Security Elements Research Articles

Detection of Indian Counterfeit Currency Notes with MATLAB-Based Feature Extraction

Fakes are a major threat to India’s economy hence the need for a solution that will help detect these materials easily and accurately. The detection of counterfeit currency is a major concern for almost all countries, and this research focuses on developing a MATLAB-based counterfeit currency detection system which evaluates a true image of the Indian Currencies with the help of image processing and pattern recognition technique. Benefiting from MATLAB’s powerful image processing resources, the system conducts the necessary preprocessing, feature extraction and classification of vital security elements of currency, such as watermarks, security threads and micro-lettering which play an important role in identifying the genuine currency from the counterfeit. The specific characteristics of edge and texture are statistically and geometrically calculated, and the normal and high-resolution light conditions are at high accuracy with varying resolutions. In order to determine a distinction between actual and fake notes, support vector machine (SVM) classifiers are used. By validating this MATLAB solution, it has been determined to be effective as an easy to use, robust and customizable software that has the potential to work in numerous operations within banking and retail and prevent the spreading of counterfeit money.

Nourishing Aquatic Life: A Comprehensive Reviewing of Fish Feed Strategies and Disease Combat in Aquaculture

With an increasing focus on creating sustainable methods that satisfy the nutritional requirements of aquatic life while successfully containing disease outbreaks, aquaculture has emerged as a crucial element of global food security. Nourishing Aquatic Life: A Comprehensive Review of Fish Feed Strategies and Disease Combat in Aquaculture explores the delicate balance between disease management and feed optimization, two crucial factors influencing the ecological sustainability and productivity of aquaculture systems. Innovative substitutes, including plant-based proteins, insect meal, and microbial sources, are being assessed alongside conventional fish feed formulations, which rely on fishmeal and fish oil to lessen environmental stresses while preserving high nutritional value. This article also covers how probiotics, prebiotics, and immunostimulants can improve fish immunity and resilience against common diseases, lowering the need for antibiotics and the likelihood of resistance. Additionally, we look at the most recent developments in fish feed formulation using biofloc, genetic engineering, and nanotechnology, emphasizing their implications for better fish health and disease resistance. These innovative strategies offer a hopeful vision for the future of aquaculture, inspiring us to continue our efforts in this field.

Research on Quantum Key, Distribution Key and Post-quantum Cryptography Key Applied Protocols for Data Science and Web Security

Currently, data security is one of the most concerning research topics. The traditional RSA encryption system has become vulnerable to quantum algorithms such as Grover and Shor, leading to the development of new security systems for the quantum. As a result, quantum cryptography is gaining importance as a key element of future communication security. This study focuses on quantum key distribution protocols for data quantum encryption, aiming to achieve quantum robustness in all stages of quantum cryptography communication processes. Quantum cryptography communication requires robust quantum encryption not only between end-nodes but also between all components. Therefore, this study demonstrates the process of end-to-end data quantum encryption and proves the overall quantum robustness in this process.

Mechanisms of state regulation of the sphere of financial services to ensure sustainable development of Ukraine in the context of national security: Public administration aspects

The article makes an attempt of conceptual comprehension of state of the art in the field of public administration mechanisms for the regulation of financial services sphere in the context of sustainable development as an important element of national security. The case of Ukraine is taken as a reference point, considered in comparative plane on the background of cases of the U.S., EU, and ASEAN. The core drawbacks, lags, and challenges in Ukrainian financial regulation sphere are outlined, and the areas of potential improvement are suggested.

Geostrategic dimensions of recent food policy decisions

AbstractThis article analyzes the geostrategic dimensions in food policy responses to two recent global shocks: the Corona‐SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic and the Russian war against Ukraine. The analysis adds to the general assessments of economic security by providing a case study of food policy and food security as an element of economic security. Strong national path dependent trajectories in food policies can be observed. However, geostrategic dimensions related to interstate interaction and political considerations in policymaking that go beyond food security are also observed.

Fortifying the Cloud: Navigating Data Security Challenges and Pioneering Future-Ready Solutions

Cloud computing has transformed data storage, management, and processing, offering scalability, flexibility, and cost-efficiency. However, it presents significant security challenges. This paper examines critical data security elements in cloud computing, with a focus on maintaining confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Current security mechanisms, including encryption, identity management, firewalls, and intrusion detection, are reviewed alongside their limitations in multi-tenant environments, insecure APIs, and insider threats. Network challenges are addressed, particularly the integration of IoT, edge, and fog computing for improved security and efficiency. Emerging trends such as zero trust architecture, AI-driven security, quantum-safe encryption, and blockchain solutions are highlighted as pivotal developments. The paper underscores the need for proactive, adaptive security strategies to protect sensitive data amid evolving threats and regulatory complexities in cloud security.

