Secure Software Development: A Developer Level Analysis

Developing secure software is still an important issue in the computing world. Big software firms spend huge sums of money to offer secure software and systems. However, security incidents due to insecure software results in loss of revenue and reputational damages to user firms. Incorporating security requirements early in the development process is the most effective and cheapest method to build secure software. We chose a behavioral lens in order to understand antecedents to secure software development. We explicate the effects of personality, training, education and organizational culture on the development of secure software

Software Development Team Dynamics: Control, Coordination, and Secure Software

In secure software has resulted of millions of dollars of company’s revenue as complex organizational systems are often software intensive. Researchers are still interested in the impact of the people involved, the process used and the project characteristics. This study looks at the security awareness and maturity level of those involved in the development process coupled with the management of the process to identify factors that lead to enhanced secure software development. Following a survey of prior literature, it is hypothesized that software development team members’ security awareness and maturity affect the design of software in a distributed context. Due to the nature of work of distributed team members, the relationship between team security awareness and maturity coordination on secure software design are also posited to be impacted by control types and coordination mechanisms. We contribute to literature by expanding the understanding of the process of creating secure software

Data Security Threats Sources: An Empirical Examination of Institutional Characteristics

Driven by the difficulty in achieving complete security with technical tools, business investigators are looking into organizational and behavioral issues that could help make systems more secure. This chapter looks at the security of systems from the organizational perspective. Specifically, this study attempts to identify if different organizations have different predisposition to particular type(s) of security threat sources. Using publicly available security breach data from a privacy rights clearinghouse to investigate which organizational characteristics predisposes an institution to an external or internal threat source, it was concluded that as size of organization and the number of its valuable documents increase by one unit, the organization\u27s probability of suffering an internal attacks decrease. Furthermore, when executive members have a business degree rather than information-security-related degrees, the likelihood of suffering an internal attack increases. Also, the probability of an organization suffering an internal or external attack is not based on its industry type

Information Risk Communication in the Context of Zika Virus: A Pilot Study

Dissemination of information to at-risk populations is essential in any emergency situation. Among many health emergencies, Zika virus is a large-scale health challenge that requires authorities to communicate the risks of the virus, and, potential protective measures to the population. Communication technologies have an important role to play in this effort. Other factors, such as hazard characteristics and warning fatigue, also influence the effectiveness of communication. This article develops an adaptation of the Protective Action Decision Making (PADM) model for a holistic understanding of the technical and non-technical factors that influence the responses of vulnerable individuals to information about the Zika virus. The findings are expected to provide practical guidance to public health agencies in the selection of appropriate mix of media to deliver information about Zika. Investigation of antecedents to vulnerable stakeholders’ response will contribute to the growing literature on information risk communication and emergency responses to potential epidemics

Impact of coadministration of apigenin and bone marrow stromal cells on damaged ovaries due to chemotherapy in rat: An experimental study

Background: Apigenin is a plant-derived flavonoid with antioxidative and antiapoptotic effects. Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) are a type of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that may recover damaged ovaries. It seems that apigenin may promote the differentiation of MSCs. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of coadministration of apigenin and BMSCs on the function, structure, and apoptosis of the damaged ovaries after creating a chemotherapy model with cyclophosphamide in rat. Materials and Methods: For chemotherapy induction and ovary destruction, cyclophosphamide was injected intraperitoneally to 40 female Wistar rats (weighing 180–200 gr, 10 wk old) for 14 days. Then, the rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10/each): control, apigenin, BMSCs and coadministration of apigenin and BMSCs. Injection of apigenin was performed intraperitoneally and BMSC transplantation was performed locally in the ovaries. The level of anti-mullerian hormone serum by ELISA kit, the number of oocytes by superovulation, the number of ovarian follicles in different stages by H&E staining, and the expression of ovarian Bcl-2 and Bax proteins by western blot were assessed after four wk. Results: The results of serum anti-mullerian hormone level, number of oocytes and follicles, and Bcl-2/Bax expression ratio showed that coadministration of apigenin and BMSCs significantly recovered the ovarian function, structure, and apoptosis compared to the control, BMSC, and apigenin groups (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The results suggest that the effect of coadministration of apigenin and BMSCs is maybe more effective than the effect of their administrations individually on the recovery of damaged ovaries following the chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide in rats. Key words: Apigenin, Bone marrow stromal cells, Chemotherapy, Ovary, Regeneration

