Physical Security Threats Research Articles

A cyberattack resilient model for battery electric bus transit fleets using real-time adaptive system information

This paper aims to assess and tackle the cyber–physical security threats stemming from vulnerabilities of battery-based electric bus (BEB) fleets to cyberattacks. An optimization model is adopted for scheduling the battery swapping in BEB fleets and is utilized for cybersecurity assessments. New methods are proposed for detection of false data injection attacks (FDIAs) against the information of the BEB scheduling model. A supervised machine learning-based method is used for identification of potential cyberattacks against the system parameters that govern the operation of the BEB transit fleet. The proposed cybersecurity model is integrated with the BEB scheduling model to form a cyberattack-resilient scheduling framework for the BEB transit fleet. Two categories of data are considered for the simulation of attack scenarios and assessment of the proposed cybersecurity framework: Type 1 – Signals that are received from sources local to the battery swapping station (BSS), and Type 2 – Signals that are received from sources external to the BSS which can be intercepted and tampered by the attacker. The simulation results are presented to evaluate potential disruptions in the BEB transit operation due to FDIAs against the system’s operating parameters. It is demonstrated that a soft cyberattack mildly deviating the fleet operating parameters, e.g., the bus arrival time by up to 10 min or battery SoC by 5%, does not cause a considerable impact on the scheduling parameters or the financial metrics. A moderate or aggressive attack, however, affecting the fleet operating parameters considerably, can adversely impact the scheduling information and the fleet financial metrics.

Analisis Bibliometrik Publikasi Isu Kebocoran Data Menggunakan VOSviewer

Data leakage can harm individuals who experience it, such as identity theft, financial fraud, or even physical security threats. This study aims to analyze scientific publications and research activities in data leakage using bibliometric techniques by involving quantitative analysis using a set of journals as reference sources. The literature for this study was obtained using Publish or Perish software with the keyword "data leakage" and a search result limit of 500. Furthermore, from these results, 85 journals relevant to the research topic were selected for visualization using VOSviewer software. The results showed that the highest number of data leakage publications occurred in 2021, namely 30 journals published that year. Based on the results of the bibliometric analysis conducted, it is known that there are 9 clusters based on keywords and 19 clusters based on author. The most frequently researched keywords include personal data, privacy, data leakage, legal protection, security, cryptography, encryption, and description. On the other hand, some keywords are rarely discussed in publications, namely, air transportation, electronics, and Caesar.

Blockchain and Machine Learning for Future Smart Grids: A Review

Developments such as the increasing electrical energy demand, growth of renewable energy sources, cyber–physical security threats, increased penetration of electric vehicles (EVs), and unpredictable behavior of prosumers and EV users pose a range of challenges to the electric power system. To address these challenges, a decentralized system using blockchain technology and machine learning techniques for secure communication, distributed energy management and decentralized energy trading between prosumers is required. Blockchain enables secure distributed trust platforms, addresses optimization and reliability challenges, and allows P2P distributed energy exchange as well as flexibility services between customers. On the other hand, machine learning techniques enable intelligent smart grid operations by using prediction models and big data analysis. Motivated from these facts, in this review, we examine the potential of combining blockchain technology and machine learning techniques in the development of smart grid and investigate the benefits achieved by using both techniques for the future smart grid scenario. Further, we discuss research challenges and future research directions of applying blockchain and machine learning techniques for smart grids both individually as well as combining them together. The identified areas that require significant research are demand management in power grids, improving the security of grids with better consensus mechanisms, electric vehicle charging systems, scheduling of the entire grid system, designing secure microgrids, and the interconnection of different blockchain networks.

