Emerging Security Challenges Research Articles

Beijing’s ‘Going Out’ Strategy and Belt and Road Initiative in the Sahel: The Case of China’s Growing Presence in Niger

ABSTRACTIn looking at the case of Niger, this article demonstrates that there have been a lot of similarities between China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) launched in 2013 and its ‘going out’ strategy initiated in the late 1990s. Prior to 2013, many of the BRI’s objectives and strategies were already at work in Africa, and particularly in socioeconomically poor, landlocked countries that badly need infrastructure and connectivity. It also shows that China has been ready to invest in projects that are not necessarily profitable in the short term to consolidate its economic and diplomatic presence in the targeted country as well as to help its large state firms growing and internationalizing. It then demonstrates that although Niger did not belong in the initial group of countries targeted by the BRI, this initiative has contributed to deepening China’s economic and political influence in Niger, particularly to the detriment of France. Finally, this article highlights that both in Africa, particularly in the Sahel region, and in the BRI countries, China is facing emerging security challenges, continuing to mainly rely on others to overcome them.

Challenges in the Baltic Sea region: geopolitics, insecurity and identity

ABSTRACTThis article addresses the changing security environment in the Baltic Sea region and reviews the patterns of cooperation and conflict since the end of the Cold War. The exploration starts from the concerns voiced by analysts since 2014 that the Baltic Sea could become the scene for a military confrontation with Russia. The article reviews the scholarly debates and examines the insights gained from past developments in the region. It underlines the utility of cooperation to address emerging security challenges and highlights the drivers of insecurity and threat perceptions, revealing the importance of changes in the sense of identity and belonging across the region. The article situates the contributions to the Forum: The Return of Geopolitics to the Baltic Sea Region in the context of the lessons that can be drawn from the shifts and changes that have taken place in the region in the last three decades.

Surveying the Hardware Trojan Threat Landscape for the Internet-of-Things

The Internet-of-Things (IoT) has emerged as one of the most innovative multidisciplinary paradigms combining heterogeneous sensors, software architectures, embedded hardware systems, and data analytics. With the growth in deployment of IoT systems, security of the sensors and trustworthiness of the data exchanged is of paramount significance. IoT security approaches are derived from the vulnerabilities existing in cyber-physical systems (CPS) and the countermeasures designed against them. This paper surveys the vulnerabilities posed due to the presence of hardware Trojans in such IoT-based CPS. The threats, trigger points, detection methods, and countermeasures for targeting hardware Trojans are discussed in detail. Finally, some of the new emerging security challenges and countermeasures are addressed.

A Comprehensive Study of Security of Internet-of-Things

Internet of Things (IoT), also referred to as the Internet of Objects, is envisioned as a transformative approach for providing numerous services. Compact smart devices constitute an essential part of IoT. They range widely in use, size, energy capacity, and computation power. However, the integration of these smart things into the standard Internet introduces several security challenges because the majority of Internet technologies and communication protocols were not designed to support IoT. Moreover, commercialization of IoT has led to public security concerns, including personal privacy issues, threat of cyber attacks, and organized crime. In order to provide a guideline for those who want to investigate IoT security and contribute to its improvement, this survey attempts to provide a comprehensive list of vulnerabilities and countermeasures against them on the edge-side layer of IoT, which consists of three levels: (i) edge nodes, (ii) communication, and (iii) edge computing. To achieve this goal, we first briefly describe three widely-known IoT reference models and define security in the context of IoT. Second, we discuss the possible applications of IoT and potential motivations of the attackers who target this new paradigm. Third, we discuss different attacks and threats. Fourth, we describe possible countermeasures against these attacks. Finally, we introduce two emerging security challenges not yet explained in detail in previous literature.

Narrative Alignment and Misalignment: NATO as a Global Actor as Seen from Australia and New Zealand

ABSTRACTIn the wake of the Afghan missions, this article assesses the appetite in Australia and New Zealand for an ongoing relationship with NATO. Australia and New Zealand share many commonalities in their cultural, political, and economic profiles. Yet their identities in the realm of defense and security differ subtly, which has important implications for the reception of NATO’s strategic narratives in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. Drawing on strategic narrative theory (SNT), we assess perceptions of NATO in Australia and New Zealand. By collecting and analyzing empirical data from political, academic, and military elites, we find that there is a keen desire for an on-going partnership with NATO, particularly in maintaining interoperability and in the area of “emerging security challenges.” Although the findings were mostly positive for NATO, New Zealand elites were more reticent about NATO involvement than those in Australia, where elites saw NATO and the Global Partnership as a potentially useful – if under-utilized – asset in areas of non-traditional security cooperation.

