Emerging Security Challenges Research Articles

Interview with Nils Melzer

Nils Melzer was appointed as the Director of International Law, Policy and Humanitarian Diplomacy of the International Committee of the Red Cross in 2022. He previously served with the ICRC from 1999 until 2011, both as a delegate in operational contexts and as a Legal Adviser in Geneva. He has also been the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (2016–22), Senior Security Policy Adviser to the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2015–16), and Vice-President of the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in Sanremo (2019–22). An affiliate Professor of International Law at the University of Glasgow, he has also held the Swiss Chairs for Human Rights and for International Humanitarian Law at the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, and has been a Senior Fellow and Programme Adviser for Emerging Security Challenges at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, as well as Research Director at the Centre for Business and Human Rights at the University of Zürich.

Exploring the fusion of lattice‐based quantum key distribution for secure Internet of Things communications

AbstractThe integration of lattice‐based cryptography principles with Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) protocols is explored to enhance security in the context of Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystems. With the advent of quantum computing, traditional cryptographic methods are increasingly susceptible to attacks, necessitating the development of quantum‐resistant approaches. By leveraging the inherent resilience of lattice‐based cryptography, a synergistic fusion with QKD is proposed to establish secure and robust communication channels among IoT devices. Through comprehensive Qiskit simulations and theoretical analysis, the feasibility, security guarantees, and performance implications of this novel hybrid approach are thoroughly investigated. The findings not only demonstrate the efficacy of lattice‐based QKD in mitigating quantum threats, but also highlight its potential to fortify IoT communications against emerging security challenges. Moreover, the authors provide valuable insights into the practical implementation considerations and scalability aspects of this fusion approach. This research contributes to advancing the understanding of quantum‐resistant cryptography for IoT applications and paves the way for further exploration and development in this critical domain.

Counter-Offset mode: A new paradigm in resisting differential cryptanalysis

This study introduces the Counter-Offset mode, a novel advancement in block cipher encryption techniques designed to enhance the traditional Counter mode’s resistance to differential cryptanalysis. By integrating a unique input transformation mechanism, the Counter-Offset mode significantly improves upon the security features of the conventional Counter mode without compromising its efficiency and ability to process data blocks in parallel. Through a rigorous security analysis, we demonstrate that this innovative mode not only maintains the essential advantages of its predecessor—including parallelizability and low overhead—but also offers increased protection against cryptanalytic attacks. Our findings suggest that the Counter-Offset mode presents a compelling solution for applications requiring high security without the expense of reduced performance. This work lays the groundwork for future investigations into its application across various cryptographic systems, highlighting its potential to address emerging security challenges in the digital age.

A comprehensive decision assessment for trust evaluation in wireless sensor networks

Objective: This study endeavors to tackle the pressing issue of network security within Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) through the introduction of an innovative integrated Pythagorean fuzzy-based method for evaluating network nodes. The primary aim is to enrich decision making frameworks within WSNs by furnishing a robust methodology for identifying and eradicating malevolent nodes. Methods: investigation employs an integrated Pythagorean fuzzy-based methodology to appraise network nodes by scrutinizing specific trust attributes. Comparative assessment with alternative contemporary Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) trust models is conducted to gauge the effectiveness of the proposed strategy. Results: The results underscore the efficacy of the integrated Pythagorean fuzzy-based approach in bolstering network security through the precise identification and elimination of malicious nodes. Comparative analysis with other MCDM trust models highlights the superiority of the proposed approach in evaluating network nodes based on trust attributes. Recommendations: In light of the findings, it is advised to integrate fuzzy decision analysis methodologies into decision making systems for WSNs to enhance network security. Additionally, future research endeavors could concentrate on refining and expanding upon the proposed methodology to effectively address emerging security challenges within WSNs.

NISe: Non-Invasive Secure Framework for Multi-Access Edge Computing

To address the emerging security challenges in Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC), it is imperative that solutions go beyond the current infrastructure-centric measures. These methods, including authentication and access control, are insufficient to combat malware that conceals itself within ME applications. The acknowledged flaws in the ME application layer necessitate an immediate call for creative solutions. In this work, we propose a non-invasive security architecture for MEC, meticulously designed to strike a balance between performance burden and security protection capabilities. The objective of the design contains three major aspects, i.e. user experience, service density and serviceability. We conduct a thorough evaluation that enables us to quantify the significance of high bandwidth, low user experience latency and MEC serviceability. The experimental results and ablation studies indicate that our proposed method effectively balances user experience and security capabilities. This not only provides a practical and cost-effective solution but also establishes a strong precedent for the community to develop a secure MEC with superior performance in real-world production environments.

