Applying system dynamics to model advanced persistent threats

© 2019 Association for Computing Machinery. System dynamics (SD) concept has been successfully applied to analyze issues that are non-linear, complex, and dynamic in disciplines namely social sciences and technology. However, its application to cyber security issues especially threats that involves multiple variables interacting with the technical as well as the organizational domain is lacking. In this respect, Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) is regarded as a highly targeted and sophisticated attack using zero-day malware, stealth, and multiple advanced techniques to gain entry and maintain its presence inside organizational network unnoticed. Being a threat that exploits technical as well as organizational vulnerabilities, preventing it at the security perimeter and, detecting it once it enters the system is a challenge till date. To demonstrate the application of SD in identifying and analyzing the effect of each of the variables, we took the Equinox data breach as a case study. The variables leading to the breach were identified, entered into Vensim software and simulated to get the results. Through this exercise, we could identify seven key independent management variables for the technical security and three key independent variables for records breach. This research being the foremost study to apply SD to APT, we presume that by modelling APT attacks using SD through a case study this paper, thus provides insights into the dynamics of the threat. Furthermore, it suggests \u27what if\u27 strategies to minimize APT risks thereby reduce the extent of damages should an APT attack occur

The 8 bits 100 MS/s Pipeline ADC for the INNOTEP Project – TWEPP-09

This paper describes the Analog to Digital Converter developed for the front end electronic of the IN2P3 INNOTEP project by the “pole microelectronique Rhone-Auvergne”. (Collaboration between LPC Clermont-Ferrand and IPNL Lyon). This ADC is a 4 stages 2.5 bits per stage pipe line with open loops track and holds and amplifiers. It runs at 100MSamples/s and has 8 bits resolution. The stages used two lines, the gain line and the comparison line, with most operators running in current. The main idea of this current line is to make a first step toward an all in current structure. Currently, this ADC is designed with a 0,35μm SiGe technology

Deactivation of electrically supersaturated Te-doped InGaAs grown by MOCVD

Achieving and sustaining the highest doping level possible in InGaAs is critical for the reduction of contact resistance in future microelectronic applications. Tellurium (Te) is a very promising n-type dopant with high reported n-type doping densities. However, the stability of this dopant during post-growth thermal processing is unknown. Supersaturated Te-doped InGaAs layers were grown by MOCVD at 500 °C. The electrically active concentration of Te doping was 4.4 × 1019 cm−3 as grown. The thermal stability of the Te was investigated by studying the effect of post-growth annealing between 550 and 700 °C on the electrical activation. At all temperatures, the electrical activation decreased from its starting electron concentration of 4.4 × 1019 cm−3 down to 6–7 × 1018 cm−3. The rate of deactivation was measured at each temperature, and the activation energy for the deactivation process was determined to be 2.6 eV. The deactivation could be caused by either Te–Te clustering or a Te-point defect reaction. HAADF-STEM images showed no visible clustering or precipitation after deactivation. Based on previous ab initio calculations that suggest the VIII population increases as the Fermi level moves toward the conduction band, it is proposed that formation of isolated point defect complexes, possibly a Te–VIII complex, is associated with the deactivation process

Experimental toolbox for quantitative evaluation of clathrin-mediated endocytosis in the plant model Arabidopsis

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is a crucial cellular process implicated in many aspects of plant growth, development, intra- and inter-cellular signaling, nutrient uptake and pathogen defense. Despite these significant roles, little is known about the precise molecular details of how it functions in planta. In order to facilitate the direct quantitative study of plant CME, here we review current routinely used methods and present refined, standardized quantitative imaging protocols which allow the detailed characterization of CME at multiple scales in plant tissues. These include: (i) an efficient electron microscopy protocol for the imaging of Arabidopsis CME vesicles in situ, thus providing a method for the detailed characterization of the ultra-structure of clathrin-coated vesicles; (ii) a detailed protocol and analysis for quantitative live-cell fluorescence microscopy to precisely examine the temporal interplay of endocytosis components during single CME events; (iii) a semi-automated analysis to allow the quantitative characterization of global internalization of cargos in whole plant tissues; and (iv) an overview and validation of useful genetic and pharmacological tools to interrogate the molecular mechanisms and function of CME in intact plant samples

Contribution of HEP electronics techniques to the medical imaging field

présenté par P.-E. Vert, proceedings sous forme de CD Imagerie Médical

The influence of feature selection methods on accuracy, stability and interpretability of molecular signatures

Motivation: Biomarker discovery from high-dimensional data is a crucial problem with enormous applications in biology and medicine. It is also extremely challenging from a statistical viewpoint, but surprisingly few studies have investigated the relative strengths and weaknesses of the plethora of existing feature selection methods. Methods: We compare 32 feature selection methods on 4 public gene expression datasets for breast cancer prognosis, in terms of predictive performance, stability and functional interpretability of the signatures they produce. Results: We observe that the feature selection method has a significant influence on the accuracy, stability and interpretability of signatures. Simple filter methods generally outperform more complex embedded or wrapper methods, and ensemble feature selection has generally no positive effect. Overall a simple Student's t-test seems to provide the best results. Availability: Code and data are publicly available at http://cbio.ensmp.fr/~ahaury/

