Risk Of Piracy Research Articles

The Risks of Electronic Piracy and its Impact on Arabic E-Commerce: Saudi Arabia as a Model

The objective of this research is to examine the legal consequences arising from attacks on electronic commerce and the associated risks. Currently, online trade is considered a fundamental pillar for major corporations, yet instances of electronic fraud and cyber piracy frequently occur during commercial transactions, particularly since e-commerce transcends geographical boundaries, making it vulnerable to cross-border cybercrimes. The researcher employed the descriptive-analytical method with a focus on legislation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The findings revealed that cyber piracy results in substantial losses for e-commerce at both the Arab and global levels, as evidenced by the cybersecurity index. The study concluded with the recommendation that Saudi Arabia should establish a specialized policy to combat cybercrimes associated with e-commerce by enforcing criminal sanctions, bolstering support for local institutions and investment bodies operating within its borders, and implementing measures and technologies to ensure the security of electronic commercial activities.

Unveiling risk factors influencing the selection of the Northern Sea Route: A conjoint analysis approach for Japanese shippers

This paper explores how Japanese corporations assess risks associated with using the Northern Sea Route (NSR) as a new maritime transport route in Asia and identifies measures to promote its usage. We address two key questions: (1) What risks influence shippers' route choices in maritime transport? (2) Does risk evaluation vary by cargo type and company size? Using choice-based conjoint analysis and a conditional logit model with online survey data, we identified five main risk factors influencing shippers: route unavailability rate, delay probability, piracy probability, transport costs, and war conditions, ranked in importance from highest to lowest as war conditions, delay probability, transport costs, route unavailability rate, and piracy probability. Additionally, the risk factors significantly influencing route selection were found to be robust, showing minimal variation across company size, type of trade (import/export), and the nature of the goods transported. Our findings suggest several policy implications. Diplomatic efforts are crucial for safe vessel navigation on the NSR. Government initiatives should focus on reducing transport delays through technology investments and implementing strategies to decrease NSR delay rates without increasing shippers' costs. Additionally, emphasizing the lower piracy risks on the NSR compared to Suez Canal Route could boost its attractiveness.

New quantum color image watermarking technique (NQCIWT)

The crazy, unconscious use of the Internet, and the increase in cybercrime and hacking, which resulted in the loss of a large number of sensitive data, the risk of piracy, etc. were the motivation for protecting rights, securing and hiding essential information such as images, audio, etc. Watermarking was a popular security, copyright and privacy approach and one of the problems in modern quantum digital computing that produced more powerful quantum protection techniques than the classical one that used classical techniques such as digital wavelet transformation and Hungarian algorithms. Recent advances in quantum image representation and processing help to manipulate data hidden. This paper proposes a new watermark technique in which a color watermark image is hidden within another color-carrying image after transformation into the quantum domain using the recently completed quantum color image representation technique. Finally, a comparison is made between the proposed method and the most recent watermarking techniques is establish in terms of PSNR (peak signal-to-noise ratio), which shows the high precision of the proposed technique and improves the imperceptibility compared to the related schemes.

A randomized encryption algorithm for the MPEG-DASH digital rights management

ABSTRACT This article addresses the pervasive issue of digital piracy in the movie industry. Despite substantial efforts to combat piracy, its impact remains significant, resulting in substantial financial losses for companies. Digital rights management (DRM) has been introduced as a countermeasure to counter this challenge. While the security of video applications, including commercial and military videos, has gained prominence in recent research, this paper focuses on enhancing the encryption algorithm and presenting encryption results. Specifically, it explores the AES 128 encryption algorithm’s vulnerabilities in the MPEG-DASH media file and proposes a randomized algorithm for video file encryption. To bolster security, the randomized approach leverages three robust algorithms: AES 256, Two-Fish, and Serpent. The randomized algorithm demonstrated significantly higher resistance to brute-force attacks than AES 128 CBC, as exemplified by a test scenario with a key length of 32 and 100 media chunks. By utilizing this combination of unbroken algorithms, the paper offers an efficient solution for offline-protected media storage, ultimately strengthening the security and privacy of the MPEG-DASH DRM system and mitigating the risk of media file piracy. The randomized algorithm consistently outperformed AES 128 CBC in terms of execution time across multiple media files, with the randomized algorithm completing the encryption process in 34,610 milliseconds for Media File 1, compared to AES 128 CBC, which required 59,910 milliseconds, showcasing a notable enhancement in speed.