Emerging security challenges on the island of Borneo

The trinational island of Borneo is facing several new challenges, including the planned construction of Indonesia’s new capital city, political tensions between Malaysia’s federal government and its states of Sabah and Sarawak and economic concerns in Brunei. While some multilateral platforms for regional and sub-regional security cooperation exist, none focuses on pan-Borneo security challenges, which will probably become more pressing during the current decade.

DESIGN OF THE NETWORK SECURITY ARCHITECTURE FOR SMART CAMPUS IN THE PHILIPPINES

This paper aims to study the existing network security framework of Philippine Smart Campuses and propose a more robust network security framework based on situational awareness which addresses emerging security challenges. By investigating and analyzing the current state of smart campus construction in the Philippines, the paper reveals the current problems and vulnerabilities in network security. As educational institutions increasingly adopt smart technologies, the need for a robust cybersecurity framework to protect sensitive data and ensure smooth campus operations becomes crucial. Consequently, a comprehensive network security framework is urgently needed to safeguard vital data and maintain the secure operation of smart campuses in the Philippines.
 It designs a comprehensive and effective network security framework by integrating relevant domestic and international research findings and experiences. The SA framework encompasses multiple security layers, including access control, authentication mechanisms, intrusion detection systems, and incident response. Results demonstrate the significant impact of the proposed cybersecurity framework on enhancing the security of Philippine Smart Campuses. The findings of this study contribute valuable guidance to the development of network security for Philippine smart campuses. By addressing the current network security landscape, identifying challenges, conducting a literature review, and designing the framework, this research presents a more robust network security framework and verifies its effectiveness through implementation. The framework leverages various security technologies and methods such as situational awareness, and zero-trust technology to enhance the security and reliability of smart campus networks. Moreover, it provides substantial support for securing smart campuses in the Philippines, ensuring the integrity of school data, and facilitating sustainable growth.

Security and privacy vulnerabilities of 5G/6G and WiFi 6: Survey and research directions from a coexistence perspective

Spectrum scarcity has been a major concern for achieving the desired quality of experience (QoE) in next-generation (5G/6G and beyond) networks supporting a massive volume of mobile and IoT devices with low-latency and seamless connectivity. Hence, spectrum sharing systems have been considered as a major enabler for next-generation wireless networks in meeting QoE demands. Specifically, the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) has standardized coexistence of 4G LTE License Assisted Access (LAA) network with WiFi in the unlicensed 5 GHz bands, and the 5G New Radio Unlicensed (NR-U) with WiFi 6/6E in 6 GHz bands. While most current coexistence solutions and standards focus on performance improvement and QoE optimization, the emerging security challenges of such network environments have been ignored in the literature. The security framework of standalone networks (either 5G or WiFi) assumes the ownership of entire network resources from spectrum to core functions. Hence, all accesses to the network shall be authenticated and authorized within the intra-network security system and is deemed illegal otherwise. However, coexistence network environments can lead to unprecedented security vulnerabilities and breaches as the standalone networks shall tolerate unknown and out-of-network accesses, specifically in the medium access. In this paper, for the first time in literature, we review some of the critical and emerging security vulnerabilities in the 5G/WiFi coexistence network environment which have not been observed previously in standalone networks. Specifically, independent medium access control (MAC) protocols and the resulting hidden node issues can result in exploitation such as service blocking, deployment of rogue base-stations, and eavesdropping attacks. We study potential vulnerabilities in the perspective of physical layer authentication, network access security, and cross-layer authentication mechanisms. This study opens a new direction of research in the analysis and design of a security framework that can address the unique challenges of coexistence networks.

How AI-enabled SDN technologies improve the security and functionality of industrial IoT network: Architectures, enabling technologies, and opportunities

The ongoing expansion of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is enabling the possibility of effective Industry 4.0, where massive sensing devices in heterogeneous environments are connected through dedicated communication protocols. This brings forth new methods and models to fuse the information yielded by the various industrial plant elements and generates emerging security challenges that we have to face, providing ad-hoc functions for scheduling and guaranteeing the network operations. Recently, the large development of Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies have made feasible the design and control of scalable and secure IIoT networks. This paper studies how AI and SDN technologies combined can be leveraged towards improving the security and functionality of these IIoT networks. After surveying the state-of-the-art research efforts in the subject, the paper introduces a candidate architecture for AI-enabled Software-Defined IIoT Network (AI-SDIN) that divides the traditional industrial networks into three functional layers. And with this aim in mind, key technologies (Blockchain-based Data Sharing, Intelligent Wireless Data Sensing, Edge Intelligence, Time-Sensitive Networks, Integrating SDN&TSN, Distributed AI) and improve applications based on AI-SDIN are also discussed. Further, the paper also highlights new opportunities and potential research challenges in control and automation of IIoT networks.