Sloth: Key Stretching and Deniable Encryption using Secure Elements on Smartphones

Privacy enhancing technologies must not only protect sensitive data in-transit, but also locally at-rest. For example, anonymity networks hide the sender and/or recipient of a message from network adversaries. However, if a participating device is physically captured, its owner can be pressured to give access to the stored conversations. Therefore, client software should allow the user to plausibly deny the existence of meaningful data. Since biometrics can be collected without consent and server-based authentication leaks metadata, implementations typically rely on memorable passwords for local authentication. Traditional password-based key stretching lacks a strict time guarantee due to the ease of parallelized password guessing by attackers. This paper introduces Sloth, a key stretching method leveraging the Secure Element (SE) commonly found in modern smartphones to provide a strict rate limit on password guessing. While this would be straightforward with full access to the SE, Android and iOS only provide a very limited API. Sloth utilizes the existing developer SE API and novel cryptographic constructions to build an effective rate-limit for password guessing on recent Android and iOS devices. Our approach ensures robust security even for short, randomly-generated, six-character alpha-numeric passwords against adversaries with virtually unlimited computing resources. Our solution is compatible with approximately 96% of iPhones and 45% of Android phones and Sloth seamlessly integrates without device or OS modifications, making it immediately usable by app developers today. We formally define the security of Sloth and evaluate its performance on various devices. Finally, we present HiddenSloth, a plausibly-deniable encryption scheme leveraging Sloth. It provides multi-snapshot resistance against adversaries who can covertly capture its on-disk content multiple times.

ANTI-CORRUPTION RESPONSIBILITIES OF CANDIDATES ACCORDING TO THE LEGISLATION OF KAZAKHSTAN (based on materials of the election campaign for the elections of the Mazhilis of Kazakhstan 2023)

The article notes that the institution of elections is one of the important elements of state security in any state. In this regard, it is common practice to enshrine in national electoral legislation provisions aimed at ensuring law and order in various spheres of life. Anti-corruption norms occupy a special place in electoral legislation. The article notes that the institution of elections is one of the important elements of state security in any state. In this regard, it is common practice to enshrine in national electoral legislation provisions aimed at ensuring law and order in various spheres of life. Anti-corruption norms occupy a special place in electoral legislation. According to the author, the enshrinement of anti-corruption responsibilities in the electoral legislation is connected to a greater extent not with electoral law, but with the legislation defining the legal status of deputies and elected officials. The author examines the features of establishing anti-corruption responsibilities in the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as electoral practice. In most cases, the judicial authorities decided to uphold the decision of the relevant election commission to cancel the registration of a candidate. Moreover, in a number of cases, candidates managed to overturn the decision of the election commission to refuse registration. An analysis of electoral practice led to the conclusion that in most cases, many offenses in the area under consideration were the result of candidates’ legal illiteracy, their inattention, and the amount of unreliable information was most often insignificant. In this regard, it is concluded that the legislation should allow election commissions and judicial bodies to more widely use their own discretion when resolving such cases.

Food system management towards a sustainable end to hunger (SDG2)

With the emerging threats to global food security, it is now more urgent to take proactive steps toward ensuring the sustainability of food systems that will support the increasing global population. Hence, the current themed edition of this journal 'Food System Management towards Sustainable End to Hunger-SDG2' is a relevant and timely topic to encourage the participation and contributions of active researchers on measures of combating food insecurity and hunger. The themed edition comprises a set of research and review articles focusing on the relevant elements of food security, sustainability and the effect of incorporating newer technologies in agriculture. Every paper in this edition presents a specific perspective on the comprehensive process that is necessary to realise SDG2 which aims to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.