How do navy escorts influence piracy risk in East Africa? A Bayesian network approach.

Navy escorts are considered crucial in countering illegal piracy attacks. In this paper, a novel approach is developed to investigate the effect of navy escorts on piracy incidents by models based on two enhanced Tree-Augmented Naïve (TAN) Bayesian networks. This approach offers a systematic investigation into the various factors that influence pirate activities, and helps to identify changes in piracy attack behaviors when confronted by navy escorts and assess the effectiveness of anti-piracy measures. An empirical study is conducted utilizing a unique data set compiled from multiple sources from 2000 to 2019. The empirical evidence shows that there was a gradual reduction in the incidence of piracy attacks in East Africa following the implementation of navy escorts in 2009, but with a surge in 2010 and 2011. The data set is, thus, divided into two time periods at the point of 2009 to facilitate a robust and comprehensive analysis, resulting in the development of two TAN models. Meanwhile, the geographical distribution of pirate attacks has shifted from international waters to port areas and territorial waters. We argue that the surge and geographical shift could be attributed to the calculating behavior of pirates when they encounter external pressures. Finally, a Shapely approach is introduced to evaluate the potential effectiveness of the implemented risk management strategies from a Game Theory perspective. This study offers new insights into the promotion of navy escorts and contributes to the development of a framework for assessing piracy risks in uncertain and dynamic anti-piracy environments.

India-China Geopolitical Tensions: Strategic and NationalSecurity Implications with respect to Maldives

The geopolitical landscape of the Indian Ocean is undergoing significant shifts, with thechanging political dynamics in the Maldives, the evolving India-China relationship, and India'sstrategic moves in the Lakshadweep archipelago. This paper examines the intricate interplaybetween domestic politics, regional alliances, and strategic concerns in the Indian Ocean,focusing on the implications for India's national security. The Lakshadweep-Maldives-Chagosarchipelago has historically been strategically important to India, and recent developments,such as the establishment of India’s second naval facility in the Lakshadweep and the politicalshift in the Maldives, have brought this region into the spotlight. The changing India-Chinarelationship, fuelled by China's growing influence in the Maldives and India's historical tieswith the previous Maldivian administration, has raised concerns about the potential creation ofa power vacuum in the Indian Ocean. The Maldivian President's call for the withdrawal ofIndian troops from the country could potentially favour China's influence and jeopardize vitalsea routes, increasing the risks of instability, piracy, terrorism, and other criminal activities.India's proactive diplomacy under its "Neighbourhood First Policy" aims to sustain its imageas a great power while countering China's rise in the region. This research explores therelationship between China and the Maldives, its implications for India, and the patterns ofinvestment by both India and China in the Maldives. The broader implications of the India-China geopolitical conflict on India's national security in international waters are also examined.

Quantitative analysis of maritime piracy at global and regional scales to improve maritime security

The shipping industry has long been hindered by piracy, which threatens the lives of the crews of ships as well as maritime security. Understanding the characteristics of maritime piracy across different scales can help optimize global routes to reduce shipping risks and improve maritime security. In this study, we propose a framework for exploring and comparing the characteristics of maritime piracy at global and regional scales. Data on piracy incidents were collected from Global Integrated Shipping Information System, developed by the International Maritime Organization, and were reconstructed by using text mining and geospatial techniques. The distribution of the key variables and the spatiotemporal distribution of incidents of maritime piracy were investigated, and records of these incidents were divided into six categories. The differences in the characteristics of maritime piracy across categories were then quantitatively examined. The results show that the Gulf of Guinea had the largest number of pirates, and the distance from incidents to the shoreline, the weapons used by pirates, the types and status of the attacked ships, and the area that the incidents frequented varied significantly across regions. The results of this study can be used by the shipping industry to reduce the risk of maritime piracy.