The rise of ransomware and emerging security challenges in the Internet of Things

With the increasing miniaturization of smartphones, computers, and sensors in the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm, strengthening the security and preventing ransomware attacks have become key concerns. Traditional security mechanisms are no longer applicable because of the involvement of resource-constrained devices, which require more computation power and resources. This paper presents the ransomware attacks and security concerns in IoT. We initially discuss the rise of ransomware attacks and outline the associated challenges. Then, we investigate, report, and highlight the state-of-the-art research efforts directed at IoT from a security perspective. A taxonomy is devised by classifying and categorizing the literature based on important parameters (e.g., threats, requirements, IEEE standards, deployment level, and technologies). Furthermore, a few credible case studies are outlined to alert people regarding how seriously IoT devices are vulnerable to threats. We enumerate the requirements that need to be met for securing IoT. Several indispensable open research challenges (e.g., data integrity, lightweight security mechanisms, lack of security software’s upgradability and patchability features, physical protection of trillions of devices, privacy, and trust) are identified and discussed. Several prominent future research directions are provided.

Emerging Security Challenges in South Asia: Impacts on Pakistan

Emerging Security Challenges in South Asia: Impacts on Pakistan

Emerging Security Challenges to Africa: The Case of Haphazard Disposal of Pharmaceuticals in Ghana

The study of the Disposal of Unused/Unwanted Medicines Project examines ways in which medicines are disposed of in Ghana and assesses how disposal methods can impact water resources. The study showed a number of challenges: gaps in the legislative framework for the disposal of medicines; environmentally-unfriendly methods of disposal of medicines; and large quantities of medicines potentially disposed of indiscriminately with major impact on the environment. It recommends a review of the legal framework to ensure the proper disposal of all unused medicines; policies to mop up excess medicines with members of the public; review of prescribing and dispensing practices to reduce excess medicines; and further research into the types of pharmaceuticals that are present and persist in the environment, their effects and how they affect quality of life.

Emotional and Cognitive Influence in Extraordinary Situations : Psychological Study of Responses with Content Analysis Methods

The experience of extraordinary situation influences the whole personality. Nowadays the dominant crises – events such as war, natural disasters, economic crises and terrorism – affect an individual’s emotional, cognitive and behavioural responses. The emerging security challenges require adequate prevention strategies and crisis intervention, which involves the analysis of the psychological processes with modern methods. This paper shows the effectiveness of the psychological methods in the management of such situations. The article is divided into several parts; the first part is a general definition of special situations, the second is the presentation of the emotional and physiological consequences, while the third deals with the description of the cognitive aspects. The final part of the study attends to the psychological content analysis in emergencies as a possible research area.

Three Emerging Security Challenges for the UK

In light of the planned 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, it is timely to consider afresh the global security landscape and the UK's place within it. What does “security” mean in this context, and what challenges does the UK face? Following a discussion of the meaning of “security”, the article will identify three broad themes from which security challenges for the UK emerge. These are: (1) cyberspace and the digital age; (2) change and the current international system; and (3) inequality within the UK. By examining recent developments in each of these areas, it will be argued that there are good reasons for these challenges to remain important in thinking about British security over the medium to longer term.

The European Union as a Normative Actor and its External Relations with Southeast Asia

It is commonplace that the European Union (EU) attempts to diffuse human rights and the other ‘essential elements’ to its external partners. It is also commonly known that these attempts frequently face accusations of inconsistency and double standards from without as well as within the EU. The aim of this article is to assess why the EU has readily promoted norms and values in some instances and not in others through the examination of the EU as an actor in the case of transboundary and newly emerging security challenges in Southeast Asia. This article suggests that the EU has displayed a demand-oriented and issue-specific shift in its strategy to effectively diffuse norms. This is not a capitulation of norms and values on the part of the EU. Rather, it is the re-strategisation of its normative identity in its external relations to match the domestic and international realities.

Emerging Security Challenges

Emerging Security Challenges

Secure e-Government Services

E-Government offers many benefits to government agencies, citizens and the business community. However, e-Government services are prone to current and emerging security challenges posing potential threats to critical information assets. Securing it appears to be a major challenge facing governments globally. Based on the international security standards – the paper thoroughly investigates and analyzes eleven e-government maturity models (eGMMs) for security services. Further, it attempts to establish a common frame of reference for eGMM critical stages. The study utilizes the Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) of scientific inquiry/ learning cycle adopted from Checkland and Scholes. The findings show that security services (technical and non-technical) are lacking in eGMMs – implying that eGMMs were designed to measure more quantity of offered e-government services than the quality of security services. Therefore, as a step towards achieving secure e-government services the paper proposes a common frame of reference for eGMM with five critical stages. These stages will later be extended to include the required security services.

Hybridní hrozby a vývoj nové operační koncepce NATO

The article deals with aspects of the new emerging security challenges that military experts define as "hybrid threats". They have arised from methods of insurgency and asymmetric warfare, and as a step-child of the 4th generation warfare constitute significant challenge for the Alliance and its global interests. Experience from current operations has demonstrated that these enemies can conduct hostile actions through broad array of conventional or non-conventional means, methods and procedures, having a favorable outcome even against the NATO force that is superior technologically and militarily. Cognition of the scale and complexity of these threats lead Alliance representatives to the development of an overarching operational concept for the NATO Military Contribution to Countering Hybrid Threats (MCCHT). This concept, still in draft, illustrates the unique challenges posed by current and future hybrid threats, and explains why these challenges may require NATO to adapt its strategy, structure and capabilities for the next twenty years.