Using Cognitive Dissonance Theory to Explain Information Security Policy Violations

The use of sanctions has long been advocated to enforce information security policy (ISP) compliance to control malicious and non-malicious insider threat. The ISP literature is largely based on deterrence theory. However, findings are inconsistent and deterrence has not been a strong predictor especially when non-compliant behavior is the focus of the study. To better explain this phenomenon, scholars have integrated theories and introduced additional constructs. By integrating cognitive dissonance and extended deterrence theory, this study seeks to examine the moderating effect of the personality trait of inertia on the relationship between formal and informal sanctions with ISP non-compliance. More specifically, the focus of this study is on investigating the factors that impact non-compliance of insiders (employees). \ \ This paper revisits the role of formal and informal sanctions in ISP compliance literature through the lens of cognitive dissonance theory. Although certainty of getting caught as well as the severity and swiftness of penalties for engage in policy violating behavior along with subjective norm and their peer behavior have a negative effect on employees’ intention to show non-compliance behavior, inertia will strengthen this relationship. \ \ To test the research hypotheses, we plan to use a scenario-based survey instrument for data collection following by Partial Least Squares (PLS) method using Smart PLS 3.0 for data analysis. The survey instrument will be created with items extracted from extant literature and the scenarios will be chosen from unauthorized access to computerized data. \ \ This study has a number of theoretical and practical implications. It contributes to ISP compliance body of knowledge by its novel theoretical approach such that individuals utilize a cognitive process to justify the inconsistency between their prior thought and the subsequent action (inertia). To the authors’ knowledge, cognitive dissonance theory has never been used in ISP compliance literature. Moreover, examining the moderating effect of inertia can shed light on the long standing debate regarding the effectiveness of deterrence on compliance. From a practical standpoint, the result of our study can help in designing training and information intervention programs for employees who are in inertia state and driving them toward attitude and behavior change.

The etiologies of sperm DNA abnormalities in male infertility: An assessment and review

The sperm DNA damage may occur in testis, genital ducts, and also after ejaculation. Mechanisms altering chromatin remodeling are abortive apoptosis and oxidative stress resulting from reactive oxygen species. Three classifications of intratesticular, post-testicular, and external factors have been correlated with increased levels of sperm DNA damage which can affect the potential of fertility. Alcohol consumption may not increase the rate of sperm residual histones and protamine deficiency; however, it causes an increase in the percentage of spermatozoa with DNA fragmentation and apoptosis. In a medical problem as spinal cord injury, poor semen parameters and sperm DNA damage were reported. Infection induces reactive oxygen species production, decreases the total antioxidant capacity and sperm DNA fragmentation or antigen production that lead to sperm dysfunctions and DNA fragmentation. While reactive oxygen species generation increases with age, oxidative stress may be responsible for the age-dependent sperm DNA damage. The exposing of reproductive organs in older men to oxidative stress for a long time may produce more DNA-damaged spermatozoa than youngers. Examining the sperm chromatin quality in testicular cancer and Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients prior to chemotherapy demonstrated the high incidence of DNA damage and low compaction in spermatozoa at the time of diagnosis. In chemotherapy cycles with genotoxic agents in cancer patients, an increase in sperm DNA damage was shown after treatment. In overall, those factors occurring during the prenatal or the adult life alter the distribution of proteins associated with sperm chromatin induce changes in germ cells which can be detected in infertile patients