Security Improvement Research Articles

Enhancing claustrophobia exposure therapy: A blockchain and NFT-enabled metaverse approach

Claustrophobia is a widespread mental health issue that affects a significant portion of the population. Traditional approaches, such as exposure therapies, have shown efficacy but are limited by their inability to provide immersive and controlled environments for effective therapy. These methods often struggle to replicate the intensity and authenticity of claustrophobic scenarios and face challenges in data security and patient engagement. In this paper, we propose a blockchain and Non-Fungible Token (NFT)-based metaverse to create a decentralized, transparent, immersive, and secure platform for claustrophobia exposure therapy. Our approach integrates blockchain technology for decentralized data management and NFTs for incentivizing patient participation, offering a unique enhancement to traditional therapy methods. We develop four blockchain smart contracts to manage registration, access control, NFT management, progress monitoring, and incentives distribution. Our system architecture, sequence diagrams, and algorithms are presented to demonstrate the functionality of our solution. We validate our approach through functionality testing, cost evaluation, and security analysis. Specifically, we measure the gas consumption of the smart contracts, analyze transaction costs, and assess system security against vulnerabilities. Additionally, we leverage existing literature to support the effectiveness of NFTs as incentives and the role of blockchain in enhancing data security and participation. The results show improvements in therapy engagement and data security, validating the practical implications of integrating blockchain and metaverse technologies in mental health therapy. We discuss the practical implications, challenges, and limitations of our solution, along with guidelines for generalization. The source code is publicly available on GitHub.

Investigating the synergy of Blockchain and AI: enhancing security, efficiency, and transparency

ABSTRACT Integrating Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence can change business processes, promising improvements in Security, efficiency, and transparency. This proposed research investigates the synergy between these two technologies, investigating how their convergence can change business operations. AI’s data analysis and decision-making ability, coupled with Blockchain’s Security and transparent data sharing, sets the stage for innovative solutions across diverse sectors. The study aims to explore this integration’s potential benefits and challenges, emphasizing the need for further exploration and development. By conducting a systematic literature review, this research will analyze current findings to provide comprehensive insights into how Blockchain and AI can work together to improve business processes. This investigation uses AI to enhance Blockchain’s capabilities through smart contract automation, data analysis, and decision-making, while Blockchain offers a secure and transparent framework for AI operations. The research seeks to answer critical questions about improving Blockchain networks’ Security and privacy using AI, using Blockchain to enhance AI systems’ transparency and accountability, and using AI to improve Blockchain network performance and scalability. Beyond this research, the Author aims to contribute to the Blockchain and AI integration literature, offering a base for future research.

Blockchain Technology for Supply Chain Management: Enhancing Transparency and Efficiency

The innovation of blockchain technologies into supply chain management is incremental by nature, attending to waste aspects and issues that are very old within SCM. As such, this reflection seeks to highlight the multifaceted benefits of blockchain in enhancing simplicity, traceability, security, and efficiency within supply chains. Blockchain provides a decentralized, permanent system of record that allows trust and honesty between partners; all valuable information is recorded in an imperishable way. Moreover, intelligent contracts mechanize some forms involved in supply chains, such as the processing of payments and inventory management, which reduces to a large extent not only regulatory costs but also human error. The high level of security measures is ensured by blockchain’s ability to encrypt this data and thus ensure information availability in case of sophisticated cyber threats. Such improvement in security reduces extortion and tampering, providing a more secure supply chain. This innovation further simplifies the administrative compliance, providing an accessible, verifiable record of each exchange. Not only this, but it also offers a way to verify whether material sources and technical support standards meet prevailing standards, thereby promoting brand identity to customers for the brand marked on a product and enhancing customer trust in a brand.

