Data Security Challenges Research Articles

EXPLORE THE USE OF BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY TO CREATE SECURE AND TRANSPARENT FRAMEWORKS FOR SHARING SENSITIVE DATA ACROSS VARIOUS INDUSTRIES, SUCH AS HEALTHCARE AND FINANCE

This study offered information on how blockchain technology can bring revolution in data security and transparency challenges in industries specifically focusing on healthcare and finance. In that case, by examining concepts like distributed ledgers as well as consensus mechanisms and smart contracts, blockchain technology has been discussed. On the other hand, exploring the range of applications of blockchain in finance and healthcare helps to understand this aspect positively. In that case, this study offers information to enhance data privacy and integrity in healthcare. Here, this tech improves data security and interoperability through improved transaction security and transparency.

An analytical study on Data Privacy and Security Challenges in IoT-Driven Marketing Campaigns

An analytical study on Data Privacy and Security Challenges in IoT-Driven Marketing Campaigns

Navigating Data Security Challenges: Policy Innovations and Reform Options

Navigating Data Security Challenges: Policy Innovations and Reform Options

Exploring the Potential of ChatGPT as a Virtual Assistant for Strategic Decision-Making in Startup Businesses

In the current era of digital and information technology, startup businesses have emerged as primary drivers of innovation and economic growth. Startups face unique challenges, including resource constraints and the pressure to make intelligent strategic decisions to survive and thrive in a competitive market. This research aims to identify the extent to which ChatGPT can serve as an effective virtual assistant in supporting strategic decision-making in the context of startup businesses. The study conducts an extensive literature review, employing qualitative analysis methods to gain a profound understanding of the topic, covering the period from 2005 to 2023. The findings of the study indicate that exploring the potential of ChatGPT as a virtual assistant for strategic decision-making in startup businesses holds various benefits. Its ability to process information rapidly, provide deep insights, and function as an effective communication tool can offer a competitive advantage. Features such as simulation and prediction also assist business leaders in making more informed decisions. However, it is important to note that the use of ChatGPT poses ethical and data security challenges. Therefore, startup businesses are advised to adopt clear policies, ensuring compliance with ethical business norms, and maintaining data security in accordance with applicable privacy regulations.

Central Medical Centre Healthcare Data Security with Lightweight Blockchain Model in IoT Sensor Environment

Data security involves implementing measures to protect digital information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive data. Hence, this paper addresses the critical imperative of ensuring robust data security within the healthcare domain. With the proliferation of digital technologies and interconnected systems, safeguarding patient information has become paramount. The study comprehensively reviews existing strategies for data security in healthcare, including encryption, access controls, and secure authentication mechanisms. It delves into the unique challenges faced by healthcare organizations, such as the interoperability of systems, compliance with regulatory frameworks and the increasing sophistication of cyber threats. The paper emphasizes the significance of fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness among healthcare professionals and implementing proactive measures to mitigate vulnerabilities. Future directions in healthcare data security, including the integration of emerging technologies like blockchain and artificial intelligence, are also explored. By providing a holistic overview of data security challenges and solutions in healthcare, this paper contributes to the ongoing efforts to fortify the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive patient data in the digital age. The effectiveness of two medical treatments (Treatment A and Treatment B) is assessed based on the responses of 20 participants, revealing subtle yet notable variations in efficacy. Additionally, the security scores of Healthcare Systems A and B are evaluated, demonstrating a marginal superiority of System B. A detailed classification of cyber attacks, ranging from phishing and malware infections to insider threats and zero-day exploits, sheds light on the diverse nature of cybersecurity challenges. The findings underscore the importance of a multifaceted approach to medical data security, emphasizing the need for robust treatments, secure healthcare systems, and targeted defense strategies against evolving cyber threats. This paper contributes valuable insights to the ongoing discourse on bolstering cybersecurity measures in healthcare to safeguard patient information and fortify the integrity of healthcare systems in an increasingly digital landscape.

