Secure Message Research Articles

Digital-Signature Oriented Steganography Approach against Man-in-the-Middle Attack

Nowadays, man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks have become a large problem due to the advancement of computational power and interactive mobile technologies. Message security is a crucial concern that ought to be managed in order to help protect vital data from unauthorized people, such as MITM. Steganography is the technique of hiding secret data within an ordinary, non-secret file or message in order to avoid detection when communicating through an unsecured network. Steganography applications play a vital role in various fields that involve classified data transfer, such as healthcare, multimedia, and the military. Hence, the application of steganography in those fields attracts MITM attacks. Thus, in an attempt to address the challenge. This study proposes a hybrid approach that integrates an image steganography technique, the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) for message encryption, and EdDSA (Edward-Curve Digital Signature Algorithm) for signature verification to enhance steganography against MITM attacks. The proposed hybrid approach was tested and measured using image metrics (MSE, PSNR, and SSIM) and histogram visualization and verified through experimentation. The results have proven that the proposed hybrid approach is an enhanced security approach with low execution time, more payload size for hiding messages, and a high invisibility embedded message to MITM compared with other existing approaches. This study has potential limitations. It does not explore tamper resistance or algorithm robustness, and it was not tested on a public image dataset.

Nudging Towards Sleep-Friendly Hospitalizations: A Multifaceted Approach on Reducing Unnecessary Overnight Interventions.

Choice architecture refers to the design of decision environments, which can influence healthcare decision-making. Nudges are subtle adjustments in these environments that guide decisions toward desired outcomes. For example, Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) within Electronic Health Records (EHR) recommends frequencies for interventions such as nursing assessments and medication administrations, but these can link to around-the-clock schedules without clinical necessity. This study aimed to evaluate an intervention to promote sleep-friendly practices by optimizing choice architecture and employing targeted nudges on inpatient order frequencies. We employed a quasi-experimental interrupted time series analysis of a multifaceted, multiphase intervention to reduce overnight interventions in a hospital system. Our intervention featured EHR modifications to optimize the scheduling of vital sign checks, neurological checks, and medication administrations. Additionally, we used targeted secure messaging reminders and education on an inpatient neurology unit (INU) to supplement the initiative. Significant increases in sleep-friendly medication orders were observed at the academic medical center (AMC) and community hospital affiliate (CHA), particularly for acetaminophen and heparin at the AMC. This led to a reduction in overnight medication administrations, with the most substantial decrease observed with heparin at all locations (CHA: 18%, AMC: 10%, INU: 10%, p<0.05). Sleep-friendly vital sign orders increased significantly at all sites (AMC: 6.7%, CHA 4.3%, INU: 14%, p<0.05), and sleep-friendly neuro check orders increased significantly at the AMC (8.1%, p<0.05). There was also a significant reduction in overnight neurological checks at the AMC. Tailoring EHR modifications and employing multifaceted nudging strategies emerged as promising approaches for reducing unnecessary overnight interventions. The observed shifts in sleep-friendly ordering translated into decreases in overnight interventions. Multifaceted nudges can effectively influence clinician decision-making and patient care. The varied impacts across nudge types and settings emphasize the importance of thoughtful nudge design and understanding local workflows.

Graphical and Matrix Coding Methods for Enhanced Message Security Using Star Graphs

This article presents a new method for encoding secret messages using super-intermediate symbols in star charts. The system includes two super average images and two formats, as well as graphics and matrix encoding methods for added security. The authors provide a method to adjust the average of the three star maps to ensure the stability of the encoded message. This research provides a non-programming method for developing matrix graphics coding techniques and has implications for fields such as telecommunications and cryptography. The use of super-average symbols and star charts provides a secure method of communication with applications in data encryption, network security, and confidential communication. The results of this study show that the effectiveness of the proposed system in improving the security and privacy of encrypted messages makes it useful in business.

