Hidden Channel Research Articles

Detroit's Hidden Channels: The Power of French-Indigenous Families in the Eighteenth Century by Karen L. Marrero (review)

Detroit's Hidden Channels: The Power of French-Indigenous Families in the Eighteenth Century by Karen L. Marrero (review)

Chesterton’s Epistemology: A Study in the Development of Newman’s Doctrines

This article situates G.K. Chesterton’s work in relation to the theological epistemology of John Henry Newman. It studies the roles of reason, imagination, mystery, emotional knowledge, communal knowledge, and experience in Chesterton’s epistemology, and the relationship between logical argument and narrative in his writing. The article attempts to demonstrate that Chesterton’s work contains an implicit theological epistemology which in numerous respects parallels Newman’s and argues that Chesterton developed Newman’s epistemology in certain areas in the context of his work as an apologist. The article concludes with reflections on what Newman’s influence on Chesterton may imply with regard to Chesterton’s role as a hidden channel for Newman’s influence on later writers.

Detroit's Hidden Channels: The Power of French-Indigenous Families in the Eighteenth Century by Karen L. Marrero

Detroit's Hidden Channels: The Power of French-Indigenous Families in the Eighteenth Century by Karen L. Marrero

ANALYSIS OF THE APPLICABILITY OF THE METHOD FOR ELIMINATING COVERT CHANNELS IN ELECTRONIC DIGITAL SIGNATURE

A method for eliminating covert (hidden) channels in the GOST R 34.10-2012 electronic digital signature algorithm is presented. Examples of information systems that use electronic digital signatures are presented. The possibility of eliminating hidden channels is considered in various information systems.

Многоуровневая модель политики безопасности управления доступом операционных систем семейства Windows

The purpose of research – development of a more advanced Windows NT family access control mechanism to protect against information leakage from memory by hidden channels. The method of research – analysis of Windows NT family models of mandatory access control and integrity control, modeling of access control security policy for specified security properties, automatic verification of models. The Lamport Temporal Logic of Actions (TLA +) used to describe the model and its specification is used. TLA+ allows automatic verification of the model with the specified security properties. The result of research – revealed the main limitations of the existing mandatory integrity control of operating systems of the Windows NT family. A set of structures of a multilevel model has been developed, reflecting the attributes that are significant for modeling the process of access of subjects to objects. The key mechanisms of access control in the operating system are modeled: management of users, groups, subjects, objects, roles, rights, discretionary and mandatory access control, mandatory integrity control - multilevel control of subjects’ access to objects. The model defines a mechanism for controlling the creation of subjects based on executable files to organize an isolated software environment. The values of the attributes of the model variables for the initialization stage are determined. The invariants of variables correctness in the process of verification and subjects to objects safe access are developed. The model was specified using the TLA + modeling language and verified.

Detroit's Hidden Channels: The Power of French-Indigenous Families in the Eighteenth Century by Karen L. Marrero

Detroit's Hidden Channels: The Power of French-Indigenous Families in the Eighteenth Century by Karen L. Marrero

Pitch and Fourier magnitude based steganography for hiding 2.4 kbps MELP bitstream

In this study, the authors present a new steganographic technique called random least significant bits of pitch and Fourier magnitude steganography (RLPFS). It is based on hiding a secret speech coded by mixed excitation linear prediction (MELP) speech coder in speech bitstream (cover signal), which is also encoded by MELP coder. First, the RLPFS leaks the hidden speech in the following modes: pitch-based steganography, Fourier magnitude-based steganography or both. These modes are selected randomly. Second, during transmission, the stego speech, the mode number, and the number of embedded bits would be transmitted either through a covert channel created in the transmission protocol or through the cover speech. In this work, the authors have dealt with the challenge of embedding a secret speech into a cover speech coded by a very low bit rate speech coder while maintaining a reasonable level of speech quality. They have shown that RLPFS was able to create hidden channels with maximum steganographic bandwidths up to 266.64 bit/s at the cost of a steganographic noise between 0.031 and 0.62 mean opinion score. Also, this study takes into account the security of the parameters, the synchronisation of the receiver to deal with a packet loss during transmission and the resistance of the proposed method against steganalysis.

Speech bandwidth extension using transform-domain data hiding

A new transform-domain speech bandwidth extension algorithm is proposed to transmit the information about the missing speech frequencies over a hidden channel, i.e., the related spectral envelope and gain parameters are hidden within the narrowband speech signal using fast Fourier transform-based data hiding technique. The hidden information is recovered reliably at the receiving end to produce a wideband signal of much higher quality. Obtained results confirm that the excellent reconstructed wideband (RWB) signal quality of the proposed algorithm over the traditional methods.