Tăng cường an ninh thông tin tài chính trong môi trường số - Thực trạng và hàm ý chính sách cho Việt Nam

Information security is a core issue for any organization in the context of digital technology exploding and penetrating deeply into all areas of social life. Finance and Banking industry, as a foundation for all economies, is becoming a fertile ground for cybercrime. Along with the rapid pace of transformation is the issue of ensuring financial information security in the digital environment. This paper makes several policy recommendation for enhancing financial information security in Vietnam's digital environment. By synthesizing and analyzing secondary data on cyber attack and data breach, the paper clarifies the current situation of insecurity of financial information in the cyberspace over the world and in Vietnam. From there, the paper proposes appropriate solutions for financial information security improvement to the Vietnam’s context.

An efficient steganography scheme based on wavelet transformation for side-information estimation

Previous studies have specifically demonstrated that incorporating high-quality side-information can notably enhance the steganographic security of JPEG images. To obtain more precise side-information estimates, researchers utilize sophisticated deblocking or denoising filters, which enhance security but require a substantial amount of time. The challenge lies in achieving a significant improvement in security and efficiency. This paper introduces a steganographic network named WTSNet, which leverages wavelet transform for estimating side-information through iterative optimization in both the pixel and wavelet domains. The wavelet domain is purposely designed to capture intricate high-frequency texture details and facilitate precise estimation of the side-information. Furthermore, the embedding cost is adjusted based on the polarity of the estimated rounding error, ensuring both secure and efficient performance. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed scheme substantially enhances the security of conventional JPEG steganography, which relies on additive distortion. Moreover, it outperforms the state-of-the-art JPEG steganography methods based on estimating side-information while consuming less time.

The role of indigenous and traditional foods in achieving food security in Africa: A bibliometric snapshot and farm-to-fork perspective

Abstract Foods that are produced and processed locally using some forms of traditional knowledge are important for achieving food and nutrition security in Africa. These food crops are generally nutritious, being rich in essential nutrients and bioactive food compounds necessary for health promotion. Additionally, most African indigenous food crops are better adapted to local growing conditions, fulfil economic needs and are highly resistant to abiotic and climate-induced stresses. Hence, the proper utilisation of locally grown and wild foods crops will help contribute to the improvement of food security, nutrition value, health, and income generation in the African continent. In this review, we focus not only on the determinants of food insecurity in Africa but also discuss the scope, nutrition, and health impact of some common locally grown foods in Africa. We also highlight some traditional processing methods for harnessing the value of these foods, as well as farming and economic/agribusiness practices that can be used to promote the cultivation of foods in an African context. In conclusion, we reiterate that the production and processing of sustainable, locally available foods is essential to providing long-term food security for Africa. There is, therefore, the need for empowerment of local farmers and increased investments in research as well as the formulation of national/regional policies that intend to reduce food insecurity with emphasis on indigenous sustainable food systems for improved access to locally available, nutritious, and healthy foods in Africa.

Evaluation of provincial forest ecological security and analysis of the driving factors in China via the GWR model

Economic and social factors pose an enormous threat to forest ecological security, which in turn affects the development of ecological civilization. This paper applies a geographically weighted regression model to study the impact of urbanization, industrial structure, and foreign direct investment on forest ecological security of 30 provinces in 2013 and 2018 and reveals the spatial differences of various influencing factors in different provinces. First, the overall forest ecological security in China is at an average level, with slight improvement. Second, urbanization has the greatest impact on forest ecological security in all provinces, which shows a rising trend. Third, the positive impact of industrial structure on forest ecological security has improved. Fourth, in 2013, FDI (foreign direct investment) had a negative correlation with forest ecological security. In 2018, FDI had a positive impact on the forest ecological security index of 16 provinces, while it had a negative correlation in other provinces. Therefore, it is necessary to formulate a coordinated security improvement plan for neighboring provinces. The government should promote rural revitalization, plan the layout of cities rationally, increase the proportion of tertiary industry, appropriately raise access barriers to foreign investment and strengthen environmental supervision over existing foreign-invested enterprises.

