Cryptographic Protection of Removable Media with a USB Interface for Secure Workstation for Special Applications, Journal of Telecommunications and Information Technology, 2012, nr 3

This paper describes one of the essential elements of Secure Workstation for Special Applications (SWSA) to cryptographic protection of removable storage devices with USB interface. SWSA is a system designed to process data classified to different security domains in which the multilevel security is used. The described method for protecting data on removable Flash RAM protects data against unauthorized access in systems processing the data, belonging to different security domains (with different classification levels) in which channel the flow of data must be strictly controlled. Only user authenticated by the SWSA can use the removable medium in the system, and the data stored on such media can be read only by an authorized user by the SWSA. This solution uses both symmetric and asymmetric encryption algorithms. The following procedures are presented: creating protected a file (encryption), generating signatures for the file and reading (decryption) the file. Selected elements of the protection systems implementation of removable Flash RAM and the mechanisms used in implementation the Windows have been described

Definition of medical error and physicians’ interest in changes in the law

The main purpose of the paper is to discuss the definition of medical error. Moreover, the statistical analysis was aimed at demonstrating at what level is the legal knowledge of the professional group of doctors, in relation to the performed profession. The research group consisted of doctors of different specializations, of different ages, with diverse work experiences, performing their profession in the Lubelskie voivodeship. These were people working on the basis of contract of employment, civil law contracts or individual medical practice, employed in provincial hospitals, clinics, district hospitals, outpatient’s clinics, ambulances or medical centers. The author's questionnaire survey consisted of questions and answers for 298 doctors. Damage resulting from a widely understood medical error can be caused not only by the physician but by all medical staff or due to the organizational failure of the medical establishment. It must be stated with all conviction that the formulation of the concept of medical error is still ongoing and will evolve with the development of medicine as well as the law, which will strive to delineate the framework of its occurrence. The majority of doubts, which results from the obtained research, raises the issue of provision of medical help without the consent of the patient and the right to refuse treatment, but above all, what is quite surprising is the question of accepting gifts from pharmaceutical companies. The most frequently cited reasons influencing the lack of updating legal knowledge in the field of the performed profession were lack of time and a large number of duties, whereas the research group, in order to deepen their knowledge on that matter, most frequently used the Internet resources, industry articles, and on the third place was the training related to the subject matter of the medical law

Secured Workstation to Process the Data of Different Classification Levels, Journal of Telecommunications and Information Technology, 2012, nr 3

The paper presents some of the results obtained within the ongoing project related with functional requirements and design models of secure workstation for special applications (SWSA). SWSA project is directed toward the combination of the existing hardware and software virtualization with cryptography and identification technologies to ensure the security of multilevel classified data by means of some formal methods. In the paper the requirements for SWSA, its hardware and software architecture, selected security solution for data processing and utilized approach to designing secure software are presented. The novel method for secure software design employs dedicated tools to verify the confidentiality and the integrity of data using Unified Modeling Language (UML) models. In general, the UML security models are embedded in and simulated with the system architecture models, thus the security problems in SWSA can be detected early during the software design. The application of UML topology models enables also to verify the fundamental requirement for MLS systems, namely the hardware isolation of subjects from different security domains

Cryptographic Keys Generating and Renewing System for IoT Network Nodes—A Concept

Designers and users of the Internet of Things (IoT) are devoting more and more attention to the issues of security and privacy as well as the integration of data coming from various areas. A critical element of cooperation is building mutual trust and secure data exchange. Because IoT devices usually have small memory resources, limited computing power, and limited energy resources, it is often impossible to effectively use a well-known solution based on the Certification Authority. This article describes the concept of the system for a cryptographic Key Generating and Renewing system (KGR). The concept of the solution is based on the use of the hardware Trusted Platform Module (TPM) v2.0 to support the procedures of creating trust structures, generating keys, protecting stored data, and securing data exchange between system nodes. The main tasks of the system are the secure distribution of a new symmetric key and renewal of an expired key for data exchange parties. The KGR system is especially designed for clusters of the IoT nodes but can also be used by other systems. A service based on the Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) protocol will be used to exchange data between nodes of the KGR system

A Framework for Constructing a Secure Domain of Sensor Nodes

Application of the Internet of Things (IoT) in some critical areas (e.g., military) is limited mainly due to the lack of robust, secure, and trusted measures needed to ensure the availability, confidentiality, and integrity of information throughout its lifecycle. Considering the mostly limited resources of IoT devices connected by wireless networks and their dynamic placement in unsupervised or even hostile environments, security is a complex and considerable issue. In this paper, a framework which encompasses an approach to integrate some security measures to build a so-called “secure domain of sensors nodes” is proposed. The framework is based on the use of the Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs) in wireless sensor nodes. It encompasses an architecture of sensor nodes, their roles in the domain, and the data structures as well as the developed procedures which could be applied to generate the credentials for the sensor nodes, and subsequently, to build a local trust structure of each node as well as to build a trust relationship between a domain’s nodes. The proposed solution ensures the authentication of sensor nodes and their resistance against unauthorized impact with the hardware/software configuration allowing protection against malware that can infect the software. The usefulness of the presented framework was confirmed experimentally

Advances in network systems: architectures, security, and applications

This book provides the reader with a comprehensive selection of cutting–edge algorithms, technologies, and applications. The volume offers new insights into a range of fundamentally important topics in network architectures, network security, and network applications. It serves as a reference for researchers and practitioners by featuring research contributions exemplifying research done in the field of network systems. In addition, the book highlights several key topics in both theoretical and practical aspects of networking. These include wireless sensor networks, performance of TCP connections in mobile networks, photonic data transport networks, security policies, credentials management, data encryption for network transmission, risk management, live TV services, and multicore energy harvesting in distributed systems.