Data Encryption and Decryption using Some Integral Transforms

Ever since the beginning of time, people have valued privacy and information security. Information security is becoming increasingly vital in our digital society. The authentication system's protection of hidden information is crucial. One of the most significant methods used to protect data and secure message transmission is cryptography. There are the two components for the encoding and decoding process which includes the algorithm and key. Cryptography is made more secured by utilising a key for both encryption and decryption. Introduction: In many circumstances, the sender wants to keep the message private from the public or from unauthorised users. Information is protected using encryption, and the original message is unlocked using decryption. Various Techniques are found in literature and further we extend the findings by combining the Elzaki and Aboodh transforms to encrypt the message and apply their inverse transforms to decrypt it with the ASCII values under modulo 255. Objectives: In this paper we focused on two stages of encryption and two stages of decryption under modulo 255. Methods: Using different transformation techniques, we have encrypted and decrypted the data. One is Laplace transform technique while the other is Aboodh-Elzaki transform technique. Results: The text message is converted to coded message by using both Laplace transform technique and Aboodh-Elzaki transforms technique. Conclusions: In the current paper, we present a novel method that encrypts data using Laplace transform and decrypts it using the private key, which is under modulo255. The two integral transforms are used to increase the message's level of security during decryption by selecting a new function and altering the other elements.

Data Encryption and Decryption using some Integral Transforms

Ever since the beginning of time, people have valued privacy and information security. Information security is becoming increasingly vital in our digital society. The authentication system's protection of hidden information is crucial. One of the most significant methods used to protect data and secure message transmission is cryptography. There are the two components for the encoding and decoding process which includes the algorithm and key. Cryptography is made more secured by utilising a key for both encryption and decryption. Introduction: In many circumstances, the sender wants to keep the message private from the public or from unauthorised users. Information is protected using encryption, and the original message is unlocked using decryption. Various Techniques are found in literature and further we extend the findings by combining the Elzaki and Aboodh transforms to encrypt the message and apply their inverse transforms to decrypt it with the ASCII values under modulo 255. Objectives: In this paper we focused on two stages of encryption and two stages of decryption under modulo 255. Methods: Using different transformation techniques, we have encrypted and decrypted the data. One is Laplace transform technique while the other is Aboodh-Elzaki transform technique. Results: The text message is converted to coded message by using both Laplace transform technique and Aboodh-Elzaki transforms technique. Conclusions: In the current paper, we present a novel method that encrypts data using Laplace transform and decrypts it using the private key, which is under modulo255. The two integral transforms are used to increase the message's level of security during decryption by selecting a new function and altering the other elements.

Association between gastrointestinal symptoms and specialty care utilization among colon cancer survivors: a cohort study

PurposePersistent gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are frequently experienced by colon cancer survivors and may help identify patients with higher utilization of healthcare services. To assess the relationship between GI symptoms and specialty care utilization among colon cancer survivors.MethodsA prospective longitudinal cohort study at an academic medical center of 126 adults surgically treated for stage I–IV colon cancer between February 2017 and June 2022. Participants reported GI symptoms through the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR29 at enrollment and as frequently as every 6 months for 5 years. Main outcome measures were visits, telephone encounters, and secure messages with a medical provider within specialty oncology clinics within 6 months after each survey completion. Generalized linear mixed regression model for repeated measurements with random trajectory for each participant was performed to estimate the associations between symptoms and healthcare use. Models were adjusted for demographics, clinical and surgical factors, and timing in relation to onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsIn the 6 months after each survey time point, patients averaged 1.2 visits, 0.5 telephone encounters, and 3.2 patient-initiated messages. In adjusted models, those with any abdominal pain (RR 1.45; p = 0.002), buttock pain (RR 1.30; p = 0.050), or increased stool frequency (RR 1.26; p = 0.046) had more clinic visits in the following 6 months than those without these symptoms. Including these three symptoms in one model revealed that only abdominal pain was statistically significantly associated with increased clinic visits (RR 1.36; p = 0.016). Patients with any blood or mucus in stool (RR 2.46; p = 0.009) had significantly more telephone encounters, and those with any abdominal pain (RR 1.65; p = 0.002) had significantly more patient-initiated messages than those without these symptoms.ConclusionsOur findings identify GI symptoms associated with increased use of oncologic specialty care among colon cancer survivors, with abdominal pain as an important predictor of utilization.Implications for cancer survivorsEarly identification and anticipatory management of colon cancer survivors experiencing abdominal pain may decrease healthcare utilization.

