Risky Sites Research Articles

The Myths of and Solutions for Android OS Controlled and Secure Environment

<p class="R-AbstractKeywords"><span lang="EN-US">Android is the most popular mobile operating system nowadays both for smartphones and tablets. This fact creates many not fully recognized risks. Often even advanced users naive think that using antivirus software, firewall, encryption, updates, as well as avoiding potentially risky sites and applications are enough for security. This list is not full, but nevertheless each its item in most cases only conceals an illusion of reaching the security. Authors have summarized and pointed out several actual Android security issues and have proposed a number of possible solutions.</span></p><p class="R-AbstractKeywords"><span lang="EN-US">The practical experience as well as direct testing show that part of Android applications may contain a malware. The harmful characteristics of an application often become visible only after some runs, or after an update, or after a harmful web content is downloaded and shown by the application. It is observed that applications often try to get an unauthorized or inattentively authorized access to user data and send it outside the device. </span></p><p class="R-AbstractKeywords"><span lang="EN-US">The situation with Android applications gets more and more out of the control. The authors propose a solution to overcome the security issues, while respecting the latest Google solutions. Target group of the proposal are users that use smartphone or tablet both for private and corporate needs, i.e. Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) case.</span></p><p class="R-AbstractKeywords"><span lang="EN-US">The authors point out and compare four possible Android technical administration solutions based on the unified model for BYOD case. The authors also propose the changes to Android architecture to enhance its security. It is proposed to look at the mobile operating system as a web server. Such principle allows implementing in Android a number of security principles taken from the web servers solutions.</span></p>

An educational system to help students assess website features and identify high-risk websites

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose an effective educational system to help students assess Web site risk by providing an environment in which students can better understand a Web site’s features and determine the risks of accessing the Web site for themselves. Design/methodology/approach – The authors have enhanced a prototype visualization system for helping students assess Web site features and use them to identify risky Web sites. The system was implemented with our graphical search interface for multi-attribute metadata called “Concentric Ring View” and was tested using 13,386 actual and dummy Web sites and 11 Web site attributes. Findings – The testing revealed several distinguishing attributes of risky Web sites, including being related to “play”, having monotone colors, having many images, having many links and having many pages with much text in smaller font size. A usability test with 12 teenaged female students demonstrated that they could learn to identify some features of risky Web sites. Originality/value – As students cannot live in a safe cyberspace environment forever, they should be taught how to identify risky Web sites. We proposed an educational system to help students assess Web site features and identify high-risk Web site and verified the effectiveness of this system.

Effects of predation risk on elk (Cervus elaphus) landscape use in a wolf (Canis lupus) dominated system

Food acquisition and predation avoidance are key drivers of herbivore behaviour. We investigated the interaction of top-down (predator) and bottom-up (food, fire, thermal) effects by measuring the relationship between wolf (Canis lupus L., 1758) predation risk perceived by elk (Cervus elaphus L., 1758) and elk landscape use. We conducted fecal pellet and wolf scat surveys in three valleys with three wolf population levels (Saint Mary: low; Waterton: moderate; North Fork: high). In the North Fork, 90% of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) stands burned recently; the other valleys had no fire. We created predictive models of elk pellet density that incorporated bottom-up and top-down variables. All valleys had a high elk pellet density (≥10 per 100 m2). Wolf scat density was similar where there was no fire, but one order of magnitude greater in burned areas. Elk pellet density was lower in the North Fork, a predation-related response. In all valleys, site-specific elk density declined as impediments to detecting or escaping wolves increased, and elk avoided aspen, except for North Fork unburned areas. Models that best predicted elk density contained bottom-up and top-down effects. At local scales, high predation risk negatively influence elk occurrence, suggesting that even with minimal wolf exposure elk avoid risky sites.