Warming Waters Drive Some Mariners to Piracy

As fish production waxes and wanes with climate change, so too does the risk of maritime piracy in East Africa and the South China Sea.

Investigation of Risk Factors Influencing the Safety of Maritime Containers Supply Chain: In the Period of the Pandemic

Maritime security is facing many challenges due to war conflicts, geopolitics, sanctions, and pandemics. The supply chain for maritime containers has faced considerable obstacles as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Numerous factors, such as port closures, travel restrictions, and a decreased workforce, have impacted the supply chain. The risk of cargo theft, piracy, and other security events has increased as a result of these difficulties. Therefore, it is essential to look at the risk variables that may affect the security of the marine container supply chain during the pandemic. This research paper highlights those risks through the following three indexes: the likelihood index (LI), severity index (SI), and average risk index (ARI) by analyzing 64 risk factors that were prepared and designed by incorporating the Delphi expert survey technique to prepare a systematic questionnaire. The article addresses worries over the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects on international supply networks. The causes of the most recent global shipping industry disruptions and their impact on supply chains have been thoroughly examined. In order to reduce the number of disruptions in global supply chains and lower the direct and indirect costs for consumers, the authors have also mentioned the necessary actions that must be implemented. The results concluded after the analysis pointed to “management activities,” such as human resources or the working environment as having the highest possibility of going wrong, whereas “operation activities” were judged to likely be the fatal ones if the security of maritime containers was ever compromised. The main objective of the study is to evaluate how the COVID-19 epidemic may affect international shipping, particularly container shipping, which is currently the most important link in the world’s multimodal land–sea supply chains.

A Bayesian network-based TOPSIS framework to dynamically control the risk of maritime piracy

ABSTRACT Piracy has long plagued the maritime industry, and has led to significant losses of life and goods. The risk of maritime piracy is largely predicted at present based on static analysis. This does not suitably address practical needs because the behavior and activities of maritime pirates are dynamic. Selecting an appropriate strategy for reducing the risk of piracy under a dynamic environment featuring uncertainty thus remains a key challenge. In this study, we propose a two-stage technique for order of preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) model based on the Bayesian network (BN). A data-driven BN is constructed in the first stage of the proposed method to identify the causal relationships influencing the behaviors of pirates. The second stage involves calculating a decision matrix of the strategies by using TOPSIS, where this enhances the strength of risk prediction and dynamic diagnosis by the BN. The main novelty of the proposed model is that it can provide quantitative measurements of strategies for reducing the probability of piracy in a dynamic environment. It provides a decision-making tool for researchers, shipping companies, and national navies to assess the risk of piracy and select effective measures to reduce its likelihood.