Efficient message authentication scheme with forward and backward security in Vehicle Cloud Network towards sustainable smart city

The Vehicular Cloud Network (VCN) serves as a crucial component of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), playing an instrumental role in the development of sustainable smart cities. It merges the benefits of both Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANET) and cloud computing. However, VCN faces significant security challenges due to the complexity of communication, the dynamic nature of the environment, and the privacy concerns of data. To address the issues of message security and privacy preservation in VCN, this paper introduces an identity-based key-insulated ring signature (ID-KIRS) scheme for VCN message authentication. Our scheme integrates a secure key update function to address key exposure issues, providing both forward and backward security. The security analysis confirms that our scheme ensures message integrity, unconditional anonymity, and unforgeability. The performance evaluation clearly demonstrates our scheme is efficient, and applicable to vehicle congestion situations, especially car accident scenarios.

Retraction Note: A novel approach for dual layer security of message using Steganography and Cryptography

Retraction Note: A novel approach for dual layer security of message using Steganography and Cryptography

Changes in Secure Messaging After Implementation of Billing E-Visits by Demographic Group

Changes in Secure Messaging After Implementation of Billing E-Visits by Demographic Group

Primary Care Telehealth Initiation and Engagement Among Veterans at High Risk, 2019-2022

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) expanded telehealth infrastructure. Understanding telehealth initiation and sustained engagement could inform future resource allocation for high-need populations. To describe and examine primary care use, including initiation, use, and engagement factors, of telehealth modalities (telephone, video visits, and secure messaging) from 2020 to 2022. This cohort study was conducted among 1 383 070 patients in the 75th or higher percentile for 90-day risk of hospitalization or mortality (using previously validated Care Assessment Need scores) engaged in VHA primary care from March 11, 2019, to March 10, 2022. Patient sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex, race and ethnicity, and marital and housing status), health characteristics (chronic condition count, military service disability, serious mental illness, or substance use disorder diagnoses), geographic characteristics (driving distance to clinic and rural or urban location), and Federal Communications Commission-reported broadband speed among subgroups of patients at high risk categorized by telehealth use from 2020 to 2022. Primary care utilization by modality. A total of 1 383 070 patients at high risk were engaged in VHA primary care in March 2020 (median age, 73.0 years [IQR, 65-80 years]; 92.4% male; 77.7% regular telehealth users in 2019). With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic from March 2020 to March 2021, 92.7% of patients at high risk (1 158 804 of 1 250 438 retained in care) became regular telehealth users. The following year, most patients continued as telehealth users (83.4% [942 151 of 1 129 683 retained]), including 38.2% retention of users at high risk newly engaged in 2020. Between 2019 and 2022 among those living and engaged in VHA primary care, adjusted exploratory multinomial logit models estimated that new telehealth users in 2020 (both sustained or only transiently engaged) were more often Black non-Hispanic individuals with greater comorbidity burdens than those who never engaged in telehealth use (Black non-Hispanic with new persistent telehealth use: adjusted relative risk ratio [ARR], 1.18 [95% CI, 1.16-1.20]; Black non-Hispanic with transient telehealth use: ARR, 1.11 [95% CI, 1.08-1.13]; ≥5 chronic conditions with new persistent telehealth use: ARR, 1.92 [95% CI, 1.88-1.96]; ≥5 chronic conditions with transient telehealth use: ARR, 1.43 [95% CI, 1.40-1.46]). This cohort study suggests that primary care telehealth initiation, use and sustained engagement differed among subgroups of patients at high risk throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Those never or only transiently engaged with telehealth had lower illness burdens and were less likely to identify as members of racial or ethnic minority groups. Variation in telehealth use among subgroups of patients at high risk during this period could inform future resource allocation.