LGBT - A GLOBAL ISSUE: SOCIAL IMPACT PREVENTIVE SOLUTION FROM QURANIC PERSPECTIVE (STUDY OF QURANIC CHAPTER AL-A‘RAF [7]: 80-81)

The LGBT Problem is a hotly vulnerable discussion in 2021-2024. This is marked by the emergence of many movements from activists and sympathizers of LGBT supporters who ask for their rights in public spaces, such as the rights of society in general. The presence of a movement that advocates equality for LGBT people has a close relationship with the people of Prophet Lut (‘Alaih As-Salam), who have a different sexual orientation from humans in general, which in Arabic, is called liwatat (sodomy). The campaign effort was then carried out openly in the public. This study aims to analyze the practice of LGBT from an Islamic perspective based on the Quranic chapter Al-A‘raf verses 80-81. The results showed that the emergence of LGBT movements and campaigns today are an inseparable part of the story of Prophet Lut’s society, which has an unusual sexual orientation. The condition is caused by environmental, psychological, and theological factors. The rise of efforts to voice the equality of Human Rights openly has an impact on society in various aspects, including in the elements of health, society, education, and security. Thus, preventive solutions are needed to fend off the LGBT behaviour such as through education of faith and Islamic SharÊ‘ah, besides moral, psychiatric, social and sexual education.

Транспортная безопасность современного государства как социоюридический феномен

Introduction. The article is devoted to the issues concerning transport security – a complex socio-juridical formation, an element of national security of the state. Awareness of the determinacy of transport security by the political influence of the state in the international sphere contributed to the recognition of the development of transport infrastructure and its improvement as a national priority of the state. The historiographical analysis of the research subject reveals a number of scientific researches, which highlighted certain aspects of the formation of the idea of transport security and its implementation. However, transport security of the modern state as a socio-legal phenomenon remains uncharacterised. Methods. The research is based on the principles of comprehensive study of legal processes and phenomena, the integrity of theory and practice. The main methodological approaches were systemic and value-based ones. In the course of the research methods of periodisation, retrospective analysis, functional, formal-legal methods, method of content analysis of legal acts were used. An important role belonged to the sociological method, which made it possible, through the questionnaire surveys conducted by the author of the article, to determine the specifics of the subject composition of the transport security system and the peculiarities of law enforcement practice in the field of transport security in the Russian Federation. Results. The degree of development in legal science of questions concerning transport security is revealed; in the context of ideas about the modern state the content of the concept of “transport security” is specified; transport security and its maintenance are characterised as systems; internal affairs bodies are described as a subject of its ensuring; on the basis of independently conducted sociological researches the features of application of legal norms in the sphere of ensuring transport security are determined.

THE INTERFACE BETWEEN THE BIOCEANIC ROAD AND THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE (BRI) FROM A BRAZILIAN PERSPECTIVE ON CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS

The current changing in world dynamics leads to an increased complexity on countries relations. From this perspective, the article's general objective analyses the impact of Latin America and East Asia integration through the Bioceanic Corridor and the Belt and Road Initiative on illicit markets. The specific objectives focus on identifying complicating elements for regional security, stemming from the collaborative and competitive engagements of actors within illegal networks. The adopted methodology is predominantly qualitative, involving bibliographic review, document analysis and case studies based on data from academic and government documents, and reports from international organizations. The addressed topics include drug and weapons trafficking, infrastructure initiatives, regional and global interconnection, and their relations to the criminal phenomena in South America. From the results obtained, the article emphasizes the anticipatory dimension, providing preventive recommendations in international collaboration, standardization of informational capabilities through common data models in road logistics hubs, and the application of security protocols in maritime hubs, with emphasis on the ARESP methodology (Risk Analysis with Emphasis on Port Security), contributing to regional integration on global security, and proposing practical and collaborative measures to anticipate and mitigate potential challenges arising from the interconnection of illicit networks on a global scale.

Fault-Resistant Partitioning of Secure CPUs for System Co-Verification against Faults

Fault injection attacks are a serious threat to system security, enabling attackers to bypass protection mechanisms or access sensitive information. To evaluate the robustness of CPU-based systems against these attacks, it is essential to analyze the consequences of the fault propagation resulting from the complex interplay between the software and the processor. However, current formal methodologies combining hardware and software face scalability issues due to the monolithic approach used. To address this challenge, this work formalizes the k-fault-resistant partitioning notion to solve the fault propagation problem when assessing redundancy-based hardware countermeasures in a first step. Proven security guarantees can then reduce the remaining hardware attack surface when introducing the software in a second step. First, we validate our approach against previous work by reproducing known results on cryptographic circuits. In particular, we outperform state-of-the-art tools for evaluating AES under a three-fault-injection attack. Then, we apply our methodology to the OpenTitan secure element and formally prove the security of its CPU’s hardware countermeasure to single bit-flip injections. Besides that, we demonstrate that previously intractable problems, such as analyzing the robustness of OpenTitan running a secure boot process, can now be solved by a co-verification methodology that leverages a k-fault-resistant partitioning. We also report a potential exploitation of the register file vulnerability in two other software use cases. Finally, we provide a security fix for the register file, prove its robustness, and integrate it into the OpenTitan project.

