Deep-Learning-Based Radio-Frequency Side-Channel Attack on Quantum Key Distribution

Quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols are proven secure based on fundamental physical laws, however, the proofs consider a well-defined setting and encoding of the sent quantum signals only. Side channels, where the encoded quantum state is correlated with properties of other degrees of freedom of the quantum channel, allow an eavesdropper to obtain information unnoticeably as demonstrated in a number of hacking attacks on the quantum channel. Yet, also classical radiation emitted by the devices may be correlated, leaking information on the potential key, especially when combined with novel data analysis methods. We here demonstrate a side-channel attack using a deep convolutional neural network to analyze the recorded classical, radio-frequency electromagnetic emissions. Even at a distance of a few centimeters from the electronics of a QKD sender employing frequently used electronic components we are able to recover virtually all information about the secret key. Yet, as shown here, countermeasures can enable a significant reduction of both the emissions and the amount of secret key information leaked to the attacker. Our analysis methods are independent of the actual device and thus provide a starting point for assessing the presence of classical side channels in QKD devices.Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures. Comments welcome

Diurnal Changes in Hypoxia Shape Predator-Prey Interaction in a Bird-Fish System

Animals often face changing environments, and behavioral flexibility allows them to rapidly and adaptively respond to abiotic factors that vary more or less regularly. However, abiotic factors that affect prey species do not necessarily affect their predators. Still, the prey’s response might affect the predator indirectly, yet evidence from the wild for such a classical bottom-up effect of abiotic factors shaping several trophic levels remains sparse. In many aquatic environments, daily changes in oxygen concentrations occur frequently. When oxygen levels drop to hypoxic levels, many fishes respond with aquatic surface respiration (ASR), during which they obtain oxygen by skimming the upper, oxygenated surface layer. By increasing time at the surface, fish become more vulnerable to fish-eating birds. We explored these cascading effects in a sulfidic spring system that harbors the endemic sulphur molly (Poecilia sulphuraria) as prey species and several fish-eating bird species. Sulfide-rich springs pose harsh conditions as hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is lethal to most metazoans and reduces dissolved oxygen (DO). Field sampling during three daytimes indicated that water temperatures rose from morning to (after)noon, resulting in the already low DO levels to decrease further, while H2S levels showed no diurnal changes. The drop in DO levels was associated with a decrease in time spent diving in sulphur mollies, which corresponded with an increase in ASR. Interestingly, the laboratory-estimated threshold at which the majority of sulphur mollies initiate ASR (ASR50: <1.7 mg/L DO) was independent of temperature and this value was exceeded daily when hypoxic stress became more severe toward noon. As fish performed ASR, large aggregations built up at the water surface over the course of the day. As a possible consequence of fish spending more time at the surface, we found high activity levels of fish-eating birds at noon and in the afternoon. Our study reveals that daily fluctuations in water’s oxygen levels have the potential to alter predator-prey interactions profoundly and thus highlights the joined actions of abiotic and biotic factors shaping the evolution of a prey species.Peer Reviewe

OSHDB: a framework for spatio-temporal analysis of OpenStreetMap history data

Abstract OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a collaborative project collecting geographical data of the entire world. The level of detail of OSM data and its data quality vary much across different regions and domains. In order to analyse such variations it is often necessary to research the history and evolution of the OSM data. The OpenStreetMap History Database (OSHDB) is a new data analysis tool for spatio-temporal geographical vector data. It is specifically optimized for working with OSM history data on a global scale and allows one to investigate the data evolution and user contributions in a flexible way. Benefits of the OSHDB are for example: to facilitate accessing OSM history data as a research subject and to assess the quality of OSM data by using intrinsic measures. This article describes the requirements of such a system and the resulting technical implementation of the OSHDB: the OSHDB data model and its application programming interface

A single, episodic event of unilateral/bilateral scrotal swelling in a group of adult boars at an Austrian boar stud

Background Scrotal swelling is a clinical situation which can be caused by different aetiologies. In this case report, we describe a multi-week episode of unilateral and bilateral scrotal swelling in boars at an Austrian boar stud and its diagnostic work-up. Case presentation In the summer of 2020, the herd veterinarian of an Austrian boar stud reported that over a period of six weeks, five out of 70 boars presented with unilateral severe swelling of the left scrotum and three out of 70 boars with bilateral severe swelling of the left and moderate swelling of the right scrotum, respectively. A complete history was obtained and an on-site evaluation of the facility was done. Five boars were necropsied, and a variety of samples harvested for further diagnostic investigations. Infectious differential diagnoses associated with unilateral swelling of the scrotum or the testis were excluded through serological and tissue testing. In three of the five boars, histopathology revealed complete acute haemorrhagic necrosis of the left testis concurrent with strongly congested blood vessels. Review of the collected information with a group of experts in the field of boar stud management resulted with consensus that, most likely, trauma was the etiologic event causing the clinical signs and pathology. Coincident with discussion of implementing video recording cameras in the boar housing area, no further clinical cases followed. As this case occurred during the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, we propose that the distress and travelling restrictions may have contributed to frustration among boar stud workers, which was consequently expressed as misbehaviour against boars. Conclusions Once all known infectious causes of unilateral swelling of the scrotum were excluded, a critical diagnostic work-up focused on non-infectious causes. Non-infectious causes, such as trauma, need to be carefully evaluated, as it may also include human misbehaviour against boars. Summarizing all findings of this case report, the authors hypothesize that a blunt trauma was the reason for the series of mainly unilateral swelling of the scrota of boars.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Regulatory strategies for selected Member States (Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, the UK):IMPROGRES project