NATO and Emerging Security Challenges: Beyond the Deterrence Paradigm

ABSTRACT New security challenges, ranging from cyberattacks to failing states, cannot be deterred by the threat of military retaliation, nor will military operations be the appropriate response in most cases. Instead, the emphasis must be on prevention and enhancing resilience. If the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) wants to play a meaningful role in addressing such challenges, it will have to develop a clearer understanding of the nature of these challenges, build closer ties with other nations and institutions, and seek partnerships with the private sector. Above all, allies will have to use NATO as a forum for discussing emerging security challenges and their implications.

HYBRID THREATS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW NATO OVERARCHING CONCEPT

This article deals with aspects of newly emerging security challenges that military theoreticians and authors of security and defense strategic documents name ‘Hybrid Threats’. They currently present a significant challenge for the Alliance and its interests. Hybrid Threats involve adversaries (including states, rogue states, non-state actors or terrorist organizations) that may employ a combination of actions in an increasingly unconstrained operating environment in order to achieve their aims. Hybrid Threats may consist of a combination of every aspect of warfare and compound the activities of multiple adversaries. Experience from current operations has demonstrated that adversaries can now conduct hostile actions through a broad array of conventional or non-conventional means, methods and procedures, having a favorable outcome against a NATO force that is technologically and militarily superior. Cognition of the scale and complexity of future threats has demanded a development of an overarching Capstone Concept1 for the NATO Military Contribution to Countering Hybrid Threats (MCCHT). This Concept articulates the unique challenges posed by current and future Hybrid Threats and explains why these challenges may require NATO to adapt its strategy, structure and capabilities for the next twenty years.

Cilvil-military Interoperability in Support of NATO Emerging Security Challenges

A speech by the Deputy Assistant Secretary General, Emerging Security Challenges Division, NATO International Staff, to the Second Workshop on Multinational Cooperation in Civil-Military Interoperability in Sofia, underlining the importance of civil-military interaction and multinational approaches in various frameworks, as well as their important contribution to allied and national capabilities to deal with new threats and challenges.

Authentications and Key Management in 3G-WLAN Interworking

The successful deployment of WLAN for high speed data transmission and 3G cellular systems for wide coverage and global roaming has emerged to be a complementary platform for wireless data communications. But security in the 3G-WLAN interworking, especially the efficient authentication and valid key management, has been remaining a challenging issue. What's more, some emerging security challenges are neglected by 3GPP specifications as well as the previous studies. This paper first analyzes and evaluates the current contributions in this field, and then puts forward some design issues. Thereafter, by modifying the EAP-AKA keying framework we propose an improved authentication scheme which enables a WLAN user to efficiently access packet switch services through the 3G networks. What's more, through the new keying framework the user can efficiently realize the future re-authentications and handover authentications. The proposed authentication scheme, the corresponding re-authentications and handover authentications are simulated, and results indicate that our scheme can reduce authentication latency significantly.

A framework towards enhancing trust and authorisation for e-commerce service

Traditional access control a.k.a. authorisation for e commerce systems is not flexible and efficient enough to combat the new emerging security challenges and public remains concerned about the security of online transactions as can be seen from http://www.security-survey.gov.uk. Challenges like changes in consumer's behaviour, advances in broadband technology, industrial maturity and entropy converging to usher in a new era of e-commerce security. The authors' proposed framework provides trust transformation rules which have associated conditions for authorisations to control access. The introduction of trust method formalises the conditions within logical perspective. The authors aim to build the architecture and trust model for trust and authorisation within an e-commerce service system. The architecture will help to build a secure e-commerce service system. The underlying framework will not only inform researchers of a better design for secure e-commerce service, but also assist e-commerce systems developers in the understanding of intricate constructions within trust and authorisation. This includes protecting transactions records of customers in terms of information privacy and access. The authors also propose rigorous logical foundation for trust and authorisation in e-commerce service environments based on ABLP.

Japan's Security Concerns and Policy Responses

Japanese foreign policy and security perceptions have undergone a perceptible and steady change over the past decade, especially under the leadership of former Prime Minister Koizumi (2001-2006). Its support for the US war on terror was a significant step in its growing international politico-security profile. Japan's security perceptions in this period have been shaped by two distinct factors: hard security concerns that flow from the rising power and influence of China, and the uncertainties in the Korean Peninsula, especially in regard to the North Korean nuclear and missile programmes; and those that emerge from its quest for assured energy supplies from abroad and security of its large maritime interests as a trading nation. In the past five years it has sought an active international role to deal with its emerging security challenges, and a greater influence on global institutions that deal with security issues. Japan's quest for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, the changing role of its Self-Defense Forces abroad, the ongoing attempts to revise the Constitution, its active participation with the United States in the ballistic missile defence programme, and its search for new strategic partners in Southeast Asia and India all indicate a fundamental shift in security policies and its emergence as a 'normal state'.