Implementation of Least Significant Bit Steganography to Secure Text Messages in Images

Steganography is a technique of securing secret messages in other messages that are not known. Simulation of the steganography method using the Least Significant Bit technique is used to change the last bit in one byte of data by using a text message as the container medium. This study aims to implement the security of text messages in images using the Least Significant Bit technique which is supported by the steganography method. Simulation techniques are used to conduct studies using Cryptool2 which can describe the concept of cryptography. The results obtained from this study regarding the security of text message insertion into an image in *.jpg and *.png format with 5 sampling trials are (1) the encrypted image cannot be distinguished directly through human eyes, (2) there is an increase in file size the image after being encrypted with an average for five trials is 0.31%, this increase depends on the length of the text message and a key to be inserted, the longer the insertion, the larger the resulting file size, (3) The higher the resolution of the image where the description encryption is inserted, the longer the process required, (4) The simulation time of steganographic decryption is faster than steganographic encryption. The decryption simulation process is the same as 50% of the encryption process.

Secure Messaging Application Development: Based on Post-Quantum Algorithms CSIDH, Falcon, and AES Symmetric Key Cryptosystem

Secure Messaging Application Development: Based on Post-Quantum Algorithms CSIDH, Falcon, and AES Symmetric Key Cryptosystem

THE CONTEMPORARY POLITICAL SECURITY ANALYTICS: «ORDINARY» APPROACHES TO THE FORMATION OF PUBLIC EXPERT CONTENT

The article is devoted to the basics of public perception of the political security of the state in the conditions of a full-scale invasion of modern Russia into Ukraine. The purpose of the study is to establish the specifics of the analysis of communication threats to modern political security in the public sphere. The significance of “ordinary” or “everyday” approaches to political-security analysis and production of political-security content is characterized. It was emphasized that the “retrospective approach” or “method of historical analogies” in the situational dimension involves comparing the security message or the security crisis situation as a whole with certain historical events of the past. The behavior of the subjects (actors) of the retrospective analysis, who risk drawing the wrong conclusion and incorrectly reflecting the real world, is analyzed. The principles of commenting on the political and security situation based on taking into account a relatively narrow range of facts and circumstances are revealed. The factors of preparation for various outcomes of the development of events and increased preparedness for unexpected situations have been clarified. The guidelines for fostering a culture of “experimentation” and continuous improvement, which is especially important in the context of expert protection of business processes from potential political threats, are revealed. Security analytics ecosystems and the integration of open data observations have been proven to improve the effectiveness of security analysis. Networked horizontal communication and data sharing “ecosystems” between related non-governmental expert-analytical structures have been found to focus on understanding and using social and organizational networks to identify potential threats and opportunities for cooperation. It is substantiated that in the production of secure analytical content it is important to apply the principles of flexible project management. It was established that the possibilities of increasing the effectiveness of retrospective analytics appear on the basis of the selection of historical analogies according to the parameters of the functional conditions. It was found that analysts try to assess security events from the side of a “distant observer” based on a “backward” approach. It was concluded that an important means of discrediting informational “throws” of the enemy is an asymmetric communication action (action) based on the formation of the agenda.

Bioinspired Low-Angle-Dependent Photonic Crystal Elastomer for Highly Sensitive Visual Strain Sensor.

Photonic crystals (PCs) possess unique photonic band gap properties that can be used in the field of sensors and smart displays if modulated on the micronano structure. Both nonclose-packed (NCP) structure and high refractive index (RI) contrast of PC play important roles in response sensitivity during stretching. Herein, we constructed an NCP-structured PC strain sensor with high RI by a novel coating-etching strategy. Stretch-induced changes in structural color correspond to the strength of the force, enabling the detection of the strength of the acting force by the naked eye. The flexible 3D cross-linked network constructed by poly(ethylene glycol) phenyl ether acrylate and pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate) endows the sensor with excellent elasticity and robustness. The designed PC strain sensor achieves high mechanochromic sensitivity (∼8.3 nm/%, 0.02 to 4.21 MPa) and a substantial reflection peak shift (Δλ = 249 nm). More importantly, the high RI contrast (Δn = 0.43) between CdS and polymers imparts isotropic optical properties, ensuring a broad viewing angle while avoiding misleading signals. The research provides a novel fabrication strategy to construct sensitive PC strain sensors, expanding the prospective applicability to human movement monitoring and secure message encryption.