A critical literature review of security and privacy in smart home healthcare schemes adopting IoT & blockchain: Problems, challenges and solutions

Protecting private data in smart homes, a popular Internet-of-Things (IoT) application, remains a significant data security and privacy challenge due to the large-scale development and distributed nature of IoT networks. Recently, smart healthcare has leveraged smart home systems, thereby compounding security concerns in terms of the confidentiality of sensitive and private data and by extension the privacy of the data owner. However, proof-of-authority (PoA)-based blockchain distributed ledger technology (DLT) has emerged as a promising solution for protecting private data from indiscriminate use and thereby preserving the privacy of individuals residing in IoT-enabled smart homes. This review elicits some concerns, issues, and problems that have hindered the adoption of blockchain and IoT (BCoT) in some domains and suggests requisite solutions using the aging-in-place scenario. Implementation issues with BCoT were examined as well as the combined challenges BCoT can pose when utilised for security gains. The study discusses recent findings, opportunities, and barriers, and provides recommendations that could facilitate the continuous growth of blockchain applications in healthcare. Lastly, the study explored the potential of using a PoA-based permission blockchain with an applicable consent-based privacy model for decision-making in the information disclosure process, including the use of publisher-subscriber contracts for fine-grained access control to ensure secure data processing and sharing, as well as ethical trust in personal information disclosure, as a solution direction. The proposed authorisation framework could guarantee data ownership, conditional access management, scalable and tamper-proof data storage, and a more resilient system against threat models such as interception and insider attacks.

Securing Construction Workers’ Data Security and Privacy with Blockchain Technology

The construction industry, characterized by its intricate network of stakeholders and diverse workforce, grapples with the challenge of managing information effectively. This study delves into this issue, recognizing the universal importance of safeguarding data, particularly amid rising concerns around unauthorized access and breaches. Aiming to harness the potential of blockchain technology to address these challenges, this study used hypothetical biographical and safety data of construction workers securely stored on a Hyperledger Fabric blockchain. Developed within the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud platform, this blockchain infrastructure emerged as a robust solution for enhancing data security and privacy. Anchored in the core principles of data security, the model emerges as a potent defender against the vulnerabilities of traditional data management systems. Beyond its immediate implications, this study exemplifies the marriage of blockchain technology and the construction sector, and its potential for reshaping workforce management, especially in high-risk projects and optimizing risk assessment, resource allocation, and safety measures to mitigate work-related injuries. Practical validation through transaction testing using Hyperledger Explorer validates the model’s feasibility and operational effectiveness, thus serving as a blueprint for the industry’s data management. Ultimately, this research not only showcases the promise of blockchain technology in addressing construction data security challenges but also underscores its practical applicability through comprehensive testing, thus heralding a new era of data management that harmonizes security and efficiency for stakeholders’ benefit.