An evaluation of risky sites for cattle production in northern Turkey based on temperature/humidity index calculated using GIS and indicator kriging

High temperatures and relative humidity can induce livestock stress and a subsequent decrease in productivity, making location and time period important elements to consider when planning cattle and dairy farming investments. Turkey has a diversity of geographical features that offer the potential for breeding of all types of animals. This study used the temperature/humidity index (THI) in conjunction with a Geographical Information System (GIS) and indicator kriging to identify risky sites for cattle production in 4 provinces in northern Turkey. Findings indicated that THI values at 0700 and 2100 local time (LST; UTC + 2 h) fell within the normal range for all months. However, daily maximum THI values were found to vary significantly by month, exceeding the alert threshold THI value = 75 at certain sites in June, July, August and September and the danger threshold THI value = 79 at certain sites in July and August. THI values at 1400 LST in July and August also exceeded the alert threshold at certain sites and the danger threshold at others. Once THI values were calculated, regression analysis was performed using THI values and selected topographical features. A significant correlation (at 1%) was found between THI values and elevation for all months except April and May. The study findings suggest that cattle producers should invest in physical improvements such as shade provision and cooling fans and shift feeding times to cooler hours of the day in June, July, August and September in order to mitigate the negative effects of high temperatures and relative humidity.

Experimental evaluation of Candonocypris novaezelandiae (Crustacea: Ostracoda) in the biocontrol of Schistosomiasis mansoni transmission

ObjectiveTo test Candonocypris novaezelandiae (Baird) (C. novaezelandiae), sub-class Ostracoda, obtained from the Nile, Egypt for its predatory activity on snail, Biomphalaria alexandrina (B. alexandrina), intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni (S. mansoni) and on the free-living larval stages of this parasite (miracidia and cercariae). MethodsThe predatory activity of C. novaezelandiae was determined on B. alexandrina snail (several densities of eggs, newly hatched and juveniles). This activity was also determined on S. mansoni miracidia and cercariae using different volumes of water and different numbers of larvae. C. novaezelandiae was also tested for its effect on infection of snails and on the cercarial production. ResultsC. novaezelandiae was found to feed on the eggs, newly hatched and juvenile snails, but with significant reduction in the consumption in the presence of other diet like the blue green algae (Nostoc muscorum). This ostracod also showed considerable predatory activity on the free-living larval stages of S. mansoni which was affected by certain environmental factors such as volume of water, density of C. novaezelandiae and number of larvae of the parasite. ConclusionsThe presence of this ostracod in the aquatic habitat led to significant reduction of snail population, infection rate of snails with schistosme miracidia as well as of cercarial production from the infected snails. This may suggest that introducing C. novaezelandiae into the habitat at schistosome risky sites could suppress the transmission of the disease.

Achieving zero new HIV infection, unsafe sexual practices of out of school border youths

Background Young people aged 15 to 24 account for more than 50 percent of all new HIV infections worldwide, majority are those who engage in unsafe sex (unprotected casual sex and multiple sex partners), unsafe injection drug use, exposure to contaminated blood and blood products or unsterilized skin piercing procedures. Border towns have an admixture of vulnerable population including uniform personnel, out of school youths, traders, drivers, commercial sex workers and migrants as well as risky sites such as bars, hotels, brothels and truck parking areas.

Geographic Expansion of Buruli Ulcer Disease, Cameroon

Geographic Expansion of Buruli Ulcer Disease, Cameroon

Geographic Expansion of Buruli Ulcer Disease, Cameroon

Geographic Expansion of Buruli Ulcer Disease, Cameroon

Testing and evaluation of a method for locating potentially hazardous sites of eventual microdestruction and detecting marks of ISS RS hull leakage