The role of civil society organisations in peacebuilding in post-conflict society: Kenya and Nigeria

The complex and protracted nature of contemporary violent conflicts in Nigeria and other parts of the world poses increasingly significant challenges to the resolution of armed conflicts. Traditional peace mediation strategies and techniques have proven largely inefficient in responding to emerging security challenges presented by conflicts revolving around religious and ethnopolitical affiliations or other issues related to perceptions of group identity. The objectives of the paper are to review the works of civil society organisations (CSOs) in peacebuilding in post-conflict areas. The paper is limited to Plateau State in Nigeria and the post-election violence of 2008 in Kenya because of the efforts put in place by the CSOs in these countries. Based on the findings, the use of non-military or non-use force to resolve conflict provides lasting solutions because it brings the aggrieved parties to the roundtable to vent their grievances, complaints and perspectives about the issue at hand. The participation of the civil society organisations in volatile situations in Kenya and Nigeria has yielded tremendous success because they utilise the residents affected by the violence to fine-tune measures to address the problems. Keywords: Civil, peace, peacebuilding, organisation

A Lightweight Architecture for Hardware-Based Security in the Emerging Era of Systems of Systems

In recent years, a new generation of the Internet of Things (IoT 2.0) is emerging, based on artificial intelligence, the blockchain technology, machine learning, and the constant consolidation of pre-existing systems and subsystems into larger systems. In this work, we construct and examine a proof-of-concept prototype of such a system of systems, which consists of heterogeneous commercial off-the-shelf components, and utilises diverse communication protocols. We recognise the inherent need for lightweight security in this context, and address it by employing a low-cost state-of-the-art security solution. Our solution is based on a novel hardware and software co-engineering paradigm, utilising well-known software-based cryptographic algorithms, in order to maximise the security potential of the hardware security primitive (a Physical Unclonable Function) that is used as a security anchor. The performance of the proposed security solution is evaluated, proving its suitability even for real-time applications. Additionally, the Dolev-Yao attacker model is considered in order to assess the resilience of our solution towards attacks against the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the examined system of systems. In this way, it is confirmed that the proposed solution is able to address the emerging security challenges of the oncoming era of systems of systems.

Nepal: Internal and External Security Challenges

The post cold war period is marked by a new multi-dimensional strategic environment giving new focus to international relations and security of small states. Though the US is the only superpower, the world surely is moving towards multi-polarity and interdependence where regional powers and international systems have an increasingly powerful role. In such an environment small states are finding themselves even more vulnerable. The world dynamics is changing very quickly and with it security dimensions are also changing which brings security as well as insecurity to the smaller states like Nepal. The Nepali security dynamics cannot remain separate from the world changes and there are internal as well as external changes which are taking place in the country. More importantly with the recent dramatic changes and adaptation of a new constitution an optimistic political tendencies have emerged but with it the emerging internal crisis have emerged. This paper analyzes the new emerging security challenges Nepal is facing in the evolving new world order and at the same time suggests some authenticate credible and viable security options for it. It analyzes the special characteristics of Nepal and its vulnerability to both traditional and new forms of threats. The paper is divided into five sub-headings which include introduction, theoretical understanding, major security challenges, security options for Nepal and conclusion.

Permissioned Blockchain: Securing Industrial IoT Environments

With the significantly increased use of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), it is believed that this technology will revolutionize industrial applications and infrastructures by connecting several industrial assets. But it is getting prone to many cyberattacks and security issues. The emerging security challenges of IIoT can have a devastating effect since it deals with mission and safety-critical systems. Thus, it becomes extremely important to address the security vulnerabilities and susceptibilities of this technology. Blockchain, being one of the most significant solutions to several technologies' security problems, can play a vital role in improving the security of IIoT. Therefore, this paper proposes to use a Hyperledger Fabric Blockchain-enabled IIoT that guarantees the security of the communication medium, data storage, access, and sharing between the IIoT devices and ensures to provide limited access to the authorized identities only. This system also monitors the user access and makes sure that the transactions are performed according to their roles defined by the Certificate Authority (CA) and Membership Service Provider (MSP). Moreover, this paper presents the findings on the implementation of the blockchain network and addresses the key challenges. It evaluates the performance of the proposed network and discusses the key areas to be improved. Finally, the paper describes the benefits of the permissioned blockchain for IIoT and presents a future direction for further research and study.