Guest editors’ notes

We are excited to note that IASSIST’s Africa chapter has continued to grow bigger and stronger. After a successful first IASSIST Africa Regional Workshop in Uganda during January 2021, a second IASSIST Africa Regional Workshop took place in Ibadan, Nigeria in West Africa October 4th through October 7th, 2022. We are delighted to share with you the papers in this issue, most of which were presented at the second IASSIST Africa Regional Workshop at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. The first paper unpacks the application of emerging technologies for research support in academic libraries in the modern era. The authors are Dr. Sophia V. Adeyeye and Taofeek Abiodun Oladokun who explain how emerging technologies offer innovative ways of supporting research activities. These emerging technologies provide tools and resources that streamline the research process and ensure proper visibility for the research outputs of academic libraries’ clients. The article explores various areas where academic libraries can apply emerging technologies such as data mining, data management, artificial intelligence, library automation and scholarly communication, among others. The article further highlights the setbacks academic libraries in Nigeria are facing in the application of emerging technologies such as lack of infrastructure, librarians’ skills, and negative attitude towards change. The second article, authored by Ms. Akinyoola Oladoyin Grace, is titled” Knowledge and perception of librarians towards cloud-based technology in academic libraries in Southwest, Nigeria”. In this paper the author reveals that librarians in academic libraries in Southwest Nigeria are familiar with and use cloud-based technologies. However, the librarians seem to have a negative attitude towards the use of these technologies. Therefore, there is a need for a staff development program that would enable the librarians to keep pace with the latest technologies. Such a program could be funded by government and executed through seminars, conferences, and workshops so as to enhance the librarians’ skills with cloud-based technologies. The third paper presents the preservation of election data and security in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Election malfeasance and violence have been experienced in Nigerian political systems since 1959. In this paper Sunday Tunmibi and Wole Olatokun explore how the world’s gradual move into the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) could be harnessed to ensure the preparation of free and fair elections. The paper suggests specific 4IR technological solutions to electoral data security and preservation challenges. It also suggests policies to serve as catalysts for the Independent National Electoral Commission. Suggested policies for 4IR technologies relate to artificial intelligence, big data, internet of things, robotics, block chain, cloud computing and 3-D printing. These are the 4IR technologies that dictate the pace of activities in all walks of life including security and managing a free and fair national election. In the fourth paper Ologbosere Oluwatosin Abiodun discusses the significance of data literacy in the era of big data. It emphasizes the role of big data as a fundamental building block of truth focusing on the emergence of data literacy. Data literacy is a crucial subset of information literacy necessary for navigating the virtual landscape. Essential data literacy skills that are needed for navigating the dynamic twenty-first-century environment are highlighted. Integrating data literacy into higher educational programs, particularly in libraries, is stressed for relevance in meaningful information resource utilization. This paper shows how the integration of data literacy in higher education emphasizes the critical role of data literacy in the context of economic growth, development and informed decision-making and fosters sustainable development. In the fifth paper titled ”Data protection and right to privacy legislation in Kenya”, author Andrew Matoke Mankome articulates how the Parliament of Kenya enacted the Data Protection legislation in November 2019. This new law guaranteed the right to privacy as a fundamental right. Data Protection and citizens’ right to privacy is now a topical concern in Kenya and around the world. This paper expounds how the new law comes at a time when data security and privacy concerns are prevalent and lack of them result in loss of reputation and identity; safety concerns; legal penalties; and compensation for damages or loss of business. This is mainly because of the increasing globalization, cross-border transactions, internet penetration, and the use of social media and digital platforms among citizens, private institutions, and governments. This paper reviews the crucial provisions of the Data Protection law which covers regulated actions seeking compliance by data controllers and processors under the stewardship of the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner ('ODPC'). A comparative analysis of the practice in other jurisdictions is also provided.

Security and preservation of election data in Nigeria in the fourth industrial revolution

A fraud-free and credible election is a necessary ingredient to the growth of democracy. Election malpractices and violence, from 1959 till date, have offered major challenges to the Nigerian political system. To achieve a sustainable democracy in Nigeria, it is important to build public trust by ensuring the security and preservation of electoral data. The world has gradually moved into the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), an era where artificial intelligence, big data, internet of things, robotics, blockchain, cloud computing and 3-D printing technologies dictate the pace of activities in all walks of life. This paper suggests specific 4IR technologies solutions to electoral data security and preservation challenges. It also suggests that the Nigerian Government announce policies to serve as catalysts for the Independent National Electoral Commission and stakeholders to harness these developments to ensure that electoral processes benefit from these technologies.

Emerging Trends in Cybersecurity for Health Technologies

The paper delves into the intricate relationship between technological advancements in healthcare and the pressing need for robust cybersecurity measures. It explores the escalating vulnerability of sensitive medical data due to the sector's digital transformation and the increased susceptibility to cyber threats. The interconnectedness of healthcare systems, from wearable devices to complex electronic health record systems, exposes healthcare organizations to relentless cyberattacks. Within this context, the article meticulously examines emerging trends and innovative solutions aimed at fortifying cybersecurity infrastructure and safeguarding sensitive medical data. It scrutinizes ten cybersecurity risks prevalent within the healthcare domain, highlighting the multifaceted nature of data security challenges faced by healthcare entities. Furthermore, the paper meticulously dissects ten AI-driven security mechanisms, ranging from behavioral analytics to AI-powered compliance management, showcasing their pivotal role in ensuring data integrity and confidentiality. Collaboration emerges as a pivotal strategy, with the article outlining ten collaborative initiatives that underscore the significance of joint efforts among healthcare institutions, technology providers, and cybersecurity experts. Collectively, these insights illuminate the imperative for proactive and adaptive cybersecurity strategies within the evolving landscape of healthcare technology integration.