Managing Security Threats through Touchless Security Technologies: An Overview of the Integration of Facial Recognition Technology in the UAE Oil and Gas Industry

Throughout the past few years, the oil and gas industry in the United Arab Emirates has grown significantly, and is currently one of the top ten oil producers in the world. As a result, it is at risk of physical security threats, including theft, unauthorized access, vandalism, espionage, and other incidents which could disrupt its operation. Consequently, significant investments in the latest security technologies are necessary to protect this critical infrastructure and maintain its international standing. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to examine whether integrating facial recognition technology (FRT) with a physical security system in this sector would improve physical security performance and efficiently mitigate potential threats. A quantitative approach was applied to collect the essential information with a sample size of 371 selected through a simple random sampling method to ensure the validity and reliability of the research results. In addition, regression analysis was conducted using Smart-PLS version 3.3.9 based on (SEM) to define the significant relationships between the hypothesis applied in the conceptual model. Furthermore, the findings were significant as they provided the basis for future studies for the practical application of FRT to enhance the UAE oil and gas company’s resilience to physical security threats.

A Robust Authentication Protocol for Wireless Medical Sensor Networks Using Blockchain and Physically Unclonable Functions

Wireless medical sensor networks (WMSNs)-based medical systems are an emerging paradigm of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) in which the patients and doctors can access various healthcare services via wireless communication technology without visiting the hospital in person. However, an adversary attempts a variety of security attacks because the sensitive information in various fields is exchanged via an insecure channel. Thus, robust and lightweight authentication protocols are essential for providing dependable healthcare services in WMSN-based medical systems. Recently, Wang et al. (IEEE Internet of Things Journal, doi: 10.1109/JIOT.2021.3117762) proposed blockchain and physically unclonable functions (PUFs)-based lightweight authentication protocol for WMSN. They claimed that their protocol is resistant to cyber and physical security threats and also does provide necessary security requirements. However, we prove that their protocol is vulnerable to various security attacks, such as man-in-the-middle and session key disclosure attacks and also lacks mutual authentication. As a result, we propose a robust authentication protocol for WMSN using blockchain and PUF to address the security problems raised by Wang et al.’s scheme. we assess the security of the proposed scheme by using informal and formal security analyses, such as AVISPA simulation and the ROR oracle model. Furthermore, we present the testbed experiments using Raspberry PI 4 based on MIRACL Crypto SDK. Then, we show the performance of the enhanced scheme compared with related schemes based on testbed experiments. Consequently, our scheme is better suited for practical WMSN-based medical systems because it provides greater security and efficiency than competing schemes.

Securing smart agriculture: Cybersecurity challenges and solutions in IoT-driven farms

Smart agriculture, driven by the Internet of Things (IoT), has revolutionized modern farming, leading to enhanced efficiency, resource optimization, and improved crop yields. However, the integration of IoT devices and advanced technologies in agriculture also introduces significant cybersecurity challenges. This review explores the various cybersecurity threats faced by IoT-driven farms and proposes solutions to mitigate these risks. IoT devices in smart agriculture are often vulnerable due to a lack of standardization and weak authentication mechanisms, making them prime targets for cyber-attacks. Data security and privacy issues are also paramount, with risks of data breaches and unauthorized access threatening the integrity of agricultural data. Network security is another critical concern, with potential threats including man-in-the-middle attacks and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Additionally, software and firmware vulnerabilities, such as outdated software and infrequent updates, further exacerbate the security risks. Physical security threats, including tampering with devices and theft of equipment, also pose significant challenges. To address these cybersecurity challenges, several solutions are proposed. Strengthening IoT device security through robust authentication and regular firmware updates is crucial. Ensuring data security and privacy can be achieved by encrypting data in transit and at rest, alongside implementing strict access control mechanisms. Network security can be bolstered through secure communication protocols, network segmentation, and the deployment of intrusion detection and prevention systems. Developing comprehensive cybersecurity policies, conducting regular security audits, and providing employee training and awareness programs are essential for maintaining a secure smart agriculture environment. Enhancing physical security through secure installation of IoT devices and employing surveillance and monitoring systems can also mitigate risks. The review includes case studies demonstrating successful cybersecurity implementations and lessons learned from past incidents. It also explores future trends, such as advances in IoT security technologies, blockchain integration, and the role of artificial intelligence in threat detection. This comprehensive analysis underscores the importance of a proactive approach to cybersecurity in smart agriculture, ensuring the resilience and sustainability of modern farming practices.

