Recent Threats Research Articles

Critical Analysis on Advanced Persistent Threats

the birth of Internet, cyber securities have always been an area full of unsolved problems for researchers. Particularly in the age of information, every corporate and government site needs to keep their sensitive data secure from hackers or intruders. With rapid advancement in improved security measures, there always comes along a threat which forces researchers to be on alert. In recent times Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) has been among the most highlighted threat for security experts. At early stages such attacks were dedicated to government or financial organizations, but recent studies based on security breaches indicate that such attacks are now carried out on a much wider domain. In this paper crucial attack stages with the most common methods and tools use by intruders to initiate APTs are discussed, along with recommendation on how a model can be defined to perceive an APT attack being conducted on a network.

No loss of genetic diversity in the exploited and recently collapsed population of Bay of Biscay anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus, L.)

The European anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus, in the Bay of Biscay suffered a collapse in census population size (Nc) starting in 2002, from which it did not recover until 2010. The slow recovery raised concern over sustainability, potential reduction in adaptive potential, and vulnerability to local extirpation. Long- and short-term effective population size (Ne), Ne/Nc ratio, and other genetic parameters were estimated to evaluate demographic signals of population decline. A total of 349 neutral single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were screened in 330 anchovy individuals from the Bay of Biscay distributed across a 20-year period. We show that Nc fluctuations have not significantly affected short-term Ne, and therefore, genetic diversity has remained stable throughout the recent collapse. This study illustrates that Ne estimates should be incorporated into management plans. Our results on short-term Ne suggested that the anchovy in the Bay of Biscay has not faced any recent severe threat of losing evolutionary potential due to genetic drift. However, differences between short- and long-term Ne estimates suggested that the Bay of Biscay anchovy population may be currently much smaller than in the historical past.

Keeping pace with the creation of new malicious PDF files using an active-learning based detection framework

Attackers increasingly take advantage of naive users who tend to treat non-executable files casually, as if they are benign. Such users often open non-executable files although they can conceal and perform malicious operations. Existing defensive solutions currently used by organizations prevent executable files from entering organizational networks via web browsers or email messages. Therefore, recent advanced persistent threat attacks tend to leverage non-executable files such as portable document format (PDF) documents which are used daily by organizations. Machine Learning (ML) methods have recently been applied to detect malicious PDF files, however these techniques lack an essential element—they cannot be efficiently updated daily. In this study we present an active learning (AL) based framework, specifically designed to efficiently assist anti-virus vendors focus their analytical efforts aimed at acquiring novel malicious content. This focus is accomplished by identifying and acquiring both new PDF files that are most likely malicious and informative benign PDF documents. These files are used for retraining and enhancing the knowledge stores of both the detection model and anti-virus. We propose two AL based methods: exploitation and combination. Our methods are evaluated and compared to existing AL method (SVM-margin) and to random sampling for 10 days, and results indicate that on the last day of the experiment, combination outperformed all of the other methods, enriching the signature repository of the anti-virus with almost seven times more new malicious PDF files, while each day improving the detection model’s capabilities further. At the same time, it dramatically reduces security experts’ efforts by 75 %. Despite this significant reduction, results also indicate that our framework better detects new malicious PDF files than leading anti-virus tools commonly used by organizations for protection against malicious PDF files.

A Location-Centric Network Approach to Analyzing Epidemic Dynamics

Recent health threats, such as the SARS, H1N1, and ebola pandemics, have stimulated great interest in network models to study the transmission of communicable diseases through human interaction and mobility. Most current network models have focused on an individual-centric perspective where individuals are represented as nodes and the interactions among them as edges. Few of these models are concerned with the discovery of the spatial patterns and dynamics of epidemics. We propose a location-centric, transmission network approach, in which nodes denote locations and edges denote possible disease transmissions between locations. We then identify the dynamics of transmission flows, the dynamics of critical locations, and the spatial–temporal extent of transmission pathways to assess the impact of these spatial dynamics on the evolution of an epidemic. Results show that transmission flows shift from elementary schools to middle schools and finally universities and professional schools at different phases of an epidemic. Critical locations, identified using network analysis, are responsible for the upsurge in transmission flows during the peaks of the epidemic. The length of transmission pathways shows a power law distribution and their spatial extent is rather small. Insights gained from this study will help devise spatially sensitive strategies to control communicable diseases.