Differences in Patient Secure Message Volume Among Otolaryngologists: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

To identify differences in inbox and secure message burden among otolaryngologists based on demographics and subspecialty over 4 years. Inbox data were queried from January 2019 until December 2022. Otolaryngologists were categorized into cohorts by area of practice and gender. All inbox tasks, secure messages, and clinical encounters were collected and compared by gender, practice type, and years in practice. Means were compared using t-tests and chi-squared tests. Of the 128 physicians, 45.7% were comprehensive otolaryngologists and 61.3% were male. The most common subspecialties were facial plastics (15.6%), oncology (8.6%), and otology (7.8%). Otolaryngologists had an average of 143.5 inbox tasks per month, with 97.2 (67.7%) of them being secure messages, resulting in an average of 1.14 inbox tasks and 0.80 secure messages per clinical encounter. The ratio of secure messages per clinical encounter was consistent across all specialties except oncology (1.10, P = .003). Otology (0.86, P = .032) and facial plastics (0.95, P = .028) had significantly lower ratios of inbox tasks to clinical encounters when compared to their colleagues, while oncology had a higher ratio (1.70, P < .001). No significant differences in inbox burden were observed between genders, years in practice, or languages spoken. Secure messages steadily increased over the study period. Inbox burden for otolaryngologists primarily stems from patient secure messages and varies across subspecialties. Considerations should be made to the inbox burden of head and neck oncologists. The implementation of support systems for inbox management could improve the imbalance between clinical and non-clinical responsibilities in otolaryngology. Level III, Retrospective Cohort Study.

Characterizing electronic messaging use among hospitalists and its association with patient volumes.

Secure electronic messaging is increasingly being utilized for communications in healthcare settings. While it likely increases efficiency, it has also been associated with interruptions, high message volumes, and risk of errors due to multitasking. We aimed to characterize patterns of secure messaging among hospitalists to understand the volume of messages, message patterns, and impact on hospitalist workload. This was a retrospective cross-sectional study of Epic Secure Chat secure electronic messages received and sent by hospitalists from April 1 to April 30, 2023 at a large academic medical center. Number of conversations per day, number of chats sent and accessed per hour, and average minutes between when a chat was sent and accessed (lag time) were analyzed using a Pearson correlation coefficient test. Measures were plotted against patient volume and time of day. Hospitalists sent or received an average of 130 messages per day with an average of 13 messages sent or received per hour. The median lag time was 39 s. There was a statistically significant correlation between hospital medicine morning census and number of conversations per day, number of chats sent per hour, and number of chats accessed per hour, but census did not impact lag time. Secure messaging volumes may be higher than previously reported, which may affect hospitalist workload and workflow and have unintended effects on interruptions, multitasking, and medical errors. Additional work should be done to better understand local messaging patterns and opportunities to optimize volume of work and distractions.

An exact mathematical description of computation with transient spatiotemporal dynamics in a complex-valued neural network

Networks throughout physics and biology leverage spatiotemporal dynamics for computation. However, the connection between structure and computation remains unclear. Here, we study a complex-valued neural network (cv-NN) with linear interactions and phase-delays. We report the cv-NN displays sophisticated spatiotemporal dynamics, which we then use, in combination with a nonlinear readout, for computation. The cv-NN can instantiate dynamics-based logic gates, encode short-term memories, and mediate secure message passing through a combination of interactions and phase-delays. The computations in this system can be fully described in an exact, closed-form mathematical expression. Finally, using direct intracellular recordings of neurons in slices from neocortex, we demonstrate that computations in the cv-NN are decodable by living biological neurons as the nonlinear readout. These results demonstrate that complex-valued linear systems can perform sophisticated computations, while also being exactly solvable. Taken together, these results open future avenues for design of highly adaptable, bio-hybrid computing systems that can interface seamlessly with other neural networks.