THE U.S. WITHDRAWAL, TALIBAN TAKEOVER, AND ONTOLOGICAL (IN)SECURITY IN AFGHANISTAN

Security discussions of the Taliban’s second takeover of Afghanistan center on physical security threats, neglecting the ontological aspect related to how security entails the metaphysics of life—being, feeling alive, or having a sense of self. This article examines this ontological threat to the Afghan people to complement the security discussion and open up more avenues of dialog. I use ontological security to explain the Afghans’ behavior toward the Taliban takeover and ask how does the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan pose a security threat to urban Afghans? Why are urbanite Afghans paranoiac about the Taliban presence to the extent that some choose to die by falling from a moving aircraft? I use the ontological security analytical framework and discursive approach to finding answers. I argue that the Taliban takeover creates ontological insecurity that threatens urban Afghans’ sense of ordinary living or being in the world. Specifically, ontological insecurity creates significant and chronic uncertainties and dangers to Afghans. This is especially so regarding the urbanites with higher socioeconomic status, whose being in the world is threatened as their ordinary living conditions are likely to be contested by the Taliban. The contest is asymmetric, favoring the Taliban. Such uncertainty of existential conditions leads to mistrust of Urban Afghans’ basic sense of safety and a misrecognition of their true identity. Thus, their actions and behaviors have been consequent attempts to respond to the anxieties and risks to their existential position. This work contributes to the ontological security literature, helping fill the gap in the security discussions in international relations and serves policy relevance.

Security Threat Analysis and Corresponding Countermeasures for HTS Communication System

In recent years, satellite communication has been widely used in various fields. With the increase of the satellite communication business, the requirement for information security is stronger. System security plays a significant role in the HTS communication system. First, this article gives a brief description of the HTS communication system, introducing the composition and characteristics of the system. Then, the security threats to the HTS communication system are analysed in three aspects: physical security threats, operational security threats and data security threats. Finally, the corresponding countermeasures for security threats are put forward, which can enhance the overall security level of the HTS communication system.

A Provably Secure Mobile User Authentication Scheme for Big Data Collection in IoT-Enabled Maritime Intelligent Transportation System

The emergence of contemporary technologies like cloud computing and the Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized the trends in the cyber world to serve humanity. There are plenty of applications in which they are being used, especially in smart cities and their constituents, Maritime Transportation System (MTS) is one of them. The IoT-enabled MTS has the potential to entertain the growing challenges of modern-day ship transportation. Secure real-time data access from numerous smart IoT devices is the most critical and crucial exercise for Big Data acquisition in IoT-enabled MTS. Therefore, we have developed a Physically Unclonable Function (PUF) based authenticated key agreement solution to deal with this challenge. This solution enables the mobile user and IoT node to mutually authenticate each other via Cloud-Gateway before real-time data exchange and transmission in IoT-enabled MTS. The use of PUF in our solution brings invincibility against physical security threats. An inclusive security analysis under the assumption of the specified threat model is carried out to substantiate the security resilience of our solution. The conduct of our solution is realized through security features, communication, and computation cost and It has been observed that our solution achieves efficiency of 37.3% and 9.7% in communication and computation overhead, respectively. Moreover, the network performance effectiveness of our solution is demonstrated in NS3 implementation.

Ontological (In)Security and the Kurdish Issue in Turkey: The Use of Security Discourse (1925‒1984)

How could one account for the discourse of security used by the Turkish state considering the Kurdish issue before 1984, when the terrorist attacks of the Partiya Karkaren Kurdistani (PKK) had not yet started, and hence there was no physical security threat against the state? This article aims to answer this question from the perspective of ontological (in)security. Based on Critical Discourse Analysis of state discourse, the article argues that the political, social and cultural traits of Kurdish identity created uncertainty in the Turkish self after the Sheikh Said rebellion in 1925. Tribal/religious structures that were influential among Kurds and the expression of Kurdishness as a distinct identity disrupted the autobiographical narratives about Turkishness, hence generating ontological insecurity for the Turkish state. To overcome this problem, the state relied on security discourse and securitized the traits of Kurdish identity, by which it felt threatened. As a result of this securitization, the state was able to legitimize the extraordinary measures taken against Kurds, such as forced resettlements. Securitization, in this sense, regenerated ontological security for the state, because the extraordinary measures served to suppress the Kurdish identity that threatened the certainty and continuity of the Turkish self.