Tinjauan Ancaman dan Solusi Keamanan pada Teknologi Internet of Things

Internet of Things (IoT) adalah teknologi yang sangat populer akhir-akhir ini di seluruh dunia, yang membantu meng-hubungkan objek-objek seperti sensor, kendaraan, instrumen rumah sakit, industri, dan peralatan rumah tangga melalui internet. Perangkat pintar yang ringkas merupakan bagian penting dari IoT. Perangkat ini beragam dalam penggunaan, ukuran, sumber daya komputasi, dan memori. Namun, pengintegrasian peranti-peranti cerdas ini ke dalam jaringan internet memunculkan berbagai tantangan keamanan karena mayoritas teknologi internet dan protokol komunikasi tidak dirancang secara khusus untuk mendukung peranti IoT. Selain itu, komersialisasi IoT telah menyebabkan masalah keamanan, termasuk masalah privasi, ancaman serangan dunia maya, dan kejahatan terorganisasi. Untuk memberikan pedoman bagi pihak-pihak yang ingin mengembangkan keamanan IoT dan berkontribusi pada peningkatannya, survei ini berupaya memberikan daftar kerentanan dan penanggulangan secara komprehensif terhadap ancaman-ancaman tadi. Untuk mencapai tujuan ini, pertama-tama dipaparkan tiga model referensi IoT yang dikenal luas dan mendefinisikan keamanan dalam konteks IoT. Kedua, dibahas kemungkinan penerapan IoT pada berbagai bidang dan potensi serta motivasi para penyerang yang menargetkan teknologi IoT ini. Ketiga, dilakukan identifikasi dan klasifikasi berbagai serangan dan ancaman IoT. Keempat, dideskripsikan metode penanggulangan terhadap serangan IoT. Pada bagian akhir, diperkenalkan dua tantangan keamanan IoT yang muncul yang

NFV and Blockchain Enabled 5G for Ultra-Reliable and Low-Latency Communications in Industry: Architecture and Performance Evaluation

5G networks are expected to provide cost-efficient, reliable, and flexible services for industrial productions and applications potentially, by introducing emerging network technologies like blockchain and network functions virtualization (NFV), which virtualizes network functions and runs them on standard infrastructure rather than customized hardware. However, how to deal with the emerging security challenges and fulfil the requirement of ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC) has not been fully resolved. In this article, we present an NFV-enabled 5G paradigm for the industry with the guarantee of URLLC through service chain acceleration and dynamic blockchain-based spectrum resource sharing among a variety of industry applications running in NVF-based equipment. First, we elaborate the benefits and shortcomings of NFV for industry, by executing an industry application experiment in virtualized and nonvirtualized data center networks. Then, we illustrate an NFV-enabled 5G paradigm for URLLC in detail, with a special focus on the service chain acceleration and spectrum sharing built on NFV, blockchain, software-defined networking, and mobile edge computing. Finally, we establish a mathematical model to study the worst-cast transmission latency of NFV-enabled 5G with the input of the bursty traffic. The proposed model can be exploited to support the plan, management, and optimization of NFV-enabled 5G URLLC systems for industry.

Future IoT‐enabled threats and vulnerabilities: State of the art, challenges, and future prospects

SummaryIn the recent era, the security issues affecting the future Internet‐of‐Things (IoT) standards has fascinated noteworthy consideration from numerous research communities. In this view, numerous assessments in the form of surveys were proposed highlighting several future IoT‐centric subjects together with threat modeling, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and various emergent technologies. In contrast, in this article, we have focused exclusively on the emerging IoT‐related vulnerabilities. This article is a multi‐fold survey that emphasizes on understanding the crucial causes of novel vulnerabilities in IoT paradigms and issues in existing research. Initially, we have emphasized on different layers of IoT architecture and highlight various emerging security challenges associated with each layer along with the key issues of different IoT systems. Secondly, we discuss the exploitation, detection, and defense methodologies of IoT malware‐enabled distributed denial of service (DDoS), Sybil, and collusion attack capabilities. We have also discussed numerous state‐of‐the‐art strategies for intrusion detection and methods for IDS setup in future IoT systems. Third, we have presented a brief classification of existing IoT authentication protocols and a comparative analysis of such protocols based on different IoT‐enabled cyber attacks. For conducting a real‐time future IoT research, we have presented some emerging blockchain solutions. We have also discussed a comparative examination of some of the recently developed simulation tools and IoT test beds that are characterized based on different layers of IoT infrastructure. We have also outlined some of the open issues and future research directions and also facilitate the readers with broad classification of existing surveys in this domain that addresses several scopes related to the IoT paradigm. This survey article focuses in enabling IoT‐related research activities by comparing and merging scattered surveys in this domain.