Climate Change, Fish Production, and Maritime Piracy

Abstract Contemporary social science has produced little research on connections between climate change and crime. Nonetheless, much prior research suggests that economic insecurity may affect individual calculations of the cost and benefit of engaging in criminal behavior, and climate change is likely to have important economic consequences for professions like fishing that depend directly on the environment. In this paper, we test the possibility that climate change affects participation in maritime piracy, depending on the specific ways that it impacts regional fish production. Our analysis is based on piracy in East Africa and the South China Sea. These two regions are strategic in that both areas have experienced a large amount of piracy; however, rising sea temperatures have been associated with declines in fish production in East Africa but increases in the South China Sea. We treat sea surface temperature as an instrument for fish output and find that in East Africa higher sea surface temperature is associated with declining fish production, which in turn increases the risk of piracy, whereas in the South China Sea higher sea surface temperature is associated with increasing fish production, which in turn decreases the risk of piracy. Our results also show that decreases in fish production bring about a larger number of successful piracy attacks in East Africa and that increases in fish production are associated with fewer successful attacks in the South China Sea. We discuss the theoretical and policy implications of the findings and point out that as climate change continues, its impact on specific crimes will likely be complex, with increases and decreases depending on context. Significance Statement There is little evidence on the effect of climate change on criminal behavior. This study seeks to quantify the impact of a specific type of climate change—rising sea temperature—on maritime piracy, a type of crime that is linked exclusively to the ocean. The risk of piracy attacks and the probability of successful attacks are higher with declines in fish production in East Africa and lower with increases in fish production in the South China Sea. These results suggest that climate change does affect maritime piracy rates and that its effect depends on the specific situational context and the rational choices that changing sea temperatures generate.

Risk assessment model with probabilistic linguistic fuzzy inference methods for maritime piracy crime and applications

The surge in maritime piracy is becoming a deterrent to international seaborne trade. More attention should be attached to piracy risk analysis and prevention. The complex environments engendering piracy crime make it more difficult to conduct a quantitative judgment. Most of the existing research focuses on the risk assessment of piracy based on historical piracy activities. The dynamic evolution of piracy is not explored in these evaluation models. To solve the piracy evolution pattern analysis and risk control in the uncertain environment, we first propose a novel probabilistic linguistic Markov model to analyze and predict the risk states of piracy accidents. The basic definition of random states and the Markov process in the probabilistic linguistic environment are discussed. Next, we propose the probabilistic linguistic Bayesian network which not only depicts the causal relationships of the risk factors but also provides an efficient tool to calculate the transition probabilities in the Markov model. Then the comprehensive inference risk analysis methods are developed to conduct the risk assessment in the maritime piracy crime. The assessment results can effectively support the decision-making of risk control. A practical case study is conducted to validate the above methods. Sensitivity analyses and method comparisons also illustrate the performance of the proposed risk analysis model.

Maritime piracy risk assessment and policy implications: A two-step approach

Maritime piracy is a serious threat to the safety of cargo, ships, and crews, which can cause enormous losses to stakeholders, highlighting the significance of piracy risk assessment and prevention to the maritime industry. In this study, we propose a two-step analytical framework based on a Random Forest (RF) model, Generative Adversarial Nets (GANs), and Matrix Completion (MC) algorithm to assess the risks of successful piracy attacks. We consider different decision-makers in each step, namely, pirates first select which ships to attack and then ship operators determine the probability of a (un)successful attack. We propose different influencing factors for each step and, in the meantime, solving the problems of incomplete and imbalanced data. A case study in Southeast Asia is then conducted based on the proposed approach. The results show that, in mild wind weather, the likelihood of a piracy attack on a ship with a DWT not exceeding 50,000 tons is up to 90 %. Further, if the attack occurs between 0 and 6 a.m., the probability of success is over 90 %. These results provide more specific information for ship operators and local authorities to develop efficient anti-piracy strategies and policies.

Evaluation of the maritime security threats and issues to the future of the shipping industry – Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships

