Additional kernel observer: privilege escalation attack prevention mechanism focusing on system call privilege changes

Cyberattacks, especially attacks that exploit operating system vulnerabilities, have been increasing in recent years. In particular, if administrator privileges are acquired by an attacker through a privilege escalation attack, the attacker can operate the entire system and cause serious damage. In this paper, we propose an additional kernel observer (AKO) that prevents privilege escalation attacks that exploit operating system vulnerabilities. We focus on the fact that a process privilege can be changed only by specific system calls. AKO monitors privilege information changes during system call processing. If AKO detects a privilege change after system call processing, whereby the invoked system call does not originally change the process privilege, AKO regards the change as a privilege escalation attack and applies countermeasures against it. AKO can therefore prevent privilege escalation attacks. Introducing the proposed method in advance can prevent this type of attack by changing any process privilege that was not originally changed in a system call, regardless of the vulnerability type. In this paper, we describe the design and implementation of AKO for Linux x86 64-bit. Moreover, we show that AKO can be expanded to prevent the falsification of various data in the kernel space. Then, we present an expansion example that prevents the invalidation of Security-Enhanced Linux. Finally, our evaluation results show that AKO is effective against privilege escalation attacks, while maintaining low overhead

Effect of acute ether or restraint stress on plasma corticotropin-releasing hormone, vasopressin and oxytocin levels in the rat.

Ether and restraint stress-induced peripheral plasma corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), arginine vasopressin (AVP), oxytocin (OXY) and adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) levels were measured by radioimmunoassays. Plasma CRH, AVP, OXY and ACTH rose to approximately twice the level of control rats 2 min after the onset of a 1-min exposure to ether. Plasma CRH rose further 5 min after the onset of ether stress, while plasma AVP and OXY returned to the baseline levels at 5 min. Plasma CRH, OXY and ACTH showed significant elevation 2 min after the onset of restraint stress, while plasma AVP did not show a significant change. Plasma OXY and ACTH rose further 5 min after the onset of restraint stress, whereas plasma CRH returned to baseline levels. CRH and OXY concentrations in the hypothalamic median eminence decreased 5 min after the onset of ether exposure and restraint, while the AVP concentration did not differ from control levels. The results, including the discrepancy between plasma CRH and ACTH 5 min after stress, suggest that CRH in the peripheral plasma is derived from both hypothalamic and extrahypothalamic tissues. The levels of stress-induced CRH in the peripheral plasma were sufficient to stimulate ACTH release. These results suggest that ether and restraint stress elevate plasma CRH shortly after the onset of the stress, and that this elevation in the plasma CRH level is at least partly responsible for stress-induced ACTH secretion.</p

Sclerite formation in the hydrothermal-vent “scaly-foot” gastropod — possible control of iron sulfide biomineralization by the animal

A gastropod from a deep-sea hydrothermal field at the Rodriguez triple junction, Indian Ocean, has scale-shaped structures, called sclerites, mineralized with iron sulfides on its foot. No other organisms are known to produce a skeleton consisting of iron sulfides. To investigate whether iron sulfide mineralization is mediated by the gastropod for the function of the sclerites, we performed a detailed physical and chemical characterization. Nanostructural characterization of the iron sulfide sclerites reveals that the iron sulfide minerals pyrite (FeS2) and greigite (Fe3S4) form with unique crystal habits inside and outside of the organic matrix, respectively. The magnetic properties of the sclerites, which are mostly consistent with those predicted from their nanostructual features, are not optimized for magnetoreception and instead support use of the magnetic minerals as structural elements. The mechanical performance of the sclerites is superior to that of other biominerals used in the vent environment for predation as well as protection from predation. These characteristics, as well as the co-occurrence of brachyuran crabs, support the inference that the mineralization of iron sulfides might be controlled by the gastropod to harden the sclerites for protection from predators. Sulfur and iron isotopic analyses indicate that sulfur and iron in the sclerites originate from hydrothermal fluids rather than from bacterial metabolites, and that iron supply is unlikely to be regulated by the gastropod for iron sulfide mineralization. We propose that the gastropod may control iron sulfide mineralization by modulating the internal concentrations of reduced sulfur compounds

The oral lipid sensor GPR120 is not indispensable for the orosensory detectionof dietary lipids in the mouse