Research Project supported by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, under the Energy Intelligent Europe (EIE) programmeThis Work Package 6 report of the IMPROGRES project provides an overview of regulatory strategies and incentives, conducive to (i) network integration of increasing levels of distributed generation including notably intermittent renewable technology such as wind power and solar photovoltaics (PV) as well as (ii) options for reducing impacts on surging network integration costs. Similar to the IMPROGRES project in general, this report focuses on European distribution networks. It includes specific country studies of Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK. This summary presents the main findings of this report

QUBE – Towards Quantum Key Distribution with Small Satellites

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) in space will be integral for future quan-tum networks. The space mission QUBE will test novel integrated optics components in a three-unit CubeSat demonstrating an economic route for global-scale QKD

QUBE-II - Quantum Key Distribution with a CubeSat

The digitization of our everyday lives is omnipresent. Secure data transmission is therefore of enormous importance in almost all areas of our society. The cryptographic processes for encrypting transmitted messages used today are based on algorithms relying on the limited computing power of today's computers. However, data intercepted today can be stored, decrypted and altered in the future with more powerful or even quantum computers, which are currently under development. However, the use of quantum states as carriers of information makes physically secure communication possible. The laws of quantum mechanics guarantee that data cannot be intercepted or stored unnoticedly. The security against eavesdropping is based on fundamental laws of nature and therefore cannot be overcome even by future technologies. One approach for the global distribution of quantum keys is communication via satellite. This enables a greater range than fiber-optic links, which are currently limited to a few 100 kilometers due to losses along the line. The exchange of secret keys between several ground stations via satellite thus enables global, secure communication. The QUBE-II group is working on the development of a novel miniature satellite capable of complete quantum key exchange. The platform for this is formed by low-cost miniature satellites, so-called CubeSats. New technologies for generating quantum keys on the CubeSat platform in combination with powerful optical communication systems will enable a fully functional system in a 3x2 cube form factor. Building on the predecessor project QUBE, miniaturized quantum components are being developed that can withstand the extreme temperature and radiation loads in space. These will then be integrated into a miniature satellite weighing about 10 kilograms. The research team will use the Optical Ground Station Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich as receiver station and upgrade it accordingly for reception of QUBE quantum states and implementation of the needed classical free-space optical communication links. This paper provides insight into the structure of the QUBE-II project and lays out the challenges of a successful key exchange between CubeSat and ground station. Thereby, especially the future improvements and innovations compared to the predecessor project QUBE will be discussed

A network analysis to identify mediators of germline-driven differences in breast cancer prognosis

cited By 0Identifying the underlying genetic drivers of the heritability of breast cancer prognosis remains elusive. We adapt a network-based approach to handle underpowered complex datasets to provide new insights into the potential function of germline variants in breast cancer prognosis. This network-based analysis studies similar to 7.3 million variants in 84,457 breast cancer patients in relation to breast cancer survival and confirms the results on 12,381 independent patients. Aggregating the prognostic effects of genetic variants across multiple genes, we identify four gene modules associated with survival in estrogen receptor (ER)-negative and one in ER-positive disease. The modules show biological enrichment for cancer-related processes such as G-alpha signaling, circadian clock, angiogenesis, and Rho-GTPases in apoptosis.Peer reviewe

Polygenic Risk Scores for Prediction of Breast Cancer and Breast Cancer Subtypes

Stratification of women according to their risk of breast cancer based on polygenic risk scores (PRSs) could improve screening and prevention strategies. Our aim was to develop PRSs, optimized for prediction of estrogen receptor (ER)-specific disease, from the largest available genome-wide association dataset and to empirically validate the PRSs in prospective studies. The development dataset comprised 94,075 case subjects and 75,017 control subjects of European ancestry from 69 studies, divided into training and validation sets. Samples were genotyped using genome-wide arrays, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected by stepwise regression or lasso penalized regression. The best performing PRSs were validated in an independent test set comprising 11,428 case subjects and 18,323 control subjects from 10 prospective studies and 190,040 women from UK Biobank (3,215 incident breast cancers). For the best PRSs (313 SNPs), the odds ratio for overall disease per 1 standard deviation in ten prospective studies was 1.61 (95%CI: 1.57-1.65) with area under receiver-operator curve (AUC) = 0.630 (95%CI: 0.628-0.651). The lifetime risk of overall breast cancer in the top centile of the PRSs was 32.6%. Compared with women in the middle quintile, those in the highest 1% of risk had 4.37- and 2.78-fold risks, and those in the lowest 1% of risk had 0.16- and 0.27-fold risks, of developing ER-positive and ER-negative disease, respectively. Goodness-of-fit tests indicated that this PRS was well calibrated and predicts disease risk accurately in the tails of the distribution. This PRS is a powerful and reliable predictor of breast cancer risk that may improve breast cancer prevention programs.NovartisEli Lilly and CompanyAstraZenecaAbbViePfizer UKCelgeneEisaiGenentechMerck Sharp and DohmeRocheCancer Research UKGovernment of CanadaArray BioPharmaGenome CanadaNational Institutes of HealthEuropean CommissionMinistère de l'Économie, de l’Innovation et des Exportations du QuébecSeventh Framework ProgrammeCanadian Institutes of Health Researc