Nowadays traditional manned commercial sea-going vessels are facing several difficulties, including shipping accidents that are mainly caused by human errors and the shortage of seafarers with the associated increased manning cost. In 2021, the International Maritime Organisation Maritime Safety Committee (IMO MSC) had finished the Regulatory Scoping Exercise (RSE) regarding Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) at its 103rd session, taking its first step towards autonomous shipping that does not involve human vectors. This paper analyses the security issues that are potentially involved in fully autonomous ships (Degree Four of Autonomy) (DOA 4) of MASS operations and recommend measures to adjust and mitigate the issues. This paper reviews six conventional maritime security threats that could threaten a DOA 4 vessel, including piracy and armed robbery at sea, terrorism, smuggling and trafficking, stowaways, cyber security threat and hybrid security threat. The research methodology of this paper reviews different literature as the source of both quantitative data and qualitative evidence. This paper analyses the experience of the security incidents in other comparable sectors and systems in order to identify the characteristics and behaviour of the security threats. Then the information is analysed against the specific characteristics of MASS operations to consider whether the characteristics of MASS operations may become more vulnerable if exploited by perpetrators of security threats. Potential issues and scenarios of the security threats in the operations are also discussed. Risk assessments are applied to explore the risk level of the security threats in DOA 4 MASS. This paper demonstrates that the characteristics of DOA 4 MASS operations may still pose vulnerabilities that can be exploited by all the six security threats. The risk of terrorism, smuggling and trafficking, cyber security, and hybrid security threats are high in DOA 4 MASS operations, while the risk of piracy and armed robbery at sea and stowaways are medium. Both the aspects of cyber security, detection/monitoring equipment, reliability of vessel systems, security in Shore Control Centres (SCC) and security in ports contribute significantly to the security of DOA 4 MASS operations against these security threats. This paper recommends all the aspects mentioned in the above findings should be considered in the development of future instruments regarding DOA 4 MASS operations. The stakeholders involved in DOA 4 MASS operations should apply any possible cyber security and detection/monitoring measures even beyond the legal requirement. The security and personnel management of SCC should be ensured too. Finally, further research on the identified security threats on DOA 4 MASS operations is recommended once more practical data on the operations are available, further research on different DOA of MASS operations and different security threats are also recommended.

The Cryptocurrency Legality and Environmental Challenges

Cryptocurrency is financial innovation and has affected many countries and institutions worldwide at the economic and legislative levels. The purpose of this study to investigate the nature, origin, characteristics and mechanism of action, then its condition in global markets, the position of countries towards it and other related matters. The research concluded with results, including: the economic inefficiency of most of the cryptocurrency – and the like – as a legal currency and a tool of exchange and financial intermediary as a result of the expected (current and future) instability; Because it is subject to market forces in an uncontrollable way, in addition to the lack and difficulty of providing a legal regulation that guarantees rights and obliges duties, and the presence of technical gaps in the currency, which reduces its efficiency and exposes it to the risks of piracy and loss of rights. Virtual currencies in light of their lack of legislative texts regulating them through the growth of the e-commerce sector and modern technologies, the emergence of various means of payment via the Internet, and the spread of virtual currencies and their widespread circulation between supporters and opponents, which necessitated Addressing the issue of virtual currencies with a comparative analytical study that sheds light on what virtual currencies are, how they originated, their legal nature, the challenges arising when trading them, the position of legislation on them, and a review of their most significant risks. The study concluded several actual results to reach the truth of these ambiguous currencies, the most important of which is that these currencies do not receive recognition from most countries of the world and are not traded under a legal and regulatory cover that can control the price of these currencies. They may collapse and lose their value, which will be presented its users to lose their assets. Keywords: Cryptocurrency, Legal, Environmental Challenges, Fintech, Economy

Digital Piracy among Young Adults: The Role of Values and Time Perspectives

The aim of the research is to measure the extent of piracy among young adults and to relate this phenomenon to variables, such as values and time orientation. The research fits into the risk paradigm of cyber research. The research was carried out in Northern Cyprus, a country with a persistently high rate of digital piracy. The research involved 318 young adults (Mean Age: 20.9, SD: 2.47). The research process was conducted through the triangulation of three questionnaires: Piracy Risk Scale, Time Perspective Inventory, and the Values Scale. Based on the data collected, it was noted that piracy is not a rare phenomenon among young people (similar to other e-risks), and it is most common for files related to entertainment to be systematically downloaded. Digital piracy is linked to the level of digital competence, as well as hedonistic and fatalistic attitudes to time and values such as materialism and sense of honour. Despite technological developments maximising the legal circulation of cultural and other digital content, piracy has still not been completely eliminated.