In 2008, two experiments – BAR and EXPERT – were performed on the Russian segment (ISS RS) during ISS missions 16 and 17 using diagnostic equipment BAR. The experiments were aimed to enhance ISS safety by proposing means and methods of detecting leaks due to many factors including microdestruction of pressurized modules of the vehicle. The BAR experiment was designed to assess the ultraviolet background in 56 potentially dangerous locations identified by RS ISS designers and engineers. The method for locating sites carrying the risk of microdestruction of pressurized structure was verified. The study showed that the rate of microdestruction is highly affected by level of ultrasound vibrations caused by onboard equipment. The ultrasound measurements in 200 RS ISS sites were performed within the BAR experiment. The method consists of looking for surfaces with atmospheric condensate in the areas of increased levels of ultrasound vibrations. Twenty six sites were added to the nomenclature of potentially risky sites to be monitored on the regular basis. Some of these sites were contaminated by fungi and bacteria.

Predation risk determines breeding territory choice in a Mediterranean cavity-nesting bird community

Non-direct effects of predation can be an important component of the total effect of predation, modulating animal population and community dynamics. The isolated effects of predation risk on the spatial organisation of the breeding bird community, however, remains poorly studied. We investigated whether an experimentally increased predation risk prior to reproduction affected breeding territory selection and subsequent reproductive strategies in three Mediterranean cavity-nesting birds, i.e., the little owl Athene noctua, European roller Coracias garrulus and scops owl Otus scops. We found that territories used the previous year were more likely to be re-occupied when they belonged to the safe treatment rather than to the risky treatment. The first choice of breeders of all three species was for safe territories over risky ones. When all breeding attempts in the season (i.e., final occupation) were considered, breeders also preferred safe to risky sites. In addition, little owls laid larger eggs in risky territories than in safe territories. Our study provides experimental evidence of a rapid preventive response of the three most abundant species in a cavity-nesting bird community to a short-term manipulation of predation risk. This response highlights the key role of the non-direct effects of predation in modulating avian community organisation.

Many routes lead to Rome: potential causes for the multi‐route migration system of Red Knots, Calidris canutus islandica

Migrants, such as birds or representatives of other taxa, usually make use of several stopover sites to cover the distance between their site of origin and destination. Potentially, multiple routes exist, but often little is known about the causes and consequences of alternative migration routes. Apart from their geographical distribution, the suitability of potential sites might play an important role in the animals' decisions for a particular itinerary. We used an optimal-migration model to test three nonmutually exclusive hypotheses leading to variations in the spring migration routes of a subspecies of Red Knot, Calidris canutus islandica, which migrates from wintering grounds in Western Europe to breeding grounds in Greenland and the Canadian Arctic: the breeding location hypothesis, the energy budget hypothesis, and the predation risk hypothesis. Varying only breeding location, the model predicted that birds breeding in the Canadian Arctic and on West Greenland stop over on Iceland, whereas birds breeding in East and Northeast Greenland migrate via northern Norway, a prediction that is supported by empirical findings. Energy budgets on stopover sites had a strong influence on the choice of route and staging times. Varying foraging-intensity and mass-dependent predation risk prompted the birds to use less risky sites, if possible. The effect of simultaneous changes in the energy budget and predation risk strongly depended on the site where these occurred. Our findings provide potential explanations for the observations that C. canutus islandica uses a diverse array of migration routes. Scrutinizing the three alternative driving forces for the choice of migratory routes awaits further, specific data collection in rapidly developing fields of research (e.g., predation risk assessment, GPS tracking). Generally, the type of modeling presented here may not only highlight alternative explanations, but also direct follow-up empirical research.