International audienceImplication of the long-chain fatty acid (LCFA) receptor GPR120, also termed free fatty acid receptor 4 (FFAR4), in the taste-guided preference for lipids is a matter of debate. To further unravel the role of GPR120 in the "taste of fat", the present study was conducted on GPR120-null mice and their wild-type littermates. Using a combination of morphological (i.e. immunohistochemical staining of circumvallate papillae - CVP), behavioral (i.e. two-bottle preference tests, licking tests and conditioned taste aversion) and functional studies (i.e. calcium imaging in freshly isolated taste bud cells - TBC), we show that absence of GPR120 in oral cavity was not associated with changes in i) the gross anatomy of CVP, ii) the LCFA-mediated increases in [Ca2+]i, iii) the preference for oily and LCFA solutions and iv) the conditioned avoidance of LCFA solutions. In contrast, the rise in [Ca2+]i triggered by grifolic acid (GA), a specific GPR120 agonist, was dramatically curtailed when GPR120 gene was lacking. Taken together these data demonstrate that activation of lingual GPR120 and preference for fat are disconnected, suggesting that GPR120 expressed in TBC is not absolutely required for the oral fat detection in the mouse

CORONA, PHABULOSA AND PHAVOLUTA collaborate with BELL1 to confine WUSCHEL expression to the nucellus in Arabidopsis ovules

Angiosperm ovules consist of three proximal-distal domains – the nucellus, chalaza and funiculus – demarcated by developmental fate and specific gene expression. Mutation in three paralogous class III homeodomain leucine zipper (HD-ZIPIII) genes leads to aberrations in ovule integument development. Expression of WUSCHEL (WUS) is normally confined to the nucellar domain, but in this triple mutant expression expands into the chalaza. MicroRNA-induced suppression of this expansion partially suppresses the effects of the HD-ZIPIII mutations on ovule development, implicating ectopic WUS expression as a component of the mutant phenotype. bell1 (bel1) mutants produce aberrant structures in place of the integuments and WUS is ectopically expressed in these structures. Combination of bel1 with the HD-ZIPIII triple mutant leads to a striking phenotype in which ectopic ovules emerge from nodes of ectopic WUS expression along the funiculi of the primary ovules. The synergistic phenotype indicates that BEL1 and the HD-ZIPIII genes act in at least partial independence in confining WUS expression to the nucellus and maintaining ovule morphology. The branching ovules of the mutant resemble those of some fossil gymnosperms, implicating BEL1 and HD-ZIPIII genes as players in the evolution of the unbranched ovule form in extant angiosperms. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.Embargo Period 12 month

婚姻状況と飲酒による問題行動

背景：アルコール依存症では，支えとなる婚姻の有無が，問題行動に大きな影響を与え，それが治療方針や予後を決定する因子となることが多い． 目的：本研究では，婚姻の有無がアルコール依存に関連する問題と断酒継続にどのような影響を与えるかについて検討した． 方法：調査対象者は断酒会会員２９４人を調査対象とした．回収率は５６．８％（１６７名：男性１５０名，女性１７名）であった．調査内容は，婚姻の有無に加え，①飲酒による問題行動（飲酒で喧嘩・警察沙汰になった）の有無，②飲酒による対人関係の崩壊の有無，③アルコール依存症の認知の有無，④現在の節酒の可能性の有無，⑤機会飲酒（冠婚葬祭・会合等）の経験の有無，⑥断酒会に入会する前の断酒の経験の有無，⑦断酒後の生活の変化，⑧スリップ（再飲酒）の経験の有無，⑨飲酒欲求の有無，⑩問題飲酒の経験の有無，⑪断酒会以外への所属状況であった． 結果：飲酒による問題行動（飲酒で喧嘩・警察沙汰になった）（▯２＝３．９８，P＜０．０５），断酒会以外への所属状況（▯２＝４．００，P＜０．０５）では，未婚者が有意に多かった． 結論：既婚者の場合には，配偶者が飲酒による問題行動を警察沙汰にまでしないように制止もしくは緩衝する役割を果たしていると推察された．また未婚者は断酒を日々継続していく生活の工夫として断酒外以外の他の組織にも所属していると推察された．AIM : Alcoholism is a relevant problem in public health. Family intervention is a necessary condition for the complete recovery of the alcoholic and their partners. The family system is a more powerful force than the addiction itself and has great potential for overcoming or sustaining the alcoholism. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the marriage status and the problem associated with alcohol dependence and abstinence. METHOD : A mail survey and/or a placement method survey of alcohol dependency were conducted in two prefectures. Subjects were ２９４ recovering alcoholic and they were members of “Danshu-kai” （Japan Sobriety Association）for total abstinence. The response rate was ５６．８％ （１５０males，１７females）. Survey contents were a marriage status, problem associated with alcohol dependence, and items related to continue abstinence. RESULTS : In the item of problem behavior（fight or a problems with police）by drinking（▯２＝３．９８，P＜ ０．０５） and belonging to the Danshu-kai and the other group（▯２＝４．００，P＜０．０５），there were many replies of unmarried people significantly compared with married people. CONCLUSION : The findings suggest that alcohol-dependent clients’ partner was repressing or adjusting the alcohol problems in the case of the married person, the unmarried person belonged also to the Danshukai and the other group as a device to continue abstinence