Recent Advances in Electrochemical Sensors for Detecting Weapons of Mass Destruction. A Review

AbstractThe detection of chemical warfare agents (CWA) has become a worldwide security concern in light of the many recent international threats utilizing nerve agents. Among a variety of detection methods that have been developed for CWA, electrochemical sensors offer the unrivaled merits of high sensitivity, specificity and operational simplicity. Recent insights into novel fabrication methodologies and electrochemical techniques have resulted in the demonstration of electrochemical sensors able to address many of the limitations of conventional methodologies. This article reviews recent advances and developments in the field of electrochemical biosensors based detection of nerve agent and their utility for decentralized threat detection. With continued innovations and attention to key challenges, it is expected that electrochemical sensors will play a pivotal role in the CWA detection scenario. This review concludes with the implications of the electrochemical sensing platforms along with future prospects and challenges.

Healthcare reform after MERS outbreak: progress to date and next steps

To avoid a future catastrophic event like the recent Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) outbreak, we must reform our health system based on an objective and thorough review of the outbreak. A little over a year after the outbreak, this paper aims to evaluate the current status of the government's effort to reform our health system across the three following areas: 1) infectious disease emergency preparedness and response; 2) an organized healthcare system for infectious diseases; and 3) hospital preparedness for healthcare-associated infections. In spite of the substantial organizational changes of the Korea Centers for Disease Control (CDC) responsible for infectious disease emergency preparedness and response, the Korea CDC has not shown significant improvement in its competence and organizational commitment in the face of recent infectious disease threats such as Zika virus and cholera. So far, the Korean government has not announced an implementation plan for establishing an organized healthcare system for infectious diseases. To reduce healthcare associated infections, the Korean government implemented major changes in the hospital infection control system, emergency medical service system, and enhanced nursing system. Because the most extensive reform occurred around reducing healthcare-associated infections in hospitals, we need to evaluate the impact of the entire reform effort in a near future. Because the effort to reform our health system remains ongoing, we also need to continue to observe the progress of reform to ensure the avoidance of a future catastrophic event like the recent MERS outbreak.

Emergent transformation games: exploring social innovation agency and activation through the case of the Belgian electricity blackout threat

Pel, B., G. Wallenborn, and T. Bauler. 2016. Emergent transformation games: exploring social innovation agency and activation through the case of the Belgian electricity blackout threat. Ecology and Society 21(2):17.http://dx.doi.org/10.5751/ES-08346-210217

Ambient Technology in Vehicles: The Benefits and Risks

This paper is aimed towards studying, compiling, and analyzing the recent advances and risks of the current ambient technology that is present in modern day cars. The progression of sophisticated technologies inside cars make them an even more comfortable and entertaining place to be in especially during commutes to work, but recent security threats and distractions have been uncovered with the upsurge usage of new technologies. This study also includes a survey that senses the people's use of car technologies when driving.

Zika Pandemic - Recent threat to mankind

Recently more than 13 countries in the Americas have reported sporadic Zika virus infections indicating rapid geographic expansion of Zika virus.

A Model of Sustainability for Professional Organizations: Using a Learning Management System to Offer Continuing Education

Professional membership organizations have long maintained their exposure and revenue stream through a variety of traditional avenues, most notably memberships, sponsored conferences, and professional journals. The synergy of this three-tiered model has depended on a certain enhanced status derived from membership benefits and proprietary information that can be marketed separately to non-members. Given the recent threats to this model due to the advent of the Internet, I present an example of an organization—International Association for the Study of Dream (IASD)—which has harnessed its annual conference assets to create an online continuing education program with the help of a learning management system, Moodle. I chose this organization not only because I have been involved in this project but also because I believe IASD is one of the first membership organizations to successfully create this fourth tier of outreach and revenue generation.

Ten-year performance of Influenzanet: ILI time series, risks, vaccine effects, and care-seeking behaviour

Recent public health threats have propelled major innovations on infectious disease monitoring, culminating in the development of innovative syndromic surveillance methods. Influenzanet is an internet-based system that monitors influenza-like illness (ILI) in cohorts of self-reporting volunteers in European countries since 2003. We investigate and confirm coherence through the first ten years in comparison with ILI data from the European Influenza Surveillance Network and demonstrate country-specific behaviour of participants with ILI regarding medical care seeking. Using regression analysis, we determine that chronic diseases, being a child, living with children, being female, smoking and pets at home, are all independent predictors of ILI risk, whereas practicing sports and walking or bicycling for locomotion are associated with a small risk reduction. No effect for using public transportation or living alone was found. Furthermore, we determine the vaccine effectiveness for ILI for each season.

