Secure and Privacy-Preserving Average Consensus

Average consensus is fundamental for distributed systems since it underpins key functionalities of such systems ranging from distributed information fusion, decision-making, to decentralized control. In order to reach an agreement, existing average consensus algorithms require each agent to exchange explicit state information with its neighbors. This leads to the disclosure of private state information, which is undesirable in cases where privacy is of concern. In this paper, we propose a novel approach that enables secure and privacy-preserving average consensus in a decentralized architecture in the absence of any trusted third-parties. By leveraging homomorphic cryptography, our approach can guarantee consensus to the exact value in a deterministic manner. The proposed approach is light-weight in computation and communication, and applicable to time-varying interaction topology cases. A hardware implementation is presented to demonstrate the capability of our approach.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, paper is accepted to CPS-SPC'1

A Low Cost Mass-Market Deployable Security Approach Against GPS Spoofing Attacks

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is used ubiquitously for navigation and timing synchronization purposes. Many telecommunication, finance and aviation systems rely heavily on GPS information for routine operations. GPS functions by relying on satellites orbiting the earth in very accurately predictable orbits, which are used as references to identify the positions of objects (receivers). Receivers calculate their positions by receiving GPS signals and calculating their relative distances to each of the satellites. With enough relative distances, the receiver can resolve its position using the method known as trilateration [1]. In this thesis, we underline the vulnerability of this orbiting infrastructure to spoofing attacks, by easily procurable and affordable software defined radios. GPS Signal spoofing is a type of malicious attack, where an attacker generates fake GPS signal with valid GPS properties but false navigational and/or timing information to fool non-suspecting receivers. These signals appear authentic and receivers end up processing the false signal and extracting wrong information. There are two types of GPS services, civilian and military. The military service is encrypted and not vulnerable to such attacks because the pseudorandom codes are not disclosed to the public. However, this service is accessible to authorized military personnel alone. All other commercial and public GPS receivers which form the mass of the population are vulnerable to spoofing attacks. The civilian GPS broadcast band is not encrypted, and this makes it easy for an attacker to recreate the signal that appears valid to GPS receivers. In this thesis we implement a low cost, easy for mass-market application Doppler measurement based spoofing detection approach, utilizing non-specialized off the shelf commercial receivers

[The Evolution of Private Tahfiz Governance in Malaysia] Evolusi Tadbir Urus Tahfiz Swasta di Malaysia

The existence of private tahfiz centres in Malaysia is encouraging and continues to grow over the years. Thus, strengthening the governance of such institutions is a necessity especially in this age of digital transformation. To begin with, the study will outline the strengths and weaknesses of existing governance and followed by the analysis of the elements of evolutionary governance of private tahfiz institutions in the country. In fact, the standards that cover all aspects of good tahfiz management will be proposed and to be endorsed by relevant bodies and approved by the Council of Rulers. Most importantly, the findings of this study will provide guidelines to the management of private tahfiz institutions in Malaysia to improvise the administration and to develop religious schools to suit the needs of current times in line with the main policies of the Malaysian government through the National Tahfiz Council. Besides, the proposed standard will be a key reference for stakeholders such as the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) and also to achieve the national aspiration to produce 125,000 huffaz (tahfiz school graduates) by 2050 through the National Tahfiz Education Policy (NTEP) and National Transformation.   Kewujudan institusi tahfiz swasta di dalam negara Malaysia amat menggalakkan dan terus meningkat saban tahun. Justeru, pemerkasaan urus tadbir institusi tahfiz swasta menjadi satu keperluan pada era masa kini yang menjurus ke arah transformasi. Sebagai permulaan, kajian akan menghuraikan kelemahan dan kekuatan tadbir urus dan melaksanakan analisa elemen evolusi urus tadbir institusi tahfiz swasta di Malaysia. Seterusnya, piawaian yang merangkumi semua aspek pengurusan yang baik akan dicadangkan serta mendapat sokongan pengesahan dari pihak yang mempunyai autoriti. Hasil dapatan kajian yang bakal dijalankan akan memberikan panduan kepada pengurusan institusi tahfiz swasta di Malaysia dalam usaha mentransformasikan urus tadbir selaras dengan polisi utama kerajaan Malaysia melalui Majlis Tahfiz Negara. Di samping itu, cadangan piawaian yang akan dibangunkan boleh menjadi rujukan utama pihak berkepentingan seperti Jabatan Kemajuan Islam (JAKIM) sekaligus melancarkan hasrat untuk mencapai 125,000 huffaz menjelang tahun 2050 yang termaktub didalam Dasar Pendidikan Tahfiz Negara (DPTN)

