Memoization Attacks and Copy Protection in Partitioned Applications

Application source code protection is a major concern for software architects today. Secure platforms have been proposed that protect the secrecy of application algorithms and enforce copy protection assurances. Unfortunately, these capabilities incur a sizeable performance overhead. Partitioning an application into secure and insecure regions can help diminish these overheads but invalidates guarantees of code secrecy and copy protection.This work examines one of the problems of partitioning an application into public and private regions, the ability of an adversary to recreate those private regions. To our knowledge, it is the first to analyze this problem when considering application operation as a whole. Looking at the fundamentals of the issue, we analyze one of the simplest attacks possible, a ``Memoization Attack.'' We implement an efficient Memoization Attack and discuss necessary techniques that limit storage and computation consumption. Experimentation reveals that certain classes of real-world applications are vulnerable to Memoization Attacks. To protect against such an attack, we propose a set of indicator tests that enable an application designer to identify susceptible application code regions

Antimicrobial resistance in rural rivers: Comparative study of the Coquet (Northumberland) and Eden (Cumbria) River catchments

\ua9 2024 The Author(s)Many studies have characterised resistomes in river microbial communities. However, few have compared resistomes in parallel rural catchments that have few point-source inputs of antimicrobial genes (ARGs) and organisms (i.e., AMR) – catchments where one can contrast more nebulous drivers of AMR in rural rivers. Here, we used quantitative microbial profiling (QMP) to compare resistomes and microbiomes in two rural river catchments in Northern England, the Coquet and Eden in Northumberland and Cumbria, respectively, with different hydrological and geographical conditions. The Eden has higher flow rates, higher annual surface runoff, and longer periods of soil saturation, whereas the Coquet is drier and has lower flowrates. QMP analysis showed the Eden contained significantly more abundant microbes associated with soil sources, animal faeces, and wastewater than the Coquet, which had microbiomes like less polluted rivers (Wilcoxon test, p < 0.01). The Eden also had greater ARG abundances and resistome diversity (Kruskal Wallis, p < 0.05), and higher levels of potentially clinically relevant ARGs. The Eden catchment had greater and flashier runoff and more extensive agricultural land use in its middle reach, which explains higher levels of AMR in the river. Hydrological and geographic factors drive AMR in rural rivers, which must be considered in environmental monitoring programmes

Weak Decays in the light--front Quark Model

We study the form factors of heavy--to--heavy and heavy--to--light weak decays using the light--front relativistic quark model. For the heavy--to--heavy B \ra D^{(\ast)} semileptonic decays we calculate the corresponding Isgur--Wise function for the whole kinematic region. For the heavy--to--light B\ra P and B\ra V semileptonic decays we calculate the form factors at $q^2 = 0$; in particular, we have derived the dependence of the form factors on the $b$--quark mass in the m_b \ra \infty limit. This dependence can not be produced by extrapolating the scaling behavior of the form factors at $q^2_{max}$ using the single--pole assumption. This shows that the $q^2$ dependence of the form factors in regions far away from the zero--recoil could be much more complicated than that predicted by the single--pole assumption.Comment: 24 pages, Latex, Postscript figure included at the en

CP-Violation For B→Xsl+l−B \to X_sl^+l^- Including Long-Distance Effects

We consider the CP violating effect for $B\to X_sl^+l^-$ process, including both short and long distance effects. We obtain the CP asymmetry parameter and present its variation over the dilepton mass.Comment: 9 pages, Latex file, one figure include

Relationship between soil fungal diversity and temperature in the maritime Antarctic

Soil fungi have pivotal ecological roles as decomposers, pathogens and symbionts1, 2. Alterations to their diversity arising from climate change could have substantial effects on ecosystems, particularly those undergoing rapid warming that contain few species3, 4. Here, we report a study using pyrosequencing to assess fungal diversity in 29 soils sampled from a 1,650 km climatic gradient through the maritime Antarctic, the most rapidly warming region in the Southern Hemisphere5, 6. Using a ‘space-for-time’ substitution approach, we show that soil fungal diversity is higher in warmer habitats, with increases of 4.7 (observed) and 11.3 (predicted) fungal taxa per degree Celsius rise in surface temperature along the transect. Among 22 predictor variables, air temperature was the strongest and most consistent predictor of diversity. We propose that the current rapid warming in the maritime Antarctic (0.34 °C per decade6) will facilitate the colonization of soil by a wider diversity of fungi than at present, with data from regression models suggesting 20–27% increases in fungal species richness in the southernmost soils by 2100. Such increases in diversity, which provide a sentinel for changes at lower latitudes, are likely to have substantial effects on nutrient cycling and, ultimately, productivity in the species-poor soils of maritime Antarctica

Epidemiological surveillance study of female genital mutilation in the UK

OBJECTIVES: Describe cases of female genital mutilation (FGM) presenting to consultant paediatricians and sexual assault referral centres (SARCs), including demographics, medical symptoms, examination findings and outcome. DESIGN: The well-established epidemiological surveillance study performed through the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit included FGM on the monthly returns. SETTING: All consultant paediatricians and relevant SARC leads across the UK and Ireland. PATIENTS: Under 16 years old with FGM. INTERVENTIONS: Data on cases from November 2015 to November 2017 and 12 months later meeting the case definition of FGM. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: Returns included 146 cases, 103 (71%) had confirmed FGM and 43 (29%) did not meet the case definition. There were none from Northern Ireland. RESULTS: The mean reported age was 3 years. Using the WHO classification of FGM, 58% (n=60) had either type 1 or type 2, 8% (n=8) had type 3 and 21% (n=22) had type 4. 13% (n=13) of the cases were not classified and none had piercings or labiaplasty. The majority, 70% had FGM performed in Africa with others from Europe, Middle East and South-East Asia. There were few physical and mental health symptoms. Only one case resulted in a successful prosecution. CONCLUSIONS: There were low numbers of children presenting with FGM and in the 2 years there was only one prosecution. The findings may be consistent with attitude changes in FGM practising communities and those at risk should be protected and supported by culturally competent national policie

Exact αs\alpha _s Calculation of b→s+γb\rightarrow s + \gamma , \ b→s+gb\rightarrow s + g

We present an exact $\alpha_s$ calculation of the Wilson coefficients associated with the dipole moment operators. We also give an estimate of the branching ratio for $b\rightarrow s \gamma$. We find that higher dimensional effects are under control within $9\%$ for $BR(b\rightarrow s \gamma)=(4.3\pm 0.37 )\times 10^{-4}$.Comment: 12 pages (plain TeX), 2 postscript figures available upon request. UM-TH-93-20 , IP-ASTP-29-9