PIM for Mobility

Personal Information Management - A SIGIR 2006 WorkshopMost office workers today use multiple channels of communication, including email, cell and desk phones, instant messaging and SMS/MMS. They send and receive large volumes of information through these channels. Only some of this information requires urgent action. While there are many channels to send and receive information, the availability of these channels changes depending on the user’s context. User context includes the activity they are involved in (meetings, classes, conferences etc), the date, time, and location, the devices they have access to (smart phones, cell phone, laptops etc), and the mode in which the devices are available (muted or not). For mobile workers, their context plays a key role in keeping them in touch with urgent information

High-Fidelity Virtual Machine Artifact Mitigation

NPS NRP Project PosterThe use of virtualized systems has grown across the application domains that include cyber operator training and offensive and defensive cyber operations. Using virtualized systems is, however, not without its risks, especially if an adversary can determine whether or not a host is virtualized. To prevent such detection, the fidelity of the hypervisor needs to be extended so that adversaries cannot distinguish between a virtualized or a real system. This project is a continuation of our previous work in high-fidelity virtualization (HFV) and HFV artifact mitigation (HFVAM). Previously, we used the Xen hypervisor and DRAKVUF to obfuscate an executable such that the adversary would not know that the system was virtualized. This new work concentrated on the use of a new DRAKVUF capability—process injection by execution—for mitigating HFV artifacts. Our hypothesis was that process injection would lead to even better mitigation of HFV artifacts. We found that process injection was not suitable at this time for mitigating virtualization artifacts, and that DRAKVUF process injection did not work, although the code reported that it had. Thesis research is on-going, including coordination with DRAKVUF developers on the contradictory results that we observed, and updated results should be available by the end of 2022 (Prince, 2022). This project also explored methods for obfuscating the operating system (OS) and libraries to mitigate attack vectors of intelligent malware.Marine Corps Forces, Cyberspace Command (MARFORCYBER)HQMC Deputy Commandant Information (DCI)This research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrpChief of Naval Operations (CNO)Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

High-Fidelity Virtual Machine Artifact Mitigation

NPS NRP Executive SummaryThe use of virtualized systems has grown across the application domains that include cyber operator training and offensive and defensive cyber operations. Using virtualized systems is, however, not without its risks, especially if an adversary can determine whether or not a host is virtualized. To prevent such detection, the fidelity of the hypervisor needs to be extended so that adversaries cannot distinguish between a virtualized or a real system. This project is a continuation of our previous work in high-fidelity virtualization (HFV) and HFV artifact mitigation (HFVAM). Previously, we used the Xen hypervisor and DRAKVUF to obfuscate an executable such that the adversary would not know that the system was virtualized. This new work concentrated on the use of a new DRAKVUF capability—process injection by execution—for mitigating HFV artifacts. Our hypothesis was that process injection would lead to even better mitigation of HFV artifacts. We found that process injection was not suitable at this time for mitigating virtualization artifacts, and that DRAKVUF process injection did not work, although the code reported that it had. Thesis research is on-going, including coordination with DRAKVUF developers on the contradictory results that we observed, and updated results should be available by the end of 2022 (Prince, 2022). This project also explored methods for obfuscating the operating system (OS) and libraries to mitigate attack vectors of intelligent malware.Marine Corps Forces, Cyberspace Command (MARFORCYBER)HQMC Deputy Commandant Information (DCI)This research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrpChief of Naval Operations (CNO)Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

Wireless Sensor Networks for Detection of IED Emplacement / 14th ICCRTS: C2 and Agility