Advancing Through Data: A Critical Review of the Evolution of Medical Information Management Systems

The evolution of medical information management (MIM) is a critical aspect of modern healthcare, reflecting significant technological and regulatory advancements. This article offers a comprehensive review of the development and transformation of MIM systems, from rudimentary paper-based records to sophisticated digital platforms. We explore the early adoption of electronic health records (EHR), the integration of big data analytics, and the emerging role of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in enhancing healthcare delivery. The review also addresses the pivotal challenges of data privacy and security, highlighting regulatory frameworks like HIPAA and GDPR. Through case studies, we analyze both successful implementations and notable challenges in the MIM field, providing a balanced perspective. The article discusses the crucial role of interoperability in facilitating efficient data exchange among diverse healthcare systems and underscores the importance of patient-generated data in future MIM systems. We conclude by identifying potential future trends, including the application of blockchain technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) in healthcare. This critical review serves as a guide for healthcare professionals, policymakers, and IT specialists, offering insights into the past, present, and future of medical information management.

The Digital Transformation of the Banking Industry in the Era of Big Data

Big data analytics has become an instrumental tool for digital transformation in the banking industry. By leveraging massive volumes of data, banks can gain valuable insights to optimize operations, reduce risks, and improve customer experience. For risk management, big data techniques enable banks to detect fraud and money laundering activities more accurately. In customer relationship management, big data analytics allows banks to better understand customer needs, provide personalized services, and enhance loyalty. Furthermore, big data can inform investment decisions by identifying new opportunities and mitigating risks. While big data brings significant opportunities, it also presents challenges in data governance, privacy, and security that require prudent management. Technical and business model innovations must align to fully realize the potential of big data. Banks should invest in big data infrastructure, promote a data-driven culture, and pursue strategic partnerships. Regulators and policymakers should establish flexible guidelines to encourage big data adoption while protecting consumer privacy. By harnessing big data responsibly, banks can transform into truly customer-centric digital organizations. Overall, big data is redefining the banking industry, and continuous digital transformation is imperative for banks to thrive in the new data-driven era.

Consumer Service System, Electronic Document Management System, and Digital Disruption

SMDE is a strategy that integrates electronic document management systems and company workflows. To support the management of electronic documents in business regulatory personal data protection implementation rations, especially customer service, a strategy is needed to analyze opportunities and challenges that must be prepared when adopting this system. This study investigates the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of SMDE implementation in consumer service systems in the era of digital disruption. This study uses exploratory studies. The data was processed through a SWOT analysis to determine the strategy for implementing the SMDE through the PDCA approach. The research results show an opportunity to integrate SMDE with CRM Tools, allowing each unit to collaborate in decentralized document management. However, data security challenges are triggered by system failures, the unavailability of specialized document management experts, perishable technology, and the lack of optimal regulatory personal data protection implementation. So, a storage planning strategy, workflow, and data security are needed. The results suggest the establishment of SOP, supervision, and company follow-up to implement document management integrated with CRM Tools as a business information system that meets data security requirements.

Smart and Secure Blockchain Structure to Track Vehicle Record-keeping in the Sultanate of Oman

In the country of Sultanate of Oman, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) is responsible for carrying out the Inspection, Registration/Renewal, Transfer of ownership, Licensing of a vehicle and the Investigation of traffic accidents. The traditional system used for storing this information does not guarantee whether any information has been tampered with or manipulated. Having a tamper-proof methodology like Blockchain to capture this important information in a distributed ledger register can enable all the participants in the Registration Chain (Supplier of the vehicle, Owner of the vehicle, various Government Agencies and public at large) to gain confidence, build trust and authenticate records that are maintained by the centralised agency. In this paper, a groundbreaking solution built on Hyperledger Besu, a permissioned Ethereum blockchain platform, is introduced that offers a revolutionary approach to vehicle registration and management. It ensures secure and immutable vehicle registration, utilizing IPFS for document storage and ERC-20 tokens to track vehicle history. This Ethereum-powered system facilitates transparent ownership transfers, comprehensive vehicle history tracking, streamlined insurance renewals, seamless vehicle inspections, real-time tracking, and blockchain-based verification, all contributing to heightened efficiency and trust in vehicle processes for the Omani government. By integrating blockchain technology, this solution addresses the challenges of data integrity, security, and transparency that have long plagued the vehicle registration and transfer processes in Oman. This paper highlights the potential of blockchain to revolutionize governmental services and improve the overall efficiency and trustworthiness of vehicle-related transactions, ultimately benefiting both the government and citizens alike.