Enhancing Secure Messaging in Electronic Health Records: Evaluating the Impact of Emoji Chat Reactions on the Volume of Interruptive Notifications

Abstract Background Electronic health record secure messaging (EHRSM) is an increasingly utilized tool for communication among clinicians. However, there is concern about the growing quantity of disruptions it presents via interruptive notification. Objectives The primary aim of this study is to assess whether introducing emoji reactions, which do not trigger push notifications in EHRSM, can alleviate the burden of interruptive notifications. The second aim is to use messaging notification metadata to identify subgroups that might benefit from targeted interventions to aid the adoption of this innovation. Methods We implemented the emoji reaction feature into EHRSM across a large academic health system. We evaluated the volume of push notifications 11 weeks before (pre-emoji period) and after (post-emoji period) introducing emoji reactions in EHRSM. Notification metadata was categorized by user type, and users were stratified based on notification volume. Results There were 1,387,506 fewer push notifications in the post-emoji period (a decrease of 4.7%). Subgroups of users with increasing mean daily push notifications in the pre-emoji period were associated with decreasing mean daily push notifications in the post-emoji period. Among the eight user subgroups, six experienced a significant reduction in interruptive notifications, with the pharmacy and “other” subgroups not observing a reduction. Users in the top quartile of notification volume saw the greatest reduction in burden across each user subgroup. Conclusion Integrating emoji reactions into EHRSM across a large academic health system significantly reduced the burden of push notifications among EHRSM users. Utilizing messaging notification metadata allowed us to identify subgroups that require additional intervention.

Anonymous Complaint Aggregation for Secure Messaging

Private messaging platforms provide strong protection against platform eavesdropping, but malicious users can use privacy as cover for spreading abuse and misinformation. In an attempt to identify the sources of misinformation on private platforms, researchers have proposed mechanisms to trace back the source of a user-reported message (CCS '19,'21). Unfortunately, the threat model considered by initial proposals allowed a single user to compromise the privacy of another user whose legitimate content the reporting user did not like. More recent work has attempted to mitigate this side effect by requiring a threshold number of users to report a message before its origins can be identified (NDSS '22). However, the state of the art scheme requires the introduction of new probabilistic data structures and only achieves a "fuzzy" threshold guarantee. Moreover, false positives, where the source of an unreported message is identified, are possible. This paper introduces a new threshold source tracking technique that allows a private messaging platform, with the cooperation of a third-party moderator, to operate a threshold reporting scheme with exact thresholds and no false positives. Unlike prior work, our techniques require no modification of the message delivery process for a standard source tracking scheme, affecting only the abuse reporting procedure, and do not require tuning of probabilistic data structures.

Blockchain-Based Lightweight Message Authentication for Edge-Assisted Cross-Domain Industrial Internet of Things

In edge-assisted cross-domain Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), blockchain-based authentication is an effective way to build cross-domain trust and secure cross-domain data. However, existing authentication schemes still have serious challenges in terms of efficiency and security. In this paper, we propose a blockchain-based lightweight message authentication scheme. First, to address efficiency challenges, we build a blockchain-enabled edge-assisted lightweight authentication framework. This framework uses edge servers to assist smart devices in achieving cross-domain authentication and effectively reduce redundant interactions between entities. Second, to resolve the security challenges, we design a lightweight message authentication algorithm for cross-domain IIoT. The algorithm guarantees message security with low computational overhead and is suitable for multi-receiver cross-domain IIoT. The security proof and analysis demonstrate that the proposed scheme is secure under the random oracle model and can resist various attacks. The performance evaluation shows that our proposed scheme is superior in terms of computation and communication overhead when compared with other related schemes.