DataSheet1_Reimbursement decision-making system in Poland systematically compared to other countries.docx

Introduction: Our objective was to analyze and compare systematically and structurally reimbursement systems in Poland and other countries.Methods: The systems were selected based on recommendations issued by the Polish Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Tariffication (AHTAPol), which explicitly referred to other countries and agencies). Consequently, apart from Poland, the countries included in the analysis were England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Relevant information and data were collected through a systematic search of PubMed (Medline), Embase and The Cochrane Library as well as competent authority websites and grey literature sources.Results and discussion: In most of the countries, the submission of a reimbursement application is initiated by a pharmaceutical company, and only a few countries allow it before a product is approved for marketing. All of the agencies analyzed are independent and some have regulatory function of reimbursement decision making body. A key criterion differentiating the various agencies in terms of HTA is the cost-effectiveness threshold. Most of the countries have specific mechanisms to improve access to expensive specialty drugs, including cancer drugs and those used for rare diseases. Reimbursement systems often lack consistency in appreciating the same stages, leading to heterogeneous decision-making processes. The analysis of recommendations issued in different countries for the same medicinal product will allow a better understanding of the relations between the reimbursement system, HTA assessment, stakeholders involvement and decision on reimbursement of innovative drugs.</p

OFF-LABEL USE OF MEDICINAL PRODUCTS - LEGAL RULES AND PRACTICES

The off-label use of medicinal products raises many interpretation-related issues, not only among physicians, but also pharmacists and lawyers. The use of drugs in a manner other than that specified in the Summary of Product Characteristics is not regulated by Polish law. The authors’ goal is to discuss the topic mainly from the practical perspective, while also considering its theoretical aspects, and to identify systemic solutions to several problems, that are extremely important for the proper functioning of the entire healthcare system. The paper highlights that there is a fine line between experimental medicinal practices and those that are in keeping with current medical knowledge

Cytostatic and cytotoxic waste – rules of conduct in Poland

Polska jest jednym z krajów europejskich, w których wytwarza się najwięcej niebezpiecznych odpadów medycznych. Mimo że w Europie ilość produkowanych odpadów cytotoksycznych i cytostatycznych (stosowanych w chemioterapii przez chorych onkologicznie) od kilku lat się zmniejsza, w Polsce – rośnie. Odpady te stanowią zagrożenie bezpieczeństwa dla pracowników medycznych oraz chorych otrzymujących leki. Dlatego wymagane są specjalne procedury postępowania, które pozwalają ograniczyć szkodliwość tych leków dla zdrowia ludzi. Celem pracy było przedstawienie zasad postępowania w Polsce z lekami cytotoksycznymi i cytostatycznymi oraz ich odpadami. Med. Pr. 2019;70(3):377–391Poland is one of the European countries with the highest level of production of dangerous medical waste. Although in Europe the volume of produced cytotoxic and cytostatic waste (used in chemotherapy by oncological patients) has been declining for several years, in Poland a reverse trend has been observed. As this waste puts the safety of medical workers and patients at risk, special handling procedures are required to limit the harmful effect of these drugs on human health. In view of the above, the aim of the work was to present the rules of conduct with cytotoxic and cytostatic drugs, and their waste, in Poland. Med Pr. 2019;70(3):377–9

Brain Functional Reserve in the Context of Neuroplasticity after Stroke

Stroke is the second cause of death and more importantly first cause of disability in people over 40 years of age. Current therapeutic management of ischemic stroke does not provide fully satisfactory outcomes. Stroke management has significantly changed since the time when there were opened modern stroke units with early motor and speech rehabilitation in hospitals. In recent decades, researchers searched for biomarkers of ischemic stroke and neuroplasticity in order to determine effective diagnostics, prognostic assessment, and therapy. Complex background of events following ischemic episode hinders successful design of effective therapeutic strategies. So far, studies have proven that regeneration after stroke and recovery of lost functions may be assigned to neuronal plasticity understood as ability of brain to reorganize and rebuild as an effect of changed environmental conditions. As many neuronal processes influencing neuroplasticity depend on expression of particular genes and genetic diversity possibly influencing its effectiveness, knowledge on their mechanisms is necessary to understand this process. Epigenetic mechanisms occurring after stroke was briefly discussed in this paper including several mechanisms such as synaptic plasticity; neuro-, glio-, and angiogenesis processes; and growth of axon