Using machine learning to guide automated intrusion response

Traditionally Intrusion Response Systems (IRSs) have had a strong reliance on net-work administrators to perform various responses for a network. Though this is expected, particularly with networks containing sensitive data, it is not completely practical, considering the ever-growing demand for speed, scalability, and automation in computer networks. This work presents a proof of concept automated IRS that provides both for networks containing sensitive data and high-speed networks, by using basic responses for complex attacks, and by using reinforcement learning for direct attacks. Responses for the latter are done by creating a response system that is able to learn from the effectiveness of its own responses. This work is evaluated in its effectiveness against the deactivation issue, which is concerned with the problem of automatically deactivating network responses after they've been activated by an IRS. All tests are conducted using an emulated network, that was de-signed to replicate real network behaviour. Simulated attacks were used to train the IRS. Results of training were evaluated at intervals of 100, 500, 1000 and 2000 at-tacks. The findings of this work indicate that while applying reinforcement learning to IRSs is feasible, adjustments may still be required to improve its performance

Social networks and psychological safety: A model of contagion

<p><strong>Purpose:</strong> We attempted to explain how the interactions between members influence the psychological safety of a team using social network analysis by proposing a model based on social contagion in which the psychological safety of the central node has a key role in the psychological safety of the whole team.</p> <p><strong>Design/methodology/approach:</strong> We present a theoretical paper which crosses theory about social network analysis, psychological safety and social contagion.</p> <p><strong>Findings and Originality/value:</strong> We suggest that there are two groups of variables that mediate this relationship. The first group concerns the characteristics of the node and is composed by the proximity to the node’s personal characteristics and the value of the central node as a source of information. Second, we advance that there are two dimensions at the level of tie properties that mediate the influence of a central node on team psychological safety – tie strength and friendship level. Finally, the interacting opportunities- a variable at context level - is considered to affect the strength of the ties.  We also advance some variables that mediate the influence of the psychological safety of a central node on the psychological safety of the team.</p> <p><strong>Originality/value:</strong> To the best of our knowledge there is no significant research using social network analysis to explain the process by which a team becomes psychologically safe. On the other hand, because psychological safety tends to be a team construct it is important to understand how team dynamics, evidenced by social network analysis, influence the formation of psychological safety through contagion processes.</p

A bottom-up interdisciplinary research approach for thermal sensitive urban design in an era of climate change - the case of Lisbon

Tese de Doutoramento em Urbanismo, com a especialização em Urbanismo apresentada na Faculdade de Arquitetura da Universidade de Lisboa para obtenção do grau de Doutor.Na cidade contemporânea, factores como as elevadas temperaturas e a intensidade dos efeitos da ilha de calor em meio urbano, têm vindo a revelar proeminente desconforto térmico e importantes preocupações com a saúde durante os períodos anuais de maior estímulo térmico. Para além destes riscos já existentes e inerentes ao clima urbano, as projecções das alterações climáticas apontam para uma exacerbação destes factores de risco ao longo do Séc. XXI. Muito embora as avaliações e outputs top-down tenham revelado informação de carácter imperativo relativamente a tais fenómenos, a emergência da agenda de adaptação às alterações climáticas veio também incentivar a comunidade científica internacional a maturar e a desenvolver abordagens bottom-up mais incisivas, com vista a fazer frente aos factores de risco locais. Assim sendo, a perspectiva de "localidade" tem vindo a ganhar um novo significado para disciplinas como o urbanismo e o design urbano, quando confrontados com aspectos como a segurança, o conforto térmico humano e a prosperidade do meio urbano contemporâneo. Todavia e, atendendo ao seu carácter emergente, as abordagens bottom-up ainda se encontram numa fase inicial e, consequentemente, relativamente limitadas, tendo em conta a distância existente entre a teoria e a aplicação prática. Como resposta, esta tese efectua uma abordagem bottom-up e uma reflexão acerca do modo como a união entre a climatologia urbana e o design do espaço público urbano, enquanto campos distintos, pode ser fortalecida. Tal fortalecimento visa investigar de forma directa sobre a possibilidade de "localmente", o conforto térmico humano em meio urbano exterior, ser melhorado através de práticas interdisciplinares apoiadas no conhecimento científico. Tendo em consideração o caso de Lisboa, esta investigação analisa a forma como esta abordagem pode suplantar questões como a incerteza climática/aplicacional e, consequentemente: (i) traduzir-se em linhas de orientação para o urbanismo e para o design urbano local, que poderão ser aplicadas/implementadas em múltiplas circunstâncias e contextos urbanos; visando ainda, (ii) auxiliar especialistas "não-climatólogos" a realizar levantamentos bioclimáticos (baseados em dados locais e/ou na informação obtida a partir da estação meteorológica) com o intuito de determinar/atenuar os factores de risco de stress associados ao calor e ao frio num determinado contexto exterior. Consequentemente e, focado numa abordagem bottom-up que para além disso considera outputs relevantes a partir de avaliações top-down, o design do espaço público é retratado como sendo uma ferramenta indispensável, com vista a assegurar "localmente" um meio urbano activo, confortável e seguro, tanto no presente, quanto num futuro que se afigura incerto.ABSTRACT: Within the existing city, factors such as elevated urban temperatures and intensities of urban heat island effects are already revealing prominent thermal discomfort and health concerns during annual periods of more accentuated climatic stimuli. In addition to these exiting risks upon the urban microclimate, climate change projections indicate further exacerbations of such risks factors throughout the course of the twenty-first century. Although top-down assessments and disseminations have revealed imperative information with regards to such phenomena, the emergence of the climate change adaptation agenda has also arguably propelled the scientific international community to further mature bottom-up approaches to address local risk factors. As such, the perspective of ‘locality’ has been one which has gained new meaning for disciplines such as urban planning and design when considering the climatic safety, human thermal comfort, and prosperity of the contemporary public realm. Nevertheless, and resultant of its emerging nature, bottom-up approaches are still somewhat limited in terms of its existing breadth between theory and application and practice. As a response, this thesis undertakes a bottom-up approach and discusses how the union between the individual fields of urban climatology and public space design can be fortified. Such a fortification is directly aimed at investigating how local outdoor human thermal comfort can be improved through an interdisciplinary practice which is backed by scientific know-how and practice. Considering the case of Lisbon, this research deliberates upon how such an approach can overcome issues of climatic and applicative uncertainty, and can: (i) be translated into local design and planning guidelines which can be applied within numerous different urban circumstances; and (ii) aid non-climatological experts to undertake bioclimatic surveys (based both upon site and/or meteorological station data) to determine, and attenuate, local heat and cold stress risk factors within a particular outdoor context. Accordingly, and centred upon a bottom-up approach, which moreover considers important disseminations from top-down assessments, public space design is portrayed as an imperative tool to locally ensure an active, comfortable and safe public realm, both presently, and in an uncertain future.N/