PSYCHO-SUFISTIC THERAPY OF UNDERGROUND SUFISM MOVEMENT:A HEALING METHOD AGAINST PUNK COMMUNITY IN JAKARTA

This study imvestigates the psycho-Sufistic therapy applied by the "Tasawuf Underground" movement to the Punk community in Jakarta. The phenomenon of the Punk community in big cities is often neglected by Muslim preachers. The spiritual condition of the Punk community are hardly taken into an account nowadays. It is because of stereotypical and pejorative stigmas  that make them  far from religious values. Therefore, the Tasawuf  Underground movement attempts to approach and invite them to migrate spiritually (hijra) in gentle and interactive ways. This study aims to reveal the Sufistic approach model practiced by Tasawuf Underground in the process of migrating the punk community and homeless juvenile in the capital city of Jakarta to comprehend their religion and life. The research employs a qualitative description by conducting observation and interviews. As the data obtained,  they are  analyzed by using the perspective of Suluk method in Sufism  and the humanistic-physcology theory by Abraham Maslow. The result of study indicates that the Tasawuf Underground movement implements an excellent psycho-Sufistic method to be used as a role model to deal with punk communities and similar marginalization elsewhere

Natural Flocculant from Durio zibethinus Seed Starch for Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Leachate Treatment

Penggunaan penggumpal polialuminium klorida (PAC) sangat menonjol di dalam olahan larut lesap kambus tanah. Aplikasi PAC di dalam proses penggumpalan telah terbukti di antara penggumpal yang efektif untuk olahan larut lesap kambus tanah. Walaubagaimanapun, PAC dikenal pasti berpotensi menghasilkan lebihan toksik aluminium kepada persekitaran akuatik. Sebagai alternatif, kombinasi bersama penggumpal tambahan semulajadi boleh mengurangkan dos dan pergantungan kepada PAC. Di dalam kajian ini, penggumpal tambahan berasaskan bahan semulajadi daripada kanji biji durian (Durio zibithenus) telah digunakan untuk olahan larut lesap kambus tanah. Sampel larut lesap kambus tanah tapak telah diambil dari tapak pelupusan Matang yang terletak di Taiping, Perak. Kanji biji durian telah diekstrak menggunakan kaedah pengekstrakan kering dan kaedah pengekstrakan basah. Kanji terbaik yang diperolehi, diubahsuai dengan kaedah persilangan cantuman pengumpal kanji untuk memperbaiki proses rawatan. Keadaan eksperimen dalam penyikiran warna, keperluan oksigen kimia (COD), pepejal terampai dan kekeruhan telah dioptimumkan lagi menggunakan kaedah statistik tindak balas pemukaan (RSM). Di samping itu juga nilai kelajuan pemendakan (SV) dibandingkan dan digunakan untuk reka bentuk pengiraan tangka campuran dan tangki pemendakan. Berdasarkan pada hasil eksperimen, pengunaan penggumpal tambahan dari kanji pengekstrakan basah (WM-DSS) telah meninggikan peratus penyingkiran bagi warna, pepejal terampai dan kekeruhan masing-masing melebihi sebanyak 0.4 %, 2.9 % dan 13.2 % berbanding PAC sahaja (88.8%, 65.9 %, 90.7 % dan 80.5 %). Malahan indeks kelajuan pemendakan juga bertambah baik dari 531.3 mL/g kepada 158.1 mL/g. Sebaliknya, pengunaan penggumpal tambahan daripada kanji pengekstarakan kering (DM-DSS) telah menurun dan mengurangkan peratus penyingkiran bagi warna, pepejal terampai dan kekeruhan masing-masing melebihi sebanyak 25 %, 1.6 % dan 2.8 % berbanding PAC sahaja (90.2 %, 59.6 % 97.2 % dan 95.0 %). Dalam hal ini, ia jelas menunjukan aplikasi pengekstrakan secara lembab boleh diyakini untuk digunakan sebagai kaedah pembangunan pengumpal tambahan berasaskan kanji. Pada masa yang sama, modifikasi persilangan cantuman pengumpal kanji (CWM-DSS) telah meninggikan peratus penyingkiran bagi warna, COD, pepejal terampai dan kekeruhan masingmasing melebihi sebanyak 1.7 %, 5.1 %, 14.8 %, and 14 % berbanding PAC sahaja (94.4 %, 55.8 %, 70.4 % dan 81.1 %). Tambahan pula, modifikasi persilangan cantuman kanji ini telah mampu mengurangkan 0.557 g/L dos PAC. Malahan, pengunaan CWM-DSS ia telah berjaya mengurangkan bilangan tangki pemendakan dari 6 kepada 3-unit tangki dan meningkatkan isipadu aturan olahan larut lesap kambus tanah yang telah dirawat dari 2376 m3/hari kepada 2404.08 m3/hari. Oleh yang demikian, ini sangat jelas dapat diperhatikan bahawa pengunaan pengumpal CWM-DSS dapat digunakan di dalam proses rawatan olahan larut lesap kambus tanah. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The used of poly aluminum chloride (PAC) coagulant is prominent in landfill leachate treatment. PAC coagulant is proven to be among the effective coagulants for landfill leachate treatment. However, it was found that PAC coagulant has a toxic potential of aluminum residual to the aquatic environment. As an alternative, the combination of natural flocculants with inorganic coagulants could reduce the dosage and dependence on the PAC coagulant and improved the flocculant properties. In this study, natural based flocculants from durian seed starch were used for landfill leachate treatment. The landfill leachate samples were collected from Matang landfill located at Taiping, Perak. The durian seed starches were extracted using dry milling and wet milling extraction method. The best starch obtained was further modified by crosslinking modification method to improve the treatment process. The experimental condition in removing color, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), suspended solid and turbidity were further optimized statistically using Response Surface Method (RSM). The settling velocity values were compared and used for mixing and settling tanks calculation design. According to the results, the use of wet milling durian seed starch (WM-DSS) as a flocculant increased the removal percentage of color, suspended solids and turbidity by 0.4 %, 2.9 %, and 13.2 % compared to PAC coagulants alone (88.8%, 90.7 % and 80.5 %). Besides, the sludge velocity index (SVI) was also improved from 531.3 mL/g to 158.1 mL/g. In contrast, the use of dry milling durian seed starch (DM-DSS) flocculants had decreased the removal percentage of chemical oxygen demand (COD), suspended solids and turbidity by 25 %, 1.6 %, and 2.8 % compared to PAC coagulants alone (59.6 % 97.2 % and 95.0 %). In this respect, wet milling extraction method was effective to be used for starch flocculants synthesis. In fact, the crosslinking modification of the wet milling starch flocculants (CWM-DSS) further increased the removal percentage of color, chemical oxygen demand (COD), suspended solids and turbidity by 1.7 %, 5.1 %, 14.8 %, and 14 % compared to PAC alone (94.4 %, 55.8 %, 70.4 % and 81.1 %). Moreover, this starch modification had able to reduce 0.557 g/L concentration of PAC coagulant for landfill leachate treatment. Besides, the used of CWM-DSS flocculants able to reduce the number of settling tank from 6 to 3 units and increased the volume of treated leachate from 2376 m3/day to 2404.08 m3/day. Therefore, it was clearly observed that the used of CWM-DSS flocculants is effective to be used for landfill leachate treatment process