A NOVEL COST-EFFECTIVE PRESSURE SENSOR BASED FLOOD MONITORING SYSTEM WITH IOT

Floods are one of the most frequent and destructive natural hazards in the world. Early warning and flood monitoring is beneficial in the response and preparedness for this hazard. This paper presents a novel, low-cost flood monitoring system for disaster prevention, based on a pressure sensor. The system comprises a state-of-the-art microcontroller, a pressure sensor, and a security element. It is connected to an Internet of Things (IoT) cloud service, allowing for further data processing, interaction, and storage. The sensor data is processed to provide real-time flood measurements. The calibration data obtained from the designed system demonstrates a linear correlation between the water level and the sensor output. Additionally, the system was able to provide flood level measurements with an average error of 4.08% using the calibration equation, whereas a 4.40% error was obtained when using theoretical equations to determine the flood height.

Security Theatrics: The Role of Visual Cues in Simulated Attacker Target Selection

Visibly deterring potential adversaries is central to security risk assessment and planning operations within many agencies including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Many visible security elements are employed by TSA toward these goals. Questions remain whether these elements deter/displace attackers, and answers are elusive in these data-poor contexts. Using a novel adversarial exercise with a national sample, our paired conjoint experiment across visibly-changing aviation environments finds the majority of tested security infrastructure visibly deterred simulated adversaries. Canine officer presence deterred, biometric scanners induced, and queue density had no appreciable effect upon target selection. Our findings offer useful criminological insights, clear policy applications, and novel quantitative methods for assessing visible deterrent processes in limited data environments.

Food security in Ukraine today’s conditions

The system-forming element of national security is food security, which guarantees effective management of the food system, ensuring the food needs of the appropriate quantity and quality of each country’s citizen. Despite the significant potential of the agricultural sector, which forms the basis of food security, the need to analyse the state of food security in the current situation is due to military operations on the territory of Ukraine, which led to its negative global results. In this regard, the need to develop effective strategies and legal regulation is essential to ensure national and global food security, which in turn requires coordination of efforts of all countries and international organisations through international cooperation. The study aims to establish a pattern regarding the current state of food security by analysing the impact of availability, access, usefulness and stability of food supply on food security. Research methods: comparative analysis; taxonomic analysis; systematisation, generalisation. The survey found that Ukraine’s position in the Global Food Security Index (FSI) among 113 countries in 2022 worsened by 13 points, where the worst indicators for domestic food security are sustainability and adaptability (43.5 points out of 100 and 94th place globally) and economic affordability of food (48.1 points out of 100 and 93rd place in the world). It was found that the actual consumption of vegetables, melons, potatoes, and oil in 2021 was slightly higher than the rational norm, indicating sufficient consumption of these products, while the actual consumption of products that are lower than the rational norm includes meat and meat products, milk and dairy products, fish and fish products, and fruits, berries, and grapes. It has been determined that since 2016, the number of kilocalories in the daily diet of the population of Ukraine has not reached the minimum norm of consumption of basic foodstuffs for the working population. It has been established that in 2020 and 2021, the value of the taxonomic indicator for assessing the level of food security (I) has been decreasing, i.e. the distance to the reference vector has been increasing, which indicates a decrease in the level of food security. The forecasting results suggest a downward trend in the food security index for the period 2022–2027, and there is an urgent need to take measures to eliminate this trend and improve the value of the index, which is extremely important for the security of the state, especially in times of war.

Safety Assessment of Inactivated Whole Virion Booster Vaccine against the SARS­-CoV-­2 Virus (BelCovidVac) in Immunized Study Subjects aged 18 to 60 Years (day 28)