Psychological Capital Profiles and Their Relationship With Internal Learning in Teams of Undergraduate Students

This study aims to analyze the relationship between psychological capital profiles and internal learning in teams. The participants in this study were 480 undergraduate students. We performed a cluster analysis using the SPSS and yielded four distinct psychological capital profiles. The student profile with the highest scores in self-efficacy, optimism, hope, and resilience (Profile 2-Fully PsyCap) exhibited also the highest scores of internal learning in teams. On the other hand, the student profile with the lowest scores in self-efficacy, optimism, hope, and resilience (Profile 1- Empty PsyCap) presented the lowest scores of internal learning in teams. It is also noteworthy that there was no significant relationship between the profile with a positive combination between self-efficacy and hope (profile 4) and the profile that presents the optimism as the only positive psychological capability (profile 3), in the way they relate to internal learning in teams, which led us to reject the second hypothesis of the study. This study reinforces the role of psychological capital in academic settings and suggests that psychological capital profiles can affect internal learning in teams differentially

The influence of psychological capital on internal learning in teams: The mediating role of the perceived team structure

Whereas past research on internal learning has focused on evaluating how the observed learning rates affect collaborative interactions among the various actors, we extend this literature by analyzing internal learning in teams and the role of psychological capital in this process. This study aims to analyze the mediating role of the perceived team structure in the relationship between positive psychological capital and internal learning in teams. Therefore, a self-report questionnaire was applied to 480 college students to test this relationship, using structural equation modeling. The results confirmed the mediating role of the perceived team structure in the relationship between psychological capital and internal learning in teams. Our work underlines the role of psychological capital in academic settings. On the other hand, due to rapid changes in today’s society, university students who will be future employees need to cultivate psychological capital in order to achieve better learning outcomes

Enhancing Internal Learning in Teams: The Role of Network Centrality and Psychological Capital of Undergraduate Students

This study aims to analyze the mediating role of psychological capital (PsyCap) in the relationship between network centrality and internal learning in teams. A questionnaire was administered to 480 undergraduate students to test this relationship. The results confirmed the positive relationship between network centrality and internal learning in teams, and a mediating role of PsyCap in the relationship between student network centrality and internal learning in teams. This study suggests that it is important to promote centrality in advice networks among undergraduate students. In addition, this study might raise awareness among students, teachers, and public policymakers about the need to promote a socially responsible environment in higher education institutions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Contribution of information management systems ERP as a subsidy for decision making

In general, organizational environment has faced major changes in its management processes, especially in what concerns investment in technology. According to Davenport and Prusak (1998), "organizations invest heavily in technology - computers, communications networks and software - because they believe that technology itself overcomes every challenge”. However, information allied to technology can make a total difference in any company objective, whether for decision making or creating competitive advantage. Based on this, organizations are looking for technological tools to enhance their processes, among which are the integrated systems of enterprise management ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), focus of the present work, which also aims to present the relevance of ERP business management systems, as well as its aspects from implementation to its current phase in the organization, advantages, disadvantages, and role in strategic information management