КРИПТОГРАФИЧЕСКАЯ СХЕМА РАССЫЛКИ ГРУППОВЫХ ПАРОЛЕЙ ДЛЯ СТЕГАНОГРАФИЧЕСКИХ СИСТЕМ

When having a deal with a secret communication channel, hidden data are transmitted to a group of users. Sometimes it is necessary to send message only to a given subgroup of participants via a hidden channel. The purpose of this work is to build a cryptographic protocol that is able to provide the exchange of group passwords in the conditions of hiding the fact of secret messages transmission. A centralized password management system is used. Passwords dispatching for user groups are carried out through distribution of data necessary for solving system of equations. Roots of such equation system are used by users for calculation of the group password. The proposed scheme is based on the linear algebra theory and the cryptography. The third-party is not able to solve this system of equations, which is proved by the Kronecker-Capelli theorem. It is assumed that the protocol can be actively used in steganographic systems, where there is one source of messages and many receivers.

Groundwater flow patterns in the Obagi oil fields of south-south Nigeria

This study was an attempt to decipher groundwater flow patterns and the factors that affect it in the Obagi oil fields of south-south Nigeria. In this study, head, position and geological data were obtained from 13 hand dug wells tapping the water table and the Sombreiro and the Orashi Rivers, while water quality data was generated through groundwater sampling and analysis using standard methods. This study discovered a hidden channel system, a reversed recharge system for the Sombreiro River system with serious local groundwater quality implications. Groundwater flow in the study area has components of regional, intermediate and local flow systems, while movement is controlled by topography; recharge; a groundwater channel system running NW-SE through the middle of the study area and a system of wetlands in the Omoku and Erema areas. These wetlands which are used as sinks are also major recharge areas for the groundwater system in the study area thereby posing public health dangers. Also the dumping of industrial and domestic wastes in the wetlands may be limiting the capacity of these wetlands as sinks and purification plants for the natural hydro-geopollution cycle.

Social-status ranking: a hidden channel to gender inequality under competition

Competition involves two main dimensions, a rivalry for resources and the ranking of relative performance. If socially recognized, the latter yields a ranking in terms of social status. The rivalry for resources resulting from competitive incentives has been found to negatively affect women’s performance relative to that of men. However, little is known about gender differences in the performance consequences of social-status ranking. In our experiments we introduce a novel design that allows us to isolate the effects of status ranking from those caused by a rivalry for resources. Subjects do a time-limited task where they need to search for numbers and add them up. Performance is straightforwardly measured by the number of correct summations. When there is no status ranking we find no gender differences in the number of attempted summations or in performance. By contrast, when there is status ranking men significantly increase the number of attempted summations as well as the number of correct summations. Remarkably, when women are subjected to status ranking, they significantly decrease the number of attempted summations. The net result is striking. With status ranking men attempt more summations and correctly solve many more than women. These differences are markedly large and statistically highly significant. Our results suggest that increased participation in competitive environments could harm women’s labor market success along a hidden channel.

Post-CCA and Reinforcement Learning Based Bandwidth Adaptation in 802.11ac Networks

The new 802.11ac standard aims at achieving Gbps data throughput for individual users by exploiting enhanced physical-layer features, such as higher modulation levels, Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO), and wider bandwidths. However, the heterogeneity of bandwidth in a network can cause asymmetric interferences in which certain transmissions cannot be sensed by some other nodes. As a result, the conventional Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) may not work well in 802.11ac networks. We call this the Hidden Channel (HC) problem, which is shown to be real via experiments with USRP and WARP boards. To solve this problem, we propose bandwidth adaptation based on post-CCA , which is a clear channel assessment (CCA) procedure performed after completing a transmission. Post-CCA in wireless networks helps mimic the CSMA with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) mechanism in the wired Ethernet, thus enhancing channel assessment capability. Using post-CCA, we propose Post-CCA based Bandwidth Adaptation (PoBA) that alters bandwidth and channel configuration dynamically by applying a reinforcement learning mechanism. Post-CCA and PoBA do not require any hardware modification and are also compliant with the 802.11 standards. PoBA is shown via simulation to increase network-wide throughput, channel utilization and fairness, and also lower packet error probability.

METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING SECURITY MODELS OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS

[For the English abstract and full text of the article please see the attached PDF-File (English version follows Russian version)].ABSTRACT The article considers issues related to the construction of monitoring systems that provide detection of threats in the information environment. In particular, the recognition method for implementing models of analyzers in the zone of a given space of trusted and possible untrusted information traffic routes. Keywords: information security, isolated software environment, hidden channels, monitoring of subjects.

Knowledge and Information in Global Competition: A New Framework for Classifying and Evaluating Manipulative Communication Techniques

Mass media initiated exhibitions of information and knowledge streams account for a significant factor of opinion-forming in modern digitalized nations and thus influence their country's political development. Within the framework of a globalized environment, this information has the ability to shape worldwide opinion and international policy decisions across geographical boundaries. Similarly, however, information and knowledge that does not flow freely has an impact on the behind the scenes decisions of world affairs. Selective manipulation, consumed through hidden channels, is therefore a powerful tool for shaping both social and organizational environments. Currently no classification approaches exist in order to identify and evaluate this type of manipulation. Therefore, this article will discuss this type of manipulative communication and align each category into an assessment model. Forty-two varieties of manipulative arguments will be identified as well as classified along three-dimensions. A model has been developed which will serve as a tool to identify the degree and at which level manipulation was performed.