3rd ESCMID conference on vaccines in Lisbon, Portugal: Vaccines for mutual protection

3rd ESCMID conference on vaccines in Lisbon, Portugal: Vaccines for mutual protection

Avian zoonoses – a review

Abstract Birds are one of the most interesting and most colourful groups of animals, but they can also be a source of zoonotic factors dangerous for humans. This paper describes the threats to human health from contact with birds. The most vulnerable occupational groups associated with birds are veterinarians, owners of poultry farms, breeders of ornamental birds, zoo personnel, and poultry slaughterhouse workers. Ornithosis is the most dangerous zoonosis of the avian bacterial diseases. Among other hazardous bacterial factors, Salmonella and Campylobacter are responsible for gastrointestinal diseases. Avian influenza is the most dangerous of the viral diseases. It should be noted, however, that avian influenza is a disease of birds, not humans. The recent threat which has appeared is infection with West Nile virus. The results of serological examinations of birds and humans indicate that the virus exists in our ecosystem. Allergic alveolitis connected with the pigeon tick and the Dermanyssus gallinae mite also merits mention. In any case, where people have contact with birds or their droppings and secretions, special precautions should be taken. This way the negative effects of birds on human health can be minimised or eliminated

Exploration of relational factors: Sino-foreign joint venture partnering

Purpose– Despite recent threats of economic contraction, China still offers attractive opportunities for foreign companies seeking to expand their business activities through joint venturing (JV) partnering entry strategies. Recent research has indicated a growing recognition of the importance of relational factors in JV partnering. The purpose of this paper is to build on recent research findings that identify critical relation success factors in JVs and explores these in the context of a Hong Kong-based civil aviation services company seeking to expand business activities in Greater China.Design/methodology/approach– While the extant management literature focuses primarily on factors relevant to the inter-partner relationship between partners in the formation stage of a joint venture, this research takes a dynamic stakeholder perspective in respect of the relevant relational factors over the evolution of a partnership. The research described in this paper is based on a case-based study that identifies and examines the relevance and importance of uniquely Chinese factors such asguanxi,renqingandmianziin the specific context of a strategic partnering relationship.Findings– This phenomenological study provides empirical evidence of critical linkages of these to intrinsically Chinese notions ofguanxi,mianziandrenqing– it links these to key strategic partnering success factors identified to be trust, conflict resolution, commitment and cooperation. This study thereby reinforces the importance of the uniquely Chinese relational context in cross-border JVs. Moreover, the research findings suggest that these factors underpin the dynamic bi-directional stakeholder relationship in a Sino-foreign strategic partnership.Originality/value– This study conceptually links the uniquely Chinese relational factors (guanxi,mianziandrenqing) to key success factors supporting the establishment of a strategic partnership in a Sino-foreign context; moreover, it contributes empirical evidence substantiating the proposed conceptual linkage.

Temporal Dynamics of Avian Populations during Pleistocene Revealed by Whole-Genome Sequences

SummaryGlobal climate fluctuations have significantly influenced the distribution and abundance of biodiversity [1]. During unfavorable glacial periods, many species experienced range contraction and fragmentation, expanding again during interglacials [2–4]. An understanding of the evolutionary consequences of both historical and ongoing climate changes requires knowledge of the temporal dynamics of population numbers during such climate cycles. Variation in abundance should have left clear signatures in the patterns of intraspecific genetic variation in extant species, from which historical effective population sizes (Ne) can be estimated [3]. We analyzed whole-genome sequences of 38 avian species in a pairwise sequentially Markovian coalescent (PSMC, [5]) framework to quantitatively reveal changes in Ne from approximately 10 million to 10 thousand years ago. Significant fluctuations in Ne over time were evident for most species. The most pronounced pattern observed in many species was a severe reduction in Ne coinciding with the beginning of the last glacial period (LGP). Among species, Ne varied by at least three orders of magnitude, exceeding 1 million in the most abundant species. Several species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species showed long-term reduction in population size, predating recent declines. We conclude that cycles of population expansions and contractions have been a common feature of many bird species during the Quaternary period, likely coinciding with climate cycles. Population size reduction should have increased the risk of extinction but may also have promoted speciation. Species that have experienced long-term declines may be especially vulnerable to recent anthropogenic threats.

Assessment of overweight, obesity and metabolic variables among students of a private medical college in Dhaka city

Background: Overweight and obesity are recognized as recent threat which affecting both developing and developed countries. Obesity and its associated morbidities are leading cause of most non-communicable diseases. Few recent studies have indicated the presence of increase in overweight and obesity among children and adolescent but there is no study among adult groups. Method and material: This cross sectional study was done to assess the prevalence of overweight, obesity and metabolic variables with their relation among medical students. Result: Our result reveals that 8.6% & 1.9% male and 15% & 3.2% female are suffering from overweight and obesity (based on BMI) respectively. More females (31.3% and 65.2%) are centrally obese than males (3.5% and 34.8%) (According to Waist Hip ratio and Waist Height ratio respectively). But according to Waist circumference more males (30.7%) are obese than females (24%). There is also significant difference of male and female BP. DBP and SBP of male (79.22mmHg & 118.9 mmHg) have high normal level than female (72.71mmHg and 108.67mmHg) (P<0.001). There is no significant difference of glycaemic status (p<.286) and lipid profile ( p<.347) with central obesity. Conclusion: Although male students have high upper level of blood pressure, female students are more obese than males (both according to BMI and central obesity). High blood pressure and obesity both acts as risk factors for the development of non communicable disease. Student’s awareness therefore should be increased to reduce central obesity and BP within normal range.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v14i1.21559 Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.14(1) 2015 p.53-58