The Wenchuan Earthquake (May 12, 2008), Sichuan Province, China, and resulting geohazards

On Monday, May 12, 2008, a devastating mega-earthquake of magnitude 8.0 struck the Wenchuan area, northwestern Sichuan Province, China. The focal mechanism of the earthquake was successive massive rock fracturing 15 km in depth at Yingxiu. Seismic analysis confirms that the major shock occurred on the Beichuan–Yingxiu Fault and that aftershocks rapidly extended in a straight northeast–southeast direction along the Longmenshan Fault zone. Fatalities approaching a total of 15,000 occurred, with a significant number resulting from four types of seismically triggered geohazards—rock avalanches and landslides, landslide-dammed lakes (“earthquake lakes”), and debris flows. China Geological Survey has identified 4,970 potentially risky sites, 1,701 landslides, 1,844 rock avalanches, 515 debris flows, and 1,093 unstable slopes. Rock avalanches and landslides caused many fatalities directly and disrupted the transportation system, extensively disrupting rescue efforts and thereby causing additional fatalities. Landslide-dammed lakes not only flooded human habitats in upstream areas but also posed threats to potentially inundated downstream areas with large populations. Debris flows become the most remarkable geohazards featured by increasing number, high frequency, and low triggering rainfall. Earthquake-triggered geohazards sequentially induced and transformed to additional hazards. For example, debris flows occurred on rock avalanches and landslides, followed by landslide-dammed lakes, and then by additional debris flows and breakouts of the landslide-dammed lakes and downstream flooding. Earthquake-induced geohazards occurred mainly along the fault zone and decreased sharply with distance from the fault. It can be anticipated that post-earthquake geohazards, particularly for debris flows, will continue for 5–10 years and even for as long as 20 years. An integrated strategy of continuing emergency response and economic reconstruction is required. The lesson from Wenchuan Earthquake is that the resulted geohazards may appear in large number in active fault regions. A plan for geohazard prevention in the earthquake-active mountainous areas is needed in advance.

Potential impact of natural hazards on water supply systems in Alpine regions

One of the most important aspects in water supply management is supply security. In this article a methodology is introduced to first identify vulnerable sites of a water supply system (WSS) and second to estimate the potential effect of alpine natural hazards on this system. The approach serves for the definition of zones with low, medium and high potential risk by combining vulnerability and hazard maps. This approach enables the possibility to accomplish prevention measures on risky sites considering the available budget. A management support tool (VulNetWS - Vulnerability of Water Supply Networks) is developed which quantifies vulnerability based on hydraulic and quality simulations assuming component failure of each single WSS component. Hazards of flooding, landslide, debris flow and avalanches are calculated and categorized in potential low, medium and high hazard zones. For this analysis different GIS data sets (e.g. Austrian hazard zone maps, HORA “Flood Risk Zoning”) are used. The methodology is presented by applying it upon an alpine region encompassing the municipality of Kitzbühel (Tyrol - Austria) and 4 neighbouring municipalities. The combination of vulnerability and hazard is summarized using a risk matrix that highlights a zone of 0.42 square kilometres within the study area as being potentially risky.

Vigilance and foraging behaviour in a social desert rodent, Microcavia australis (Rodentia Caviidae)

Microcavia australis is a social species, diurnal and native to South America. This rodent provides an opportunity for analyzing the relationship between group size and the vigilance and foraging behaviour of the lesser cavy in two populations inhabiting two risky sites (El Leoncito and Ñacuñán). The study should reveal the mechanisms used by M. australis to reduce predation risk (many-eyes effect, cooperative vigilance or/and simple dilution of per capita risk). Continuous focal sampling was conducted at times of food shortage, food abundance and reproduction, from 2003–2005. A negative correlation was found between number of individuals per group and frequency of individual vigilance, and a positive correlation between rate and proportion of total group vigilance and the number of individuals per group of both sites. There was no correlation between the number of individuals per group and group foraging at either site. A benefit of social grouping in cavies is an increased probability of survival with group vigilance, although this implies no favourable impact on foraging activity. This should reveal an effect of group in the antipredator response, i.e. groups of larger size show lower levels of individual vigilance and improved efficiency in their vigilance behaviour. That is to say that a predator would be detected earlier when approaching a group than when approaching a solitary individual and could thus be avoided (many-eyes effect and cooperative vigilance).

