The Hush Cryptosystem

In this paper we describe a new cryptosystem we call "The Hush Cryptosystem" for hiding encrypted data in innocent Arabic sentences. The main purpose of this cryptosystem is to fool observer-supporting software into thinking that the encrypted data is not encrypted at all. We employ a modified Word Substitution Method known as the Grammatical Substitution Method in our cryptosystem. We also make use of Hidden Markov Models. We test our cryptosystem using a computer program written in the Java Programming Language. Finally, we test the output of our cryptosystem using statistical tests.Comment: 7 pages. 5 figures. Appeared in the 2nd International Conference on Security of Information and Networks (SIN 2009), North Cyprus, Turkey; Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Security of Information and Networks (SIN 2009), North Cyprus, Turke

A Precise Information Flow Measure from Imprecise Probabilities

Dempster-Shafer theory of imprecise probabilities has proved useful to incorporate both nonspecificity and conflict uncertainties in an inference mechanism. The traditional Bayesian approach cannot differentiate between the two, and is unable to handle non-specific, ambiguous, and conflicting information without making strong assumptions. This paper presents a generalization of a recent Bayesian-based method of quantifying information flow in Dempster-Shafer theory. The generalization concretely enhances the original method removing all its weaknesses that are highlighted in this paper. In so many words, our generalized method can handle any number of secret inputs to a program, it enables the capturing of an attacker's beliefs in all kinds of sets (singleton or not), and it supports a new and precise quantitative information flow measure whose reported flow results are plausible in that they are bounded by the size of a program's secret input, and can be easily associated with the exhaustive search effort needed to uncover a program's secret information, unlike the results reported by the original metric.Comment: 10 pages. Appeared in the 6th International Conference on Software Security and Reliability (SERE 2012), Washington D.C., The United States, Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Software Security and Reliability (SERE 2012), Washington D.C., The United State

Scandinavian SD - The SAFE Way

People of various interests talk about Sustainable Development (SD) and in their talks they understandSD very differently. A lexicographer for example may define SD according to Oxford AdvancedLearner\u27s Dictionary as "the use of natural products and energy in a way that does not harm theenvironment". While a passer-by may happily dub her society as sustainable if it is providing her withher life needs while considering the needs of generations to come over a very long time. To take it toan extreme edge, the philosopher Luc Ferry [1] defines SD by saying: "I know that this term isobligatory, but I find it also absurd, or rather so vague that it says nothing!".In this paper we try to define and measure SD in Scandinavian countries using a novel mathematicalapproach. We rely on a non-concrete model for this purpose; namely the SAFE model, which is basedon concepts derived from fuzzy logic. It is widely believed that the application of fuzzy logic bringspowerful reasoning abilities in disciplines where concrete mathematical models do not exist; and SD isone such discipline. In fact, fuzzy logic is an outstanding tool for mimicking human thinking andforesight. Based on the SAFE model, we give a careful assessments of sustainability in each of theScandinavian countries. We also undergo a trend monitoring combined with a sensitivity analysis inorder to stand on the most important sustainability factors in each of these countries