Security Analysis of ECC Based Protocols

Elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) is extensively used in various multifactor authentication protocols. In this work, various recent ECC based authentication and key exchange protocols are subjected to threat modeling and static analysis to detect vulnerabilities, and to enhance them to be more secure against threats. This work demonstrates how currently used ECC based protocols are vulnerable to attacks. If protocols are vulnerable, damages could include critical data loss and elevated privacy concerns. The protocols considered in thiswork differ in their usage of security factors (e.g. passwords, pins, and biometrics), encryption and timestamps. The threatmodel considers various kinds of attacks including denial of service, man in the middle, weak authentication and SQL injection. Countermeasures to reduce or prevent such attacks are suggested. Beyond cryptanalysis of current schemes and proposal of new schemes, the proposed adversary model and criteria set forth provide a benchmark for the systematic evaluation of future two-factor authentication proposals

Child Labour in the Fast Fashion Industry, with a Focus on India

Child labour can be found at all stages of the production process in the fashion industry It can be found during the production of cotton seeds in Benin harvesting in Uzbekistan yarn spinning in India right through to the different phases of putting garments together in factories across Bangladesh 1 The problem of child labour is rampantly increasing in the fashion industry since a large part of the supply chain requires low-skilled cheap labou

Professional Women\u27s Experience of Autonomy and Independence in Sindh-Pakistan

This chapter summarises the part of findings of my doctoral studies at the University of Sussex, Brighton, UK. In this case study, there are elements of both qualitative and quantitative approaches; the former is the principal approach to this research while the latter works as complementary. Participants of the research were divided into two categories: academic and non‐academic. Forty semi‐structured interviews (20 from each category) and 100 survey questionnaire (50 from each category) were collected. This research argues that existing concepts of ‘autonomy’ and ‘independence’ may not be useful indices/indicators for measuring the social status or position of women in Sindhi society, due to variations in understanding or the meanings attributed to these concepts across the globe. Findings argue that these professional women perceived concepts of ‘autonomy’, ‘independence’ and ‘individuality’ categorically different than those of Westernised understandings. This research asserts that Sindhi society, similarly to that of Tamil society, emphasises social groups rather than individuals. Hence, ‘collective identities’ are the essence of Sindhi society; however, individuals find their autonomy, independence and individuality in the context of ‘others’, which means to be more responsible for group\u27s interests

OpportunityFinder: A Framework for Automated Causal Inference

We introduce OpportunityFinder, a code-less framework for performing a variety of causal inference studies with panel data for non-expert users. In its current state, OpportunityFinder only requires users to provide raw observational data and a configuration file. A pipeline is then triggered that inspects/processes data, chooses the suitable algorithm(s) to execute the causal study. It returns the causal impact of the treatment on the configured outcome, together with sensitivity and robustness results. Causal inference is widely studied and used to estimate the downstream impact of individual's interactions with products and features. It is common that these causal studies are performed by scientists and/or economists periodically. Business stakeholders are often bottle-necked on scientist or economist bandwidth to conduct causal studies. We offer OpportunityFinder as a solution for commonly performed causal studies with four key features: (1) easy to use for both Business Analysts and Scientists, (2) abstraction of multiple algorithms under a single I/O interface, (3) support for causal impact analysis under binary treatment with panel data and (4) dynamic selection of algorithm based on scale of data.Comment: KDD 2023 Workshop - Causal Inference and Machine Learning in Practic

Impact of Blockchain on Financial Technology Innovation in the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) Sector

This research paper aims to highlight the progression of the technological advancements emerging in the BFSI sector across the globe, evaluate them, and find the merits and shortcomings in this sector using literature review assisted by the prior knowledge from the renowned works published in reputed journals. The information was obtained from secondary sources, thereby helping us draw a picture of the existing state of technology in the BFSI sector and its future potential/applicability within the field. We have used advanced search criteria of two levels to comprehensively cover the existing research papers on the topic for evaluation. With the rising need for digital change, banks look up to speed up the existing plans to arrange authoritative changes driven by the new initiatives. Artificial intelligence companies in the upcoming years will thrive. Banks will make all the efforts to utilize their advances to lessen the cost, mechanize all ordinary procedures, and separate administration levels through personal information which was not accessible before

Miedo al Covid-19, Satisfacción Laboral e Intención de Abandono. Relación y comparativa intersectorial en trabajadores de las Islas Canarias..