Context-dependent reproductive site choice in a Neotropical frog

In organisms whose offspring develop in discrete habitat patches such as pools, studies have frequently shown that adults avoid sites based on a single risk factor facing offspring. However, natural reproductive sites often vary in multiple risk factors in both space and time. In this study, I used choice tests among field mesocosms to determine whether adults of a Neotropical anuran, Edalorhina perezi, select the safest pools for offspring based on two biotic risks of different magnitude: insect predators and conspecific competitors. I also investigated whether adult site-choice was context dependent (i.e., whether it varied by sex or by season or whether it was based on local pool quality). I found that both sexes avoided pools containing predatory insects, but only females significantly avoided those containing conspecific tadpoles. When offered two risky options, both sexes favored pools with competitors over those with predators. Site-choice behavior also varied depending on the temporal and spatial context. Female sensitivity to insect predators decreased late in the season. In addition, both sexes exhibited dampened reproductive activity when only risky sites were available locally. This study emphasizes that social and environmental factors simultaneously impact reproductive site choice. Whether a site is accepted ultimately depends not only on the assessment of mortality risks to offspring but also on the sex and spatiotemporal context of the decision maker. Key words: amphibians, calling sites, choice experiments, Edalorhina perezi, insect predators, oviposition sites, Peru, pool mesocosms, reproductive site choice, tadpole competitors, tadpole mortality risk. [Behav Ecol 14:626–633 (2003)]

Selection of Molting and Pupation Sites byColeomegilla maculata(Coleoptera: Coccinellidae): Avoidance of Intraguild Predation

Molting and pupating insects are especially vulnerable to natural enemies and one possible component of their defensive strategy is the selection of suitable microhabitats. We hypothesized that larvae of the lady beetle Coleomegilla maculata lengi Timberlake select molting and pupation sites that effectively reduce their susceptibility to intraguild predation. We characterized microsites on potato plants and evaluated their associated risk of predation by the lacewing Chrysoperla rufilabris Burmeister (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), a common intraguild predator. The majority of molts (>60%) occurred on potato plants in sites similar to those used by mobile coccinellid larvae. In contrast, 90% of the larvae left the plant to pupate. Second, third, and fourth instars selected artificial shelters for both molting and pupation when these were available. Vulnerability of pupae and newly molted larvae to lacewing larvae depended on plant microsite, with leaves supporting an aphid colony as the most risky sites. Molting and pupating microhabitat selection by coccinellid larvae appears to be a trade-off between the advantages of remaining close to the aphid resource, and the costs of being exposed to intraguild predators.

Development of Method for Predicting Railway Embankment Collapse Due to Rainfall Based on Disaster Examples.

Slope collapses of embankment and cut slope along railways are often triggered by heavy rainfall of typhoon, etc. and have much influence on train running safety. It is of vital importance to locate risky sites along the railway to control train operation. For this purpose, it is desirable to develop a practical damage estimation method which can accurately predict the risk of slope collapse and can simply be applied by railway workers in the field. This paper deals with a method of estimating the risk of railway embankment collapse due to heavy rainfall through a multivariate analysis. This paper proposes to define the critical rainfall as a product of the amounts of the accumulated rainfall and the maximum hourly rainfall.

A risk estimation method of railway embankment collapse due to heavy rainfall

Slope collapses of embankments and cut slopes along railways are often triggered by heavy rainfall of a typhoon, etc., and have much influence on the running safety of trains. It is of vital importance to find out the risky sites along the railway to control railway operations. For this purpose, it is desiable to develop a practical damage estimation method which can accurately predict the risks of slope collapse and can be simply applied by many railway workers. This paper deals with a method of estimating the railway embankment collapse in times of heavy rainfall based on a multivariate analysis. The critical rainfall is proposed to be defined as a product of the amount of accumulated rainfall and the maximum hourly rainfall. This value is also determined by a function whose variables include information on the embankment such as soil and structural properties, the surface ground geotechnical characteristics, the catchment and seepage, and the empirical rainfall. Therefore, the risk evaluation for embankments can be performed with the critical rainfall value.