Informe del seguimiento científico de una acción piloto de selectividad de artes de arrastre en aguas de Mallorca (Illes Balears)

RESUMEN: Del 12 de mayo al 6 de junio de 2003 se han realizado 32 pescas de arrastre de fondo, entre 130 y 772 m de profundidad, con copos de malla rómbica y cuadrada de 40 mm. El objetivo ha sido comparar los rendimientos comerciales, parámetros de selección y descartes con ambos tipos de malla para las principales especies objetivo de esta pesquería en aguas de Mallorca (Mediterráneo occidental). De las 59 especies consideradas, sólo en una se ha obtenido mayor rendimiento con malla rómbica, mientras que las tallas de primera captura con malla cuadrada han sido superiores a las de malla rómbica en todas las especies, excepto en una. El porcentaje de captura descartada también ha sido menor con malla cuadrada, siendo en el estrato batimétrico más profundo (600-800 m) donde se ha estimado una mayor disminución de la proporción de las especies comerciales en estos descartes.RESUM: Informe del seguiment científic d’una acció pilot de selectivitat d’arts d’arrossegament en aigües de Mallorca (Illes Balears).- Del 12 de maig al 6 de juny de 2002 s’han realitzat 32 pesques d’arrossegament de fons, entre 130 i 772 m de profunditat, amb cops de malla ròmbica i quadrada de 40 mm. L’objectiu ha estat comparar els rendiments comercials, paràmetres de selecció i rebuigs amb els dos tipus de malla, per a les principals espècies objectiu d’aquesta pesquera en aigües de Mallorca (Mediterrània occidental). De les 59 espècies considerades, només en una s’ha obtingut major rendiment amb malla ròmbica; mentrestant les talles de primera captura amb malla quadrada varen ésser superiors a les de malla ròmbica a totes les espècies, excepte en una. El percentatge de captura rebutjada també és menor amb malla quadrada, essent a l’estrat batimètric més profund (600-800 m) on s’ha estimat una major disminució de la proporció de les espècies comercials en aquests rebuigs.ABSTRACT: Scientific monitoring report of a selectivity pilot action of trawl nets off Mallorca (Illes Balears).- From 12 May to 6 June 2002, 32 bottom trawls have been developed, between 130 and 772 m depth, using 40 mm diamond and square mesh in the codend. The objective has been to compare commercial yields, selectivity parameters and discards with both mesh types for the main target species in this fishery off Mallorca (western Mediterranean). From 59 analysed species, only in one higher yield with diamond mesh has been found, whereas the 50% retention lengths with square mesh have been higher than ones with diamond mesh in all the species, excepting one. The discards percentage has been also smaller with square mesh, being the deepest range considered (600-800 m) in which the lowest proportion of commercial species in the discards has been estimated.Secretaría General de Pesca Marítim

The Deep-Water Red Shrimp Fishery in the Spanish Mediterranean Sea

Publicado

Multi-Target Prediction: A Unifying View on Problems and Methods

Multi-target prediction (MTP) is concerned with the simultaneous prediction of multiple target variables of diverse type. Due to its enormous application potential, it has developed into an active and rapidly expanding research field that combines several subfields of machine learning, including multivariate regression, multi-label classification, multi-task learning, dyadic prediction, zero-shot learning, network inference, and matrix completion. In this paper, we present a unifying view on MTP problems and methods. First, we formally discuss commonalities and differences between existing MTP problems. To this end, we introduce a general framework that covers the above subfields as special cases. As a second contribution, we provide a structured overview of MTP methods. This is accomplished by identifying a number of key properties, which distinguish such methods and determine their suitability for different types of problems. Finally, we also discuss a few challenges for future research

Classification of microarray data using gene networks

BACKGROUND: Microarrays have become extremely useful for analysing genetic phenomena, but establishing a relation between microarray analysis results (typically a list of genes) and their biological significance is often difficult. Currently, the standard approach is to map a posteriori the results onto gene networks in order to elucidate the functions perturbed at the level of pathways. However, integrating a priori knowledge of the gene networks could help in the statistical analysis of gene expression data and in their biological interpretation. RESULTS: We propose a method to integrate a priori the knowledge of a gene network in the analysis of gene expression data. The approach is based on the spectral decomposition of gene expression profiles with respect to the eigenfunctions of the graph, resulting in an attenuation of the high-frequency components of the expression profiles with respect to the topology of the graph. We show how to derive unsupervised and supervised classification algorithms of expression profiles, resulting in classifiers with biological relevance. We illustrate the method with the analysis of a set of expression profiles from irradiated and non-irradiated yeast strains. CONCLUSION: Including a priori knowledge of a gene network for the analysis of gene expression data leads to good classification performance and improved interpretability of the results