Run Gauntlets or Pay Pirates? Regulating Vessel Speeds in High-Risk Waters

Maritime commerce in world commerce. Each year, vessels carry more cargo at higher costs and faster speeds. Insurance is an integral part of shipping, as it protects cargoes and crews against the perils of the sea. This article focuses on the peril of piracy, a criminal practice that has evolved significantly throughout history. Pirates today, as pirates of the past, prey upon the unprotected. Yet, modern piracy, unlike historical piracy, is essentially non-violent. The modern pirate profits from ransom, not theft. Today, piracy is a monetary risk with compu­­­table consequences: an insurable threat. Anti-piracy methods, including insurance, impose steep costs to world trade. In the past decade, pirate activity has declined while piracy insurance has grown more expensive. This phenomenon is problematic, but an industry-wide solution is a challenging construct. To handle the costly risks of piracy is to balance the distinct and competing interests of ship-owners, insurers, operators, and governments. As this Article argues, insurance can more efficiently mitigate piracy’s puzzling risk. After discussing maritime piracy and maritime insurance, this Article outlines the legal and regulatory schema for a system to mandate the speeds of vessels that transit pirate-prone waters. The proposed regulation is mechanically sound, logistically feasible, cost-effective, and enforceable. To diminish the costly risk of piracy, this Article proposes revising a treaty to afford the International Maritime Organization (IMO) jurisdiction to regulate vessel speeds on the high seas.

“Nowhere near Somalia, Mom”

Just as containerized goods appear to flow seamlessly across the planet’s oceans, internationalized and standardized certificates present seafaring labor as uniform and seamless. But underneath these certificates are the intimate and unequal entanglements of local masculinity norms, age, and kinship ties that sustain the maritime labor supply chain. In this article, we follow how three young, male seafarers from eastern India find ways to contain piracy risks at work and poverty risks at home, and their sense of obligation as men, sons, husbands, and fathers. By delving into the unequal conditions for industrial male workers from the Global South, this article demonstrates how containerized maritime labor commodities are not uniform but are dependent upon economic inequality and intimate kinship ties to be productive.

Application of Cloud Model and Bayesian Network to Piracy Risk Assessment

Piracy is a major threat to maritime safety. Assessing piracy risk is crucial to ship safety, travel security, and emergency plan preparation. In the absence of a thorough understanding of the factors and mechanisms that influence piracy, no perfect mathematical equation can be set up for such risk assessment. Therefore, the major factors that influence piracy were identified to construct an indicator system for assessment. These factors were analyzed, keeping in view the overall hazard, vulnerability, and antirisk properties, and then the Bayesian network was introduced into the risk assessment model to fuse multiresource information. For some indicators, which have only qualitative information or fragmentary statistical data, the cloud model theory was adopted to realize prior probability settings of the Bayesian network and thus made up for the deficiency in parameter settings. Finally, the inherent hazard of the South China Sea was assessed, as an example for the model, and two real piracy cases were studied to validate the proposed model. The assessment model constructed here can be applied to all cases, similar to the ones studied here.

Improving the Effectiveness of Anti-Piracy Educational Deterrence Efforts: The Role of Message Frame, Issue Involvement, Risk Perception, and Message Evidence on Perceived Message Effectiveness

The objective of this study is to explore methods to improve the effectiveness of anti-piracy educational deterrence efforts. We studied the effects of message framing (positive vs. negative), issue involvement (high vs. low), risk perception (high vs. low), and message evidence (anecdotal vs. statistical) on the perceived effectiveness of an anti-piracy campaign message. Our experimental results suggest that message frame alone does not have an impact on perceived message effectiveness. However, the effect of message framing is moderated by issue involvement, risk perception, and message evidence. Specifically, a positively framed message is more effective for individuals with low issue involvement, high perceived piracy risk, and who are exposed to anecdotal evidence. In contrast, a negatively framed message is more effective for individuals with high involvement, low risk, and who are exposed to statistical evidence.