Evaluation of Environmental and Human Risk From Crude-Oil Contamination

Summary The presence of petroleum compounds in soils, water, or petroleum compoundsin soils, water, or air does not necessarily result in a risk to populations. This paper presents a method of quantitative risk assessment (QRA) usedsuccessfully to assess, describe, and understand the environmental- andhuman-heath risks found in the oilfield environment. Introduction Soil contamination from petroleum hydrocarbons has become an important humanand environmental-health issue in the U.S. over the last decade. Yet, thiscontamination has probably occurred since the use of petroleum becamewidespread during the petroleum became widespread during the early part of thiscentury. The potential exists for humans to be exposed to petroleumconstituents in soils through various pathways. Potential pathways of exposureto pathways. Potential pathways of exposure to petroleum hydrocarbons in soilat a site depend petroleum hydrocarbons in soil at a site depend on the type ofsoil, petroleum, and petroleum constituents present. petroleum constituentspresent. Potential human exposures to petroleum in soils can be evaluatedthrough the use of formal QRA. This method incorporates information about thetoxicity of the petroleum and its constituents. the environmental behavior ofthese agents. and the estimated exposure to these agents to evaluate thepossible health risks to humans exposed to possible health risks to humansexposed to petroleum in soil. petroleum in soil. Crude oil is the naturallyoccurring liquid phase of petroleum. Natural crude-oil seeps are common inregions of petroleumbearing formations. This natural petroleumbearingformations. This natural contamination may result in human exposures to crudeoil and subsequent associated health risks. Risks from natural contaminationsources are often referred to as background risks. Health risks associated withexposures resulting from accidental releases of chemicals into the environmentare referred to as additional or incremental risks. QRA's are used to evaluateincremental health risks from accidental releases of petroleum products intothe environment. For example, if products into the environment. For example, ifa QRA concludes that the presence of crude oil in soil results in exposuresthat may cause adverse effects, then the concentration of the crude in soil mayneed to be reduced to an acceptable level. Use of Risk Assessment. Companies use formal health-based risk assessmentfor a variety of reasons, including the need to understand risks and toprioritize the remediation and prevention of risk. Internally, companies wantto understand the potential risks at a given site for decision-making reasonsand for comparison with other sites. The QRA provides information that cananswer a variety of internal questions. For example, how can one company withmultiple sites contaminated with a variety of chemicals prioritize remediationalternatives? How can a company develop a structured enviroinmental program toremediate each of those sites when the given fiscal reality does not permitremediation of all sites in a given year? Companies can use QRA's to prioritizethe sites and clean up the most risky sites first. This equates to a program ofrisk prevention in which the greatest amount of prevention in which thegreatest amount of risk reduction is achieved for every remediation dollarspent. QRA's can also be used to prioritize the remediation within a givensite. The chemical with the highest concentration may not be the chemical withthe highest risk. Use of QRA's within a site allows, first, for the remediationof chemical contaminants that pose the highest risk to the exposed population, with subsequent remediation of the remaining chemical contaminants having lowerrisk. Externally, QRA's are used in a variety of situations, includingregulatory responses and dealings with the public and media. QRA's can providealternative contamination levels or remediation goals at a given site and canbe used to convey the conditions at the site to the public and media. QRA's arescientifically defensible documents, based on the best and most currentunderstanding of the toxicity and exposure data base, that provide a logical, documented transition from site-specific exposure and toxicity data to theestimated risk. As legal documents, QRA's are used in liability cases and inthe defense of product liability suits. QRA's provide a structure to theremediation process and address an endpoint; they can be used to provide analternative remediation goal to one being proposed by regulators-i.e., arisk-driven rather than technology-driven remediation endpoint. QRA Components. The principle of risk assessment can be summed up as hazardtimes exposure equals risk. JPT P. 14