A Novel Approach for Improving the Security of IoT–Medical Data Systems Using an Enhanced Dynamic Bayesian Network

IoT (Internet of Things) devices are increasingly being used in healthcare to collect and transmit patient data, which can improve patient outcomes and reduce costs. However, this also creates new challenges for data security and privacy. Thus, the major demand for secure and efficient data-sharing solutions has prompted significant attention due to the increasing volume of shared sensor data. Leveraging a data-fusion-based paradigm within the realm of IoT-protected healthcare systems enabled the collection and analysis of patient data from diverse sources, encompassing medical devices, electronic health records (EHRs), and wearables. This innovative approach holds the potential to yield immediate benefits in terms of enhancing patient care, including more precise diagnoses and treatment plans. It empowers healthcare professionals to devise personalized treatment regimens by amalgamating data from multiple origins. Moreover, it has the capacity to alleviate financial burdens, elevate healthcare outcomes, and augment patient satisfaction. Furthermore, this concept extends to fortifying patient records against unauthorized access and potential misuse. In this study, we propose a novel approach for secure transmission of healthcare data, amalgamating the improved context-aware data-fusion method with an emotional-intelligence-inspired enhanced dynamic Bayesian network (EDBN). The findings indicated that F1 score, accuracy, precision, recall, and ROC-AUC score using DCNN were 89.3%, 87.4%, 91.4%, 92.1%, and 0.56, respectively, which was second-highest to the proposed method. On the other hand, the F1 score, accuracy, precision, recall, and ROC-AUC scores of FRCNN and CNN were low in accuracy at 83.2% and 84.3%, respectively. Our experimental investigation demonstrated superior performance compared with existing methods, as evidenced by various performance metrics, including recall, precision, F measures, and accuracy.

ZeroTrustBlock: Enhancing Security, Privacy, and Interoperability of Sensitive Data through ZeroTrust Permissioned Blockchain

With the digitization of healthcare, an immense amount of sensitive medical data are generated and shared between various healthcare stakeholders—however, traditional health data management mechanisms present interoperability, security, and privacy challenges. The centralized nature of current health information systems leads to single points of failure, making the data vulnerable to cyberattacks. Patients also have little control over their medical records, raising privacy concerns. Blockchain technology presents a promising solution to these challenges through its decentralized, transparent, and immutable properties. This research proposes ZeroTrustBlock, a comprehensive blockchain framework for secure and private health information exchange. The decentralized ledger enhances integrity, while permissioned access and smart contracts enable patient-centric control over medical data sharing. A hybrid on-chain and off-chain storage model balances transparency with confidentiality. Integration gateways bridge ZeroTrustBlock protocols with existing systems like EHRs. Implemented on Hyperledger Fabric, ZeroTrustBlock demonstrates substantial security improvements over mainstream databases via cryptographic mechanisms, formal privacy-preserving protocols, and access policies enacting patient consent. Results validate the architecture’s effectiveness in achieving 14,200 TPS average throughput, 480 ms average latency for 100,000 concurrent transactions, and linear scalability up to 20 nodes. However, enhancements around performance, advanced cryptography, and real-world pilots are future work. Overall, ZeroTrustBlock provides a robust application of blockchain capabilities to transform security, privacy, interoperability, and patient agency in health data management.