14th International Command and Control Research and Technology Symposium (ICCRTS), June 15-17, 2009, Washington DC.This paper appeared in the Proceedings of the 14th International Command and Control Research and Technology Symposium, Washington, DC, June 2009.We are investigating the use of wireless nonimaging-sensor networks for the difficult problem of detection of suspicious behavior related to IED emplacement. Hardware for surveillance by nonimaging-sensor networks can cheaper than that for visual surveillance, can require much less computational effort by virtue of simpler algorithms, and can avoid problems of occlusion of view that occur with imaging sensors. We report on four parts of our investigation. First, we discuss some lessons we have learned from experiments with visual detection of deliberately-staged suspicious behavior, which suggest that the magnitude of the acceleration vector of a tracked person is a key clue. Second, we describe experiments we conducted with tracking of moving objects in a simulated sensor network, showing that tracking is not always possible even with excellent sensor performance due to the illconditioned nature of the mathematical problems involved. Third, we report on experiments we did with tracking from acoustic data of explosions during a NATO test. Fourth, we report on experiments we did with people crossing a live sensor network. We conclude that nonimaging-sensor networks can detect a variety of suspicious behavior, but implementation needs to address a number of tricky problems.supported in part by the National Science Foundation under the EXP Program and in part by the National Research Council under their Research Associateship Program at the Army Research Laborator

COTS Solution for Adaptive Communications Paths Using Tactical Handhelds

NPS NRP Project PosterCOTS Solution for Adaptive Communications Paths Using Tactical HandheldsMarine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity (MCTSSA)This research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrpChief of Naval Operations (CNO)Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

COTS Solution for Adaptive Communications Paths Using Tactical Handhelds

NPS NRP Executive SummaryCOTS Solution for Adaptive Communications Paths Using Tactical HandheldsMarine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity (MCTSSA)This research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrpChief of Naval Operations (CNO)Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

Artifact Mitigation in High-Fidelity Hypervisors

17 USC 105 interim-entered record; under temporary embargo.U.S. Government affiliation is unstated in article text

Collaborating Note Taking

Collaborative note taking enables students in a class to take notes on their PDAs and share them with their “study group” in real-time. Students receive instructor’s slides on their PDAs as they are displayed by the instructor. As the individual members of the group take notes pertaining to the slide being presented, their notes are automatically sent to all members of the group. In addition, to reduce their typing, students can use text they receive from other students and from the instructors slides to construct their notes. This system has been used in actual practice for a graduate level course on wireless mobile computing. In developing this system, special attention has been paid to the task of inputting text on PDAs, efficient use of the screen real estate, dynamics among students, privacy and ease of use issues

CARTT: Cyber Automated Red Team Tool

Military weapon systems are often built using embedded, non-IP (Internet Protocol) based computer systems that are not regularly updated and patched due to their isolation. As adversaries expand their capability to exploit and penetrate these systems, we must be able to verify they are not susceptible to cyber-attack. Currently, cyber red teams are employed to assess the security of systems and networks in isolated environments, however, this method can be costly and time-consuming, and the availability of red teams is limited. To address this need and resource shortfall, we have developed the Cyber Automated Red Team Tool (CARTT) that leverages open source software and methods to discover, identify, and conduct a vulnerability scan on a computer system’s software. The results of the vulnerability scan offer possible mitigation strategies to lower the risk from potential cyber-attacks without the need for a dedicated cyber red team operating on the target host or network

Noise levels in a dental teaching institute: a matter of concern!

Objective: To measure and assess the noise levels produced by various dental equipments in different areas of a dental institution and to recommend improvements if noise levels are not within permissible limits. Materials and methods: Sound levels were measured at three different areas of a dental institution where learning and teaching activities are organized. The sound level was measured using a sound level meter known as 'decibulolmeter'. In each area the noise level was assessed at two positions-one, at 6 inches from the operators ear and second, at the chairside instrument trolley. Noise levels were also assessed from a central location of the clinic area when multiple equipments were in operation simultaneously. Results: Dental laboratory machine, dental hand-piece, ultrasonic scalers, amalgamators, high speed evacuation, and other items produce noise at different sound levels which is appreciable. The noise levels generated varied between 72.6 dB in pre-clinics and 87.2 dB in prosthesis laboratory. The results are comparable to the results of other studies which are conducted elsewhere. Although the risk to the dentists is lesser, but damage to the hearing is possible over prolonged periods. Conclusion: Higher noise levels are potentially hazardous to the persons working in such environments especially in the laboratory areas where noise levels are exceeding the permissible limits