El presente estudio trata de dar respuesta a la pregunta sobre cómo ha afectado el miedo al COVID-19 a la satisfacción laboral y a la intención de abandono de las fuerzas de trabajo de las Islas Canarias. Para ello se han explorado las relaciones entre estas variables en 235 trabajadores canarios, encontrando que aquellos que sufren un alto temor al coronavirus y a sus consecuencias, tienden a experimentar una menor satisfacción laboral y unas más altas intenciones de abandono. A su vez, el miedo al COVID-19 explicaría un 5,7% de la varianza de esta intención de abandono en un modelo conjunto. Por otro lado, se realiza una comparativa en estas variables entre los sectores que conforman el tejido empresarial de las islas. Los resultados indican una alta afectación de los sectores educativo y hostelería y turismo. Adicionalmente, se realizan comparaciones entre otros factores sociolaborales como el sexo, la edad, el nivel educativo y la modalidad de trabajo.This study aims to answer the question about how the fear of COVID-19 has affected job satisfaction and turnover intentions among the workforce in the Canary Islands. In that matter, relationships between these variables have been explored in 235 canarian workers, finding that those who suffer a higher fear of the coronavirus and its consequences tend to experience lower job satisfaction and higher turnover intentions. Moreover, the fear of COVID-19 would explain 5,7% of the variance of turnover intentions using a joint model. On the other hand, a comparison in these variables between the sectors that shape the business community of the islands is made. Results indicate a high impact on the education and hospitality and tourism sectors. In addition, comparisons between other socio-occupational factors such as sex, age, educational level and work modality are made

Professional women’s perceptions & experiences of respectability, social status, and autonomy: a case study of women employed at the University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Sindh-Pakistan

This thesis aims to explore the perceptions and experiences of professional women at the University of Sindh, Jamshoro-Pakistan (UoSJP), regarding their respectability and social status in the workplace and in the community. Additionally, the thesis elaborates on professional women’s perceptions and experiences regarding their autonomy and independence, which they have supposedly achieved through their university education and gainful employment. The major contribution of the thesis is that it addresses the lack of feminist research on professional women in the context of the ongoing debate over gender equality in Sindh, Pakistan. This thesis, by using feminist standpoint theory and intersectionality as theoretical and analytical tools, emphasises multiple identities, rather than focusing on a single dimension of social difference. Additionally, this thesis, by employing a Bourdieusian framework (economic, cultural, social and symbolic capital), explores and examines professional women’s identities in relation to their particular spatial locations, as well as the ways that social capital and institutionalised cultural capital intersect with their social and familial backgrounds to produce complex hierarchies. The research asserts that women’s higher-ranking position (socially accepted) also has a potential influence on their respectability, social status and autonomy in the workplace and in the community. Because it plays a significant role in establishing influential social networking, which further increases women’s symbolic capital. Thus, the thesis explores and establishes links between the respectability, social status, autonomy and independence of these professional women, and the intersection of potential influencing factors (for example, patriarchy, class, caste, familial and educational backgrounds, locale and employment). The thesis, then, discusses how professional women negotiate their multiple identities within certain defined spheres while upholding or regulating the respectability, dignity and ‘family honour’ that is linked to their modesty (sexuality). The thesis claims that ‘collectivity’ is the social ethic or essence of Pakistani society, while ‘individuality’ has been socially and culturally dishonoured and/or disapproved. Therefore, these professional women, understanding and attributing meanings to these concepts in local context, observed their ‘limited’ or ‘defined autonomy’, which is influenced by many potential intersecting factors rather than their gender and/or patriarchy

Relación entre apoyo social, trabajo significativo, vida significativa y satisfacción laboral en profesionales de danza y artes plásticas

El propósito de este estudio es explorar y analizar las relaciones entre Apoyo Social, Trabajo Significativo y Vida Significativa y su papel como antecedentes de la Satisfacción Laboral, en una muestra de 66 artistas de danza y artes plásticas. Además, se analizan las diferencias entre ambos grupos y el posible impacto de factores sociolaborales como los años ejerciendo la actividad profesional, y el desempeño o no de una carrera dual. Se administró un cuestionario a través de la plataforma Qualtrics, compuesto por las escalas de: Subescala de Apoyo Social (adaptación al español del WDQ de Fernández Ríos, 2017), WAMI de Steger, Dik y Duffy (2012), MLM-10 de Morgan y Robinson (2013) y Subescala de Satisfacción Laboral General (adaptación al español del JDS de Fuertes, Munduate y Fortea, 1996). Los resultados reflejan relaciones positivas y significativas entre las variables objeto de estudio, destacando la importancia de Vida Significativa y Apoyo Social sobre la Satisfacción Laboral. Sin embargo, la variable Trabajo Significativo no resultó relevante para explicar la Satisfacción Laboral de los participantes.Relations between Social Support, Meaningful Work and Meaningful Life and their role as antecedents of Job Satisfaction in various artists specialized in dance and plastic arts are examined in this study. Moreover, differences between both careers and the possible influence of socio-labor factors like age, years in the field or the fact of performing a dual-career are also examined. Data were collected from 66 spanish-speaking artists, using a questionnaire through Qualtrics platform composed by the scales: Social Support Subescale (WDQ, spanish adaptation by Fernández Ríos, 2017), WAMI by Steger, Dik & Duffy (2012), MLM-10 by Morgan & Robinson (2013) and General Job Satisfaction Subescale (JDS, Spanish adaptation by Fuertes, Munduate y Fortea, 1996). Results show a positive correlation between all the main variables and highlight the importance of the perception of Meaningful Life and Social Support among these professionals laying aside the effect of Meaningful Work and establishing certain differences between both careers