Adaptive ternary timing covert channel inIEEE802.11

Covert channel is one of the most interesting topics in the computer networks security. Covert channel designers are seeking to discover weaknesses in the communications algorithms to use them as the medium for covert transmission. Broadcast nature of wireless channels has provided a favorable environment for the design of the hidden channels. CSMA/CA is used to control channel access in IEEE 802.11 network. Random features of this algorithm can be used to create timing covert channel. The statistical distribution of the free time intervals' duration is used in this paper for covert channel establishment. Hidden messages are sent via manipulating the timing of the overt packets' transmission. Hidden transceiver senses the wireless channel continuously to be adapted to the dynamic network condition and to be less detectable. To increase the covert channel's accuracy, some free interval durations are not used that leads to security degradation. This problem is also covered by a gap covering method that is based on the summation of the channel sensed free time interval distribution and a normal one. Hidden nodes also estimate the number of active nodes and adapt their behavior accordingly to keep their compatibility with the network. The statistical Kolmogorov-Smirnov and regularity tests are used to assess the security of the covert channel. Simulation results show that the proposed covert channel have a high bit rate along with high security. © 2016 The Authors Security and Communication Networks published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

La comunidad que viene: un programa del hombre por-venir en Giorgio Agamben

Fil: Taub, Emmanuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Sociales. Instituto de Investigaciones Gino Germani; Argentina

Quantum Steganography for Multi-party Covert Communication

A novel multi-party quantum steganography protocol based on quantum secret sharing is proposed in this paper. Hidden channels are built in HBB and improved HBB quantum secret sharing protocols for secret messages transmitting, via the entanglement swapping of GHZ states and Bell measurement. Compared with the original protocol, there are only a few different GHZ sates transmitted in the proposed protocol, making the hidden channel with good imperceptibility. Moreover, the secret messages keep secure even when the hidden channel is under the attack from the dishonest participators, for the sub-secretmessages distributed randomly to different participators. With good imperceptibility and security, the capacity of proposed protocol is higher than previous multi-party quantum steganography protocol.

A Channel Allocation Algorithm for Reducing the Channel Sensing/Reserving Asymmetry in 802.11ac Networks

The major goal of IEEE 802.11ac is to provide very high throughput (VHT) performance while at the same time guaranteeing backward compatibility. To achieve this goal, 802.11ac adopts the channel bonding technique that makes use of multiple 20 MHz channels in 5 GHz band. Due to the heterogeneity of bandwidth that each device exploits, and the fixed total transmission power in the standards, a problem called `Hidden Channel' arises. In this paper, we first analyze the problem and show how the contention parameters and transmission time affect collision probability and fairness in some deployment scenarios. Then, we propose a heuristic channel allocation algorithm that aims to avoid such problematic situations effectively. Through simulations, we demonstrate that our proposed channel allocation algorithm lowers the packet error rate (PER) compared to uncoordinated and received signal strength indicator(RSSI) based allocation schemes and increases the network-wide throughput as well as the throughput of a station that experiences poor performance. This implies improved fairness performance among transmission pairs with various channel bandwidths.

Gas-phase structure and reactivity of the keto tautomer of the deoxyguanosine radical cation.

Guanine radical cations are formed upon oxidation of DNA. Deoxyguanosine (dG) is used as a model, and the gas-phase infrared (IR) spectroscopic signature and gas-phase unimolecular and bimolecular chemistry of its radical cation, dG˙(+), A, which is formed via direct electrospray ionisation (ESI/MS) of a methanolic solution of Cu(NO3)2 and dG, are examined. Quantum chemistry calculations have been carried out on 28 isomers and comparisons between their calculated IR spectra and the experimentally-measured spectra suggest that A exists as the ground-state keto tautomer. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of A proceeds via cleavage of the glycosidic bond, while its ion–molecule reactions with amine bases occur via a number of pathways including hydrogen-atom abstraction, proton transfer and adduct formation. A hidden channel, involving isomerisation of the radical cation via adduct formation, is revealed through the use of two stages of CID, with the final stage of CID showing the loss of CH2O as a major fragmentation pathway from the reformed radical cation, dG˙(+). Quantum chemistry calculations on the unimolecular and bimolecular reactivity are also consistent with A being present as a ground-state keto tautomer.

New route discovery design for routing misbehaviour prevention in multi-hop wireless sensor networks

This paper proposes a new secure route discovery protocol design for multi-hop wireless sensor networks (WSNs). It mainly prevents hidden channel and worm hole attacks. These two attacks are the main causes for non-plausible route setups. So far, no one has attempted to address the hidden channel attack in WSNs. Here, we use authentic neighbourhood and common authentic neighbours to prevent hidden channel and worm hole attacks. The requirement for the use of bandwidth is optimised through limited broadcasting design of the route discovery process. The correctness of the proposed protocol has been tested by AVISPA model checker. Simulation results of the proposed routing design ensures the effectiveness of the approach.