms is key for their effectiveness, by allowing us to: define and enforce global policies for those properties; reduce the complexity of controllers and forwarding devices; ensure higher levels of robustness for critical services; foster interoperability of the non-functional property enforcement mechanisms; and promote the security and resilience of the architecture itself. We discuss design and implementation aspects, and we prove and evaluate our algorithms and mechanisms, including the formalisation of the main protocols and the verification of their core security properties using the Tamarin prover.Comment: 42 pages, 4 figures, 3 tables, 5 algorithms, 139 reference

Direct interaction between EgFABP1, a fatty acid binding protein from echinococcus granulosus, and phospholipid membranes

<p>Background: Growth and maintenance of hydatid cysts produced by Echinococcus granulosus have a high requirement for host lipids for biosynthetic processes, membrane building and possibly cellular and developmental signalling. This requires a high degree of lipid trafficking facilitated by lipid transporter proteins. Members of the fatty acid binding protein (FABP) family have been identified in Echinococcus granulosus, one of which, EgFABP1 is expressed at the tegumental level in the protoscoleces, but it has also been described in both hydatid cyst fluid and secretions of protoscoleces. In spite of a considerable amount of structural and biophysical information on the FABPs in general, their specific functions remain mysterious.</p> <p>Methodology/Principal Findings: We have investigated the way in which EgFABP1 may interact with membranes using a variety of fluorescence-based techniques and artificial small unilamellar vesicles. We first found that bacterial recombinant EgFABP1 is loaded with fatty acids from the synthesising bacteria, and that fatty acid binding increases its resistance to proteinases, possibly due to subtle conformational changes induced on EgFABP1. By manipulating the composition of lipid vesicles and the ionic environment, we found that EgFABP1 interacts with membranes in a direct contact, collisional, manner to exchange ligand, involving both ionic and hydrophobic interactions. Moreover, we observed that the protein can compete with cytochrome c for association with the surface of small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs).</p> <p>Conclusions/Significance: This work constitutes a first approach to the understanding of protein-membrane interactions of EgFABP1. The results suggest that this protein may be actively involved in the exchange and transport of fatty acids between different membranes and cellular compartments within the parasite.</p&gt

Experimental evaluation of new one-chip solution for induction motor drives

The design of high performance induction motor drives is a complex task, and the every day compelling requirements in energy efficiency and performance assumes the motivation on finding a more integrated solution on implementing induction motor control. The main subjects of this paper are two: to discuss the IFOC one-chip solution and to explore the development of simple graphical applications in order to operate this control in a simple and effective way. Experimental results are presented to illustrate the main points of our paper

A low cost solution for laboratory experiments in induction motor control

In this paper we present a controller suitable for educational activities in electric drives. A prototype has been designed specifically to meet the requirement of low cost and it contains all of the active functions required to implement the open loop control of an induction motor. In this way, the prototype allows the easy assimilation of important concepts and enables the understanding of the enclosed subsystems. Some experiments that highlight the quality of the proposed approach are presented

A boot-strap estimator for joint flux and parameters online identification for vector controlled induction motor drives

This paper presents a new approach for joint rotor flux and electrical parameters on-line identification in vector controlled high-performance induction motor drives based on a boot-strap estimator that uses a reduced order extended Kalman filter for rotor flux components and rotor parameters estimation and a recursive prediction error method for stator parameters estimation. Within the prediction error method some approaches are used and compared that affect both the adaptation gain and the direction in which the updates of stator parameters are made. The induction motor model structures are described in the rotor reference frame in order to reduce the computational effort by using a higher sampling time interval

Flux and parameters identification of vector-controlled induction motor in the rotor reference frame

This paper presents a new approach for the simultaneous identification of rotor flux components in the rotor reference frame and electrical parameters of a vector controlled induction motor, for real-time implementations, using an extended Kalman filter (EKF) and a reduced order model structure for lower computational effort. The proposed new method requires the measurement of motor speed, stator voltages and currents signals. Using a motor model structure with four electrical parameters, the estimation of flux space phasor and rotor parameters is presented. The estimation is subsequently further extended to include the motor stator parameters and the results are analyzed as well as robustness. Simulated and experimental studies highlight the improvements brought by this new approach, mainly, a simple and reduced state equation, the introduced scalar output equation and lower computational cadency, by using lower sampling frequencies in the proposed rotor reference frame

Indirect parameter estimation of continuous-time systems using discrete time data

This paper addresses the problem of parameter estimation of continuous-time systems using samples of its input-output data. We propose a method based on the bilinear transformation to obtain an equivalent discrete-time model. Introducing a new polynomial pre-filter it .is possible to compute the physical parameters via inverse mapping between the discrete-time and the continuous-time models. A simulation example is given to illustrate the noise effects in the parameter estimation results. Using experimental results, we demonstrate the ability of the estimator. to handle real measurement problems

Classes of model structures for state and parameter identification of vector controlled induction machines

The purpose of this paper is to present a synthesis of classes of model structures for joint state and parameter identification of vector controlled induction motors for real time and normal operating conditions. Based on its classical model a set of new classes of model structures is discussed and proposed for simultaneous estimation of rotor flux components and electrical parameters

Modelling and simulation of power electronic systems using a bond graph formalism

This paper deals with the modelling of power electronic systems using the bond graph formalism. The switching components are modelled using an ideal representation so that a constant topology system is obtained. The purpose of the present contribution is to discuss a technique that combines bond graph energy-flow modelling and signal-flow modelling schemes for simulation and prototyping of signal processing algorithms in power electronics systems. In this paper, we will discuss models of the use of fully-controlled, semi-controlled and non-controlled switches in the field of power static converters. By concept, a simulation environment can be examined at different abstraction or hierarchy levels. The approach in this paper is, accordingly, the formulation of a simulation task at different levels: component level, topology level, functional description and implementation description. The paper concludes with two practical examples of simulation of power electronics systems

A new online identification methodology for flux and parameters estimation of vector controlled induction motors

A new online identification methodology for estimation of the rotor flux components and the main electrical parameters of vector controlled induction motors is presented in this paper. The induction motor model is referred to the rotor reference frame for estimation of rotor flux and rotor parameters, and referred to the stator reference frame to estimate stator parameters. The stator parameters estimation is achieved by a prediction error method based on a model structure described by a linear regression that is independent of rotor speed and rotor parameters. The rotor flux components and rotor parameters are estimated by a reduced order extended Kalman filter, using a 4th-order state-space model structure where the state equation is described by matrices that are diagonal and independent of rotor speed as well as stator parameters. Both methods work in a boot-strap manner