BIM security: A critical review and recommendations using encryption strategy and blockchain

Security of information in collaborative BIM platforms is crucial particularly for critical projects such as that of government buildings, prisons, and power plants. Inappropriate distribution and loss of sensitive information may potentially lead to physical security threats, financial loss, and loss of trust and reputation. Therefore, this paper identifies the information security requirements of collaborative BIM platforms considering the characteristics related to data security of collaborative BIM platforms through a literature review and as a result, identifies seven components of BIM security, based on which defines three levels of BIM security.Existing cybersecurity facilitating technologies such as encryption protocols, distributed database technology, and blockchain technology are reviewed to assess applicability to BIM security. This review shows that although the technologies to support BIM security are available in research and on market, they are not customized in existing collaborative BIM platforms to support BIM security. Therefore, two conceptual frameworks are proposed – (1) an encryption strategy-based framework to facilitate secure storage and distribution of BIM and (2) a blockchain-based framework to record BIM changes in a tamper-proof ledger for the non-trusting environment of construction projects. Discussions on cost and functionality are provided, which will be further extended in the future.

Low-cost distance-spoofing attack on FMCW radar and its feasibility study on countermeasure

In this paper, we present a low-cost distance-spoofing attack on a millimeter-wave frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar. It uses only a replica radar chipset and a single compact microcontroller board in mass production. No expensive and bulky test instrument is required; hence, a low-cost and lightweight attack setup is developed. Despite the limited hardware resources used in this setup, the replica radar can be precisely synchronized with the target radar for distance spoofing. A half-chirp modulation scheme enables timing compensation between crystal oscillators on the replica and the target radar boards. A two-step delay insertion scheme precisely controls the relative delay difference between two radars at nanosecond order; consequently, the attacker can manipulate the distance measured at the target radar with only a $$\pm \,10$$ m ranging error. Moreover, the feasibility of spoofing attacks on a conventional countermeasure employing random-chirp modulation is discussed. Simulation-based experiments reveal that the attack occurs successfully by estimating the random chirp pattern. This demonstrates the potential feasibility of low-cost malicious attacks on commercial FMCW radar as a physical security threat.

A Modified AODV Routing Protocol to Avoid Black Hole Attack in MANETs

ad hoc networks (MANETs) are composed of a set of stations (nodes) communicating through wireless channels, without any fixed backbone support in which nodes are allowed to join and leave the network at any point of time. MANETs are generally more vulnerable to information and physical security threats than wired networks, so security is an essential requirement in MANETs to provide secured communication between mobile nodes. One of the most common attacks against routing in MANETs is the Black Hole attack. A black hole is a malicious node uses the routing protocol to advertise itself as having the shortest path to the node whose packets it wants to intercept. In this paper, we attempt to focus on improving the security of one of the popular routing protocol for MANETS, namely the Ad hoc On Demand Distance Vector (AODV) routing protocol to avoid black hole attacks. The proposed Intrusion Avoidance System (IASAODV) can be considered as modification of the AODV protocol and can be used to detect and avoid the black hole attack. The conducted experimental results using Network Simulator NS-2.35 show an improvement in Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR), Normalized Routing Load (NRL) and throughput using the proposed protocol compared with AODV routing Protocol in the case of existing black hole attack.

Using Bayesian Networks to evaluate the trustworthiness of ‘2 out of 3’ decision fusion mechanisms in multi-sensor applications

The use of smart-sensors to recognize automatically complex situations (anomalous behaviors, physical security threats, etc.) requires ‘intelligent’ methods to improve the trustworthiness of automatic decisions. Voting and consensus mechanisms can be employed whether supported by probabilistic formalisms to correlate event occurrence, to merge local events and to estimate the likelihood of overall decisions. This paper presents the results of a quantitative comparison of three different voting schemes based on Bayesian Networks. These models present a growing complexity and they are able to provide a trustworthiness estimation based on single nodes detection reliability in terms of false alarm probabilities.