Migration and the Emerging Security Challenges in West Africa: Case of Fulani Herders/Sedentary Farmers Conflicts in Nigeria

Recent history of Fulani migrants in Nigeria is inundated with pastoral nomadic violence exacerbated by the increase in the influx of migrating herders within the context of ecological history and Geopolitics. Drawing extensively from the ECOWAS protocol on free movement within the sub region, the Fulani pastoralist have unrestrained access to the nook and crannies of the Nigeria state with attendance violence in contest for scarce resources between local farmers and herders. This is occasioned by deepening environmental dynamics, climate change and climate induced constrictions, altering the age long concentric pattern of coexistence and cooperation to competition and conflict. This work seeks to interrogate this violent trend while trailing the pattern with the view to unraveling the cause of the conflict. The work takes a critical look at the subsisting ECOWAS protocol on free movement within the sub region of West Africa, and it consequences for sub-regional security amongst member states. Anchored on the political ecology perspective, the paper posits, the conflicts have been informed by the desperate struggle for competitive survival and subsistence in an environment characterized by ecological scarcity and livelihood insecurity and the unchallenged culture of arms bearing by the Fulani herders over the years. The work concludes that an urgent constitutional provision is necessary that will provide for private Ranching as a panacea to the perennial conflict between herders and local farmers in Nigeria.Key Words: Fulani Herders, Conflict, Migration, Local Farmers, Ecological Scarcity

The future security of travel by public transport: A review of evidence

This evidence review considers future security of travel by public transport and addresses three questions: (1) What are the current security challenges for public transport networks? (2) What are the emerging future security challenges? (3) What technologies will have the biggest impact on security of public transport in the future? The review identified current personal and operational security challenges associated with: convenience and privacy; interoperability and communication; risks and benefits of increasing connectivity; and skills requirements for the public transport sector. Important emerging security challenges relate to: user and service provider security in a future of data-driven mobility; design and evaluation of security measures for all modes; knowledge-exchange and coordination in research and action to enhance security; and the need to better understand passenger behaviour, needs and attitudes in relation to travel, technology and security. The biggest impact technologies were identified as Vehicle (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles; Connected and Autonomous Vehicles and Electric Vehicles) and ICT (Internet of Things; social media; mobile platforms; Open Data, and Big Data). In relation to ICTs, impacts relate to connectivity and data sharing which represent both vulnerabilities and strengths. For vehicle technologies, automation and connectivity were the factors most influencing impact for good or ill.

Enhancing Information Security via Physical Layer Approaches in Heterogeneous IoT With Multiple Access Mobile Edge Computing in Smart City

Heterogeneous Internet of Things (IoT) and multi-access mobile edge computing (MA-MEC) are believed as supporting technologies for building a smart city. The advancement and flourish of IoT are facilitating the entry of human society into the Internet of Everything era, which lay the foundation of the smart city. To address the conflict between computation capability and low-cost mobile devices in IoT, the MA-MEC is available for supporting the resource-limited and computation-sensitive services and applications by computation offloading and distributed content delivery/caching. However, deploying cloud computing capability within the radio access network may face serious security threats, which stem from not only the existing technologies and networks but also the MA-MEC-based IoT itself. Therefore, in this paper, the solutions to address the security threats are investigated from physical layer perspectives, since physical layer security technologies have the advantages of achieving perfect secrecy, low-computational complexity, and resource consumption, and good adaptation for channel changes. Specifically, we investigate the secure wiretap coding, resource allocation, signal processing, and multi-node cooperation, along with physical layer key generation and authentication, to cope with the emerging security challenges. Finally, the paper is concluded with some possible future research directions.

Artificial Intelligence-Based Security Authentication: Applications in Wireless Multimedia Networks

Security provisioning has become a key issue in wireless multimedia networks due to their vital roles in supporting various services. Conventional security solutions have deficiencies in computing efficiency and addressing emerging security challenges. In addition, traditional upper-layer authentication ignores the protection of the physical layer, leading to severe privacy data leakage. In this paper, we envision a new deep learning (DL)-enabled security authentication scheme to overcome these issues, while implementing Blind Feature Learning (BFL) and Lightweight Physical Layer Authentication (LPLA). Specifically, an intelligent authentication method is developed by exploring neural networks at the data collection unit to learn the characteristics of data. Then we propose a holistic authentication scheme based on machine learning to identify malicious multimedia devices. Experimental analysis verifies that the proposed scheme can guarantee the privacy of wireless multimedia sensors and achieve lightweight authentication. Performance results indicate that artificial intelligence-enabled authentication scheme improves the overall security of multimedia networks.