Relevance. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is not yet possible to effectively stop the spread of new strains of coronavirus [1]. At the same time, most experts and analysts in the field of medicine publicly admit that at the moment vaccination is the most powerful weapon in the fight against COVID-19 [2–6]. While vaccination, like the entire health care system, has now become an element of politics and economics, the creation of proprietary vaccine in each country has become an element of national security [7]. Aims. To evaluate the safety of the inactivated booster vaccine «BelCovidVac» in immunized study subjects from 18 to 60 years old (day 28). Materials and methods. A prospective, randomized, double-blind phase I/II trial evaluated the safety of an inactivated whole virion booster vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 virus in two doses in healthy study subjects aged 18 to 60 years who had completed a full course of vaccination with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and/or recovered from COVID-19, which included 129 subjects (24 in phase 1 and 105 in phase 2). Results. The study reported 195 adverse reactions in 94 study subjects. The study reported 80 adverse reactions in 24 (100%) study subjects at Phase 1, and 115 adverse reactions in 70 subjects at Phase 2. The study detected mild adverse reactions in 77,50% of cases at Phase 1, and in 71,30% at Phase 2. Moreover, the study found one serious adverse reaction in 1 subject at Phase 2, which occurred as a result of taking placebo. The incidence of adverse reactions with the use of the candidate vaccine in two doses is comparable to placebo (2 = 3,15, p = 0,08). Conclusion. The vaccine candidate demonstrated good tolerability at both Phase 1 and Phase 2.

MHealth Apps for Dementia, Alzheimer Disease, and Other Neurocognitive Disorders: Systematic Search and Environmental Scan.

Lifestyle behaviors including exercise, sleep, diet, stress, mental stimulation, and social interaction significantly impact the likelihood of developing dementia. Mobile health (mHealth) apps have been valuable tools in addressing these lifestyle behaviors for general health and well-being, and there is growing recognition of their potential use for brain health and dementia prevention. Effective apps must be evidence-based and safeguard user data, addressing gaps in the current state of dementia-related mHealth apps. This study aims to describe the scope of available apps for dementia prevention and risk factors, highlighting gaps and suggesting a path forward for future development. A systematic search of mobile app stores, peer-reviewed literature, dementia and Alzheimer association websites, and browser searches was conducted from October 19, 2022, to November 2, 2022. A total of 1044 mHealth apps were retrieved. After screening, 152 apps met the inclusion criteria and were coded by paired, independent reviewers using an extraction framework. The framework was adapted from the Silberg scale, other scoping reviews of mHealth apps for similar populations, and background research on modifiable dementia risk factors. Coded elements included evidence-based and expert credibility, app features, lifestyle elements of focus, and privacy and security. Of the 152 apps that met the final selection criteria, 88 (57.9%) addressed modifiable lifestyle behaviors associated with reducing dementia risk. However, many of these apps (59/152, 38.8%) only addressed one lifestyle behavior, with mental stimulation being the most frequently addressed. More than half (84/152, 55.2%) scored 2 points out of 9 on the Silberg scale, with a mean score of 2.4 (SD 1.0) points. Most of the 152 apps did not disclose essential information: 120 (78.9%) did not disclose expert consultation, 125 (82.2%) did not disclose evidence-based information, 146 (96.1%) did not disclose author credentials, and 134 (88.2%) did not disclose their information sources. In addition, 105 (69.2%) apps did not disclose adherence to data privacy and security practices. There is an opportunity for mHealth apps to support individuals in engaging in behaviors linked to reducing dementia risk. While there is a market for these products, there is a lack of dementia-related apps focused on multiple lifestyle behaviors. Gaps in the rigor of app development regarding evidence base, credibility, and adherence to data privacy and security standards must be addressed. Following established and validated guidelines will be necessary for dementia-related apps to be effective and advance successfully.

Integration of Artificial Intelligence with Web3 technologies for Affiliate Marketing: Review and Analysis

This article explores affiliate marketing integration with AI and Web3 technologies, providing a comprehensive analysis of their individual and combined potential to revolutionize the digital marketing landscape. Starting with defining the core components, the article sets a foundation for understanding how AI and Web3 can synergistically enhance affiliate marketing strategies. The paper proceeds with a detailed overview of traditional affiliate marketing models, highlighting their evolution in response to technological advances and changing market dynamics. The article further examines the global landscape of affiliate marketing, presenting current statistics and trends that underscore its economic significance. A focused discussion on AI technologies pertinent to affiliate marketing reveals how machine learning, natural language processing, and predictive analytics can optimize performance and decision-making processes. The role of Web3 is examined by its ability to introduce decentralized, transparent, and secure elements into affiliate marketing, suggesting a shift towards more user-centric models. Finally, the potential of combining AI with Web3 is discussed, illustrating how this convergence can lead to innovative marketing strategies that are more effective and uphold higher standards of integrity. This synthesis aims to illuminate how modern technologies can be harnessed to foster a new digital marketing era.

Firearms control as an element of criminological security in the concept of transitional justice for Ukraine

Firearms control as an element of criminological security in the concept of transitional justice for Ukraine