Industrial Internet of Water Things architecture for data standarization based on blockchain and digital twin technology☆

The Industrial Internet of Water Things (IIoWT) has recently emerged as a leading architecture for efficient water distribution in smart cities. Its primary purpose is to ensure high-quality drinking water for various institutions and households. However, existing IIoWT architecture has many challenges. One of the paramount challenges in achieving data standardization and data fusion across multiple monitoring institutions responsible for assessing water quality and quantity. Additionally, ensuring data security and interoperability among the sensors and nodes within the IIoWT architecture remains a critical concern. This paper introduces the Industrial Internet of Water Things System for Data Standardization based on Blockchain and Digital Twin Technology. The main objective of this study is to design a new IIoWT architecture where data standardization, interoperability, and data security among different water institutions must be met. We devise the digital twin-enabled cross-platform environment using the Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) protocol to achieve seamless interoperability in heterogeneous computing. In water management, we encounter different types of data from various sensors. Therefore, we propose a CNN-LSTM and blockchain data transactional (BCDT) scheme for processing valid data across different nodes. Through simulation results, we demonstrate that the proposed IIoWT architecture significantly reduces processing time while improving the accuracy of data standardization within the water distribution management system. Overall, this paper presents a comprehensive approach to tackle the challenges of data standardization and security in the IIoWT architecture. Based on Blockchain and Digital Twin Technology, the proposed system offers a promising solution for efficient water management in smart cities, ensuring users' reliable delivery of high-quality drinking water.

Artificial lizard search optimized fuzzy logic approach to addressing authentication and data security challenges in P2P cloud environments

The cloud is a widely used technology for inter-organizational data exchange and managing digital information. Even though it offers significant potential for user convenience it is subjected to different security as well as privacy issues due to the refusal of the cloud peer to disclose their identity to others. This arise the need for an effective data exchange among different cloud peers by preserving the anonymity and data privacy of the users. Hence, an anonymous secure data exchange solution is presented in this article by employing authentication as well as key agreement (AKA) protocol. The Fuzzy Logic-Based Anonymous Identity Generation Module is used to improve the data security and user privacy of the AKA protocol by establishing mutual authentication for multiple users via the session keys. The use of the peer-to-peer (P2P) cloud system in this study offers secure and reliable storage since data is partitioned into small blocks and stored in multiple locations. The fuzzy logic model offers registration services and prevents the P2P cloud from various attacks and temporary key leakage issues using the session key. The proposed model is tested on the NIST Special Database 302, and it demonstrates superior performance compared to existing methods. Experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method in achieving better security and resilience against various cyber-attacks. Furthermore, it minimizes communication overhead during the authentication process and provides resistance against various cyber-attacks. In this manner, the proposed model withstands different attacks and preserves user privacy when compared to the baseline security protocols.

Integrity Audition of Shared Data on Cloud with User Privacy Preserving

This paper introduces a robust solution, "Secure Data Storage and Auditing," aimed at addressing contemporary challenges in data security and integrity verification within cloud environments. Through an integrated system of modules, the project achieves secure data storage through encryption and cryptographic tagging, followed by independent data integrity audits. Users' privacy is preserved as the Third-Party Auditor (TPA) verifies data without direct access to content. The project demonstrates effective data management, user privacy preservation, and real-time auditing, contributing to data security in cloud-based infrastructures. The methodology showcases the project's systematic approach to module integration, ensuring a comprehensive solution for secure data management and accountability.

COVID-19 and the Digital Transformation that Followed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the digital transformation landscape in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Its main goal is to find out to what extent the pandemic has spurred digital technology adoption. During the pandemic, Saudi Arabia has seen a rapid transition to digital solutions in various areas such as remote working, online education and e-commerce. And telemedicine. This study examines the factors that contribute to this transition and assesses its long-term consequences. A quantitative, inductive and explanatory study design was selected for this study to analyze primary data collected from 247 respondents working in official UK organisations, ministries and agencies. Saudi Arabia through a survey questionnaire page. Statistical analysis tools were used to evaluate the conclusions of the results. Key findings highlight the central role of government investments in digital infrastructure and highlight the challenges of digital literacy and data security. Ultimately, this study acknowledges that the pandemic has acted as a catalyst, reshaping traditional business models and service delivery. To build on this momentum, the recommendations call for sustainable investment in digital infrastructure, increasing digital literacy, and encouraging innovation through collaborative and responsive partnerships. Actively on network security issues.