정보통신 기술을 이용한 물리보안 위협 계수기 구현 전략

정보보안 (인터넷 혹은 사이버) 위협 레벨을 공지하기 위해 많은 정보보안 회사들은 위협 계수기(Threat Meter)를 개발하였다. 본 논문에서는 물리보안 장치들이 지능화되고 네트워크를 통해 감시 및 제어가 가능함에 따라 물리보안의 현재 위협 수준을 결정하는 물리보안 위협 계수기(PSTM: Physical Security Threat Meter)를 제안한다. 따라서 PSTM은 정보보안에서 사용하는 위협 계수기와 유사하다. 이러한 목적을 위해 물리보안 이벤트를 분석하고 가중치를 결정하였으며 복수의 보안이벤트 발생에 따른 이벤트 간 시간 연관성 영향을 고려하였다. 또한 위협 레벨을 결정하기 위한 기준 값 설정 방법과 이들 기준 값을 이용한 실용적인 PSTM을 제안하였다. 특히 출입문 제어기와 CCTV(비디오 분석기 포함)로 구성된 실험환경에서 PSTM을 제작하기 위한 구체적인 블록도와 구현과정을 보임으로써 제안된 기법이 실현 가능함을 보였다. 마지막으로 몇몇 실험 시나리오를 대상으로 실시한 시뮬레이션 결과를 통해 제안된 PSTM이 물리보안 위협레벨을 적절히 공지함을 검증하였다. In order to publicly notify the information security (Internet or Cyber) threat level, the security companies have developed the Threat Meters. As the physical security devices are getting more intelligent and can be monitored and managed through networks, we propose a physical security threat meter (PSTM) to determine the current threat level of physical security; that is a very similar compared with the one of information security. For this purpose, we investigate and prioritize the physical security events, and consider the impact of temporal correlation among multiple security events. We also present how to determine the threshold values of threat levels, and then propose a practical PSTM using the threshold based decision. In particular, we show that the proposed scheme is fully implementable through showing the block diagram in detail and the whole implementation processes with the access controller and CCTV+video analyzer system. Finally the simulation results show that the proposed PSTM works perfectly under some test scenarios.

Performance Comparison of AODV and DYMO MANET Protocols under Wormhole Attack Environment

A Mobile Ad-Hoc network, or MANET, is an infrastructure less, self-configuring network. All wireless devices in MANETs are connected through wireless links. Mobile wireless networks are more vulnerable to information and physical security threats than fixed wireless networks. Due to the use of open and shared broadcast wireless channel and due to insufficient physical protection, these networks are prone to security threats. These threats can endanger the overall functionality of mobile adhoc network. Various security threats show their impact at different layers. In this paper we have discussed some basic routing protocols. Different security attacks have also been discussed. We consider the wormhole attack as routing attack and based on simulation study we compare the impact of wormhole attack on AODV and DYMO MANET routing protocols. General Terms MANET routing protocols, MANET security, Wormhole attack.

Ontological dissonance, clashing identities, and Israel's unilateral steps towards the Palestinians

AbstractThis article further conceptualises and empirically tests the concept ofontological security. This concept, which refers to an actor's need to have a secure identity, has been used in International Relations (IR) mainly to study situations in which states face a threat to one of their identities. However, my focus here is on situations in which states are facing threats to a number of identities they hold, situations that result in what I termontological dissonance. In such cases, not only are various distinct identities threatened, but the solutions to ease these threats are contradictory, forcing the state to choose between different cherished values. I contend that in such situations avoidance can become an attractive option for states in dealing with the difficulties arising from this dilemma. This theoretical framework is used to explain Israel's unilateral steps toward the Palestinians in recent years. I argue that the terror attacks of theSecond Intifada(2000–2005) represented more than a physical security threat to Israel. The attacks and Israel's initial response to them aggravated threats to a number of Israel's identities and, more importantly, emphasised existing and potential future clashes among these identities. As a result, Israeli policy makers advanced unilateral steps to reduce these threats and to ease the accompanying ontological dissonance. These unilateral measures can thus be understood as measures of avoidance, and as such they complicated further cooperation between the Israelis and the Palestinians.