Understanding Social Resilience in the Maine Lobster Industry

AbstractThe Maine lobster Homarus americanus fishery is considered one of the most successful fisheries in the world due in part to its unique comanagement system, the conservation ethic of the harvesters, and the ability of the industry to respond to crises and solve collective‐action problems. However, recent threats raise the question whether the industry will be able to respond to future threats as successfully as it has to ones in the past or whether it is now less resilient and can no longer adequately respond to threats. Through ethnographic research and oral histories with fishermen, we examined the current level of social resilience in the lobster fishery. We concentrated on recent threats to the industry and the ways in which it has responded to them, focusing on three situations: a price drop beginning in 2008, a recovery in 2010–2011, and a second collapse of prices in 2012. In addition, we considered other environmental and regulatory concerns identified by fishermen. We found that the industry is not responding effectively to recent threats and identified factors that might explain the level of social resilience in the fishery.Received August 20, 2013; accepted October 29, 2014

Static Heuristics Classifiers as Pre-Filter for Malware Target Recognition (MATR)

Now a day’s malware are one of the major threats to computer information system. The current malware detection technologies have certain significant limitations on their part. Different organizations which deal with the protection of sensitive information may face the problem in identifying recent malware threats among millions and billions of benign executables using just signature-based antivirus systems. Currently for frontline defense against malware, signature-based antivirus products are used by organization.In the undergoing project, we proposed a detection approach by using static heuristics in MATR for malware in PE (portable executable) files. The project suggestslarger performance-based malware target recognition architecture that at present use only static heuristic features.Results of the experiments show that this architecture achieves an overall test accuracy of greater than 98% againstmalware set collected from various operational environments, while most antivirus provide detection accuracy of only 60% at their most sensitive configuration [1]. Implementations of this architecture enables benign executables to be classified successfully to some extent providing enhanced awareness of operators in hostile environments it also enable detection of unknown malware. We are to show the performance of Bagging and AdaBoostensemble.

Sino-Japanese Rivalry at Sea: How Tokyo Can Go Anti-Access on China

This article contends that as Japan weakens relative to China it must think creatively about blunting key components of China's military strategy, particularly in the maritime domain. To advance this argument, this study samples recent Japanese threat perceptions of China; assesses the growing Sino-Japanese military imbalance; illustrates some asymmetric responses that may help Japan exploit its geographic advantages while competing more effectively; and identifies the risks to the proposed countermoves against China's challenge. The bottom line is that if Japan hopes to stay in the game, it must employ its military power imaginatively, making the Asian seas and airspace less and less hospitable to Chinese forces as they turn seaward.

One-health approach as counter-measure against “autoimmune” responses in biosecurity

This Swine flu pandemic of 2009 and the potential Avian flu threat of 2011–2012 have revived a most challenging debate on protection against infectious diseases. The response to the Swine flu pandemic has been ambivalent, both on the societal (political) and the scientific level. While some scientists warned against potential massive loss of human lives and urged for immediate and large-scale vaccination, others accused them of unnecessary scaremongering, arguing that the pandemic would not be that severe. The lab-created virulent Avian flu virus – which has been created in order to ‘fight’ a potential Avian flu pandemic – sparked a fierce debate on the dual-use risks of such a pre-emptive strategy. This article involves an analysis of the medical-political response to these recent viral threats using Peter Sloterdijk's immunological framework as diagnostic tool. In his trilogy Spheres Sloterdijk uses immunological concepts to analyse and assess the contemporary biopolitical situation. It shows how drawing a parallel between the functioning of the biological immune system and “immune responses” on socio-political level enables to assess and reconceptualise biosecurity.It demonstrates that ideas such as “nature is the biggest terrorist” – as advanced by many virologists – sometimes result in exaggerated “immunisation responses”. This strong defensive attitude sometimes brings about collateral damage. In other words, fierce biosecurity measures sometimes risk developing into “autoimmune” responses that actually destruct the body politic they are meant to protect. By drawing on recent insights in the functioning of the biological immune system it is shown how a One-Health approach that incorporates a broader and nuanced “immunological” repertoire could act as counter-measure against “autoimmune” responses in biosecurity.