Toolbuddy digital platform – A conceptual solution in peer-to-peer rental marketplace for tools and equipment in Malaysia

This paper proposes a conceptual solution to encourage sharing economy as a new disruptive economic force nowadays by providing an online digital tool-sharing platform, named ToolBuddy. ToolBuddy is a Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) business model which aims to provide an online platform for tool-owners and renters for peer-to-peer sharing of their tools and equipment in short term from a nearby location. This platform provides opportunities to rental provider company to feature their tools and equipment. Conducting Literature Review and benchmarking against current world leading companies that provide tool-sharing solutions by utilizing the nine blocks of Business Model Canvas (BMC) and Value Proposition Design Canvas (VPCs) framework, establishing Strategy Canvas of key competitors, identify solution gaps, and establishing the Environmental Map that incorporates megatrends, and Industry 4.0 have been used as the methodology for this paper

Laporan Kegiatan "Training On Strengthening Research Capacity Di Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam" Tahun 2013

Kegiatan Training on Strengthening Research Capacity di Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam ini dimaksudkan untuk meningkatkan kapasitas lembaga penelitian, penguatan skill dan profesionalisme sumber daya manusia, dan kualitas hasil-hasil penelitian pada tingkat nasional maupun internasional serta pengembangan kerjasama dalam bidang penelitian agar terbangun komitmen bersama dalam penerapannya

Sheikh Nuruddin Al-Raniri Description Of Heaven In Bad 'Al-Khalq Al-Samawat Wa Al-Ard [MSS 1517(A)]

Sheikh Nuruddin al-Raniri (d. 1658) is a renowned scholar in the Malay archipelago during the rule of Sultan Iskandar Thani (1636-1641 AD) in Acheh. He had authored 35 works on various disciplines of Islam and Bad 'al-Khalq al-Samawat wa al-Ard describes the concept of heaven genesis in Jawi manuscript MSS1517 (A). This article is a preliminary analysis of the manuscript focusing on excerpts of al-Raniri's exposition on the meaning of heaven and its categories. That heaven has respective names and inhabitants in the Day of Judgment.  Study on the biography of al-Raniri and the written scripture was conducted by analyzing al-Raniri's thinking pattern, which was extracted from the book. Moreover, the concept of the natural phenomenon was explained and discussed intensively following Islamic thinking. Then each phrase and al-Raniri’s ideology was clearly defined base on the interpretation of Qur’an and hadiths. Result of this study shows that the writing method done by al-Raniri was mostly focusing on imagining the condition of a specific place in heaven. Keywords: al-Raniri; Bad 'al-Khalq al-Samawat wa al-Ard; heaven; earth eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v5iSI1.230

An approach to enhance aggregated source specific multicast scheme

The Aggregated Source Specific Multicast (ASSM) scheme is proposed to overcome the limitations of Source Specific Multicast (SSM). It aims to handle the scalability issue of SSM. The key idea is that multiple groups are forced to share a single delivery tree. However, the ASSM scheme suffers from routers under utilization problem. In our previous work we have proposed an approach to overcome this problem. In this paper our proposed approach was presented and evaluated. It was shown that our proposed scheme results in achieving higher routers utilization