ЗАГРОЗИ ФІНАНСОВІЙ БЕЗПЕЦІ БАНКІВСЬКИХ УСТАНОВ УКРАЇНИ В УМОВАХ ЦИФРОВІЗАЦІЇ

Introduction. The relevance of the study is due to the need to investigate threats to the financial security of the banking sector of Ukraine in the context of global digitalization of the financial space. The banking system of Ukraine is currently facing a dual problem, in particular, the pace of innovation and investment activities of banks and global technological progress contribute to the emergence of new banking innovations, while on the other hand, the Ukrainian banking system faces numerous internal risks and threats. The ability to minimize the negative impact of such threats, timely detection and neutralization of them contributes to the improvement of the financial security of banking institutions, taking into account the level of their innovation and investment activities. The purpose of the article. The aim of the paper is to study threats to the financial security of banking institutions in the context of digitalization of the financial space and active use of banking innovations by commercial banks. Metods. In order to achieve this goal, the authors used the following research methods: analysis and synthesis, systematization, abstract thinking, and scientific abstraction. Results. In the article, the authors systematize scientific approaches to defining the essence of financial security of a banking institution and propose the author's approach to its typological characteristics with due regard for digitalization. The study also classifies threats to the financial security of banking institutions. Conclusiоns. It is substantiated that all threats to the financial security of banking institutions are divided into internal and external. Based on a critical analysis, the author's own approach to systematizing external and internal threats to the financial security of banking institutions in the context of intensifying their innovation activities is proposed, in particular, threats to the financial security of commercial banks are allocated by such features as: general economic situation; financial condition and financial stability; technological and digitalization; competitive environment; level of management and human resources; martial law.

ЗАГРОЗИ ФІНАНСОВІЙ БЕЗПЕЦІ БАНКІВСЬКИХ УСТАНОВ УКРАЇНИ В УМОВАХ ЦИФРОВІЗАЦІЇ

Introduction. The relevance of the study is due to the need to investigate threats to the financial security of the banking sector of Ukraine in the context of global digitalization of the financial space. The banking system of Ukraine is currently facing a dual problem, in particular, the pace of innovation and investment activities of banks and global technological progress contribute to the emergence of new banking innovations, while on the other hand, the Ukrainian banking system faces numerous internal risks and threats. The ability to minimize the negative impact of such threats, timely detection and neutralization of them contributes to the improvement of the financial security of banking institutions, taking into account the level of their innovation and investment activities. The purpose of the article. The aim of the paper is to study threats to the financial security of banking institutions in the context of digitalization of the financial space and active use of banking innovations by commercial banks. Metods. In order to achieve this goal, the authors used the following research methods: analysis and synthesis, systematization, abstract thinking, and scientific abstraction. Results. In the article, the authors systematize scientific approaches to defining the essence of financial security of a banking institution and propose the author's approach to its typological characteristics with due regard for digitalization. The study also classifies threats to the financial security of banking institutions. Conclusiоns. It is substantiated that all threats to the financial security of banking institutions are divided into internal and external. Based on a critical analysis, the author's own approach to systematizing external and internal threats to the financial security of banking institutions in the context of intensifying their innovation activities is proposed, in particular, threats to the financial security of commercial banks are allocated by such features as: general economic situation; financial condition and financial stability; technological and digitalization; competitive environment; level of management and human resources; martial law.

Networking Aspects of the Electronic Health Records: Hypertext Transfer Protocol Version 2 (HTTP/2) vs HTTP/3.

The rapid development of the digital healthcare and the electronic health records (EHR) requires smooth networking infrastructure to access data using Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)-based applications. The new HTTP/3 standard should provide performance and security improvements over HTTP/2. The goal of our work was to test the performance of HTTP/2 and HTTP/3 in the context of the EHRs. We used 45,000 test FHIR Patient resources downloaded and uploaded using 20, 50, 100 and 200 resources per Bundle, which resulted in 2251, 901, 451 and 226 HTTP GET and POST requests respectively. The first test downloading 20 resources per Bundle showed that HTTP/3 outperformed HTTP/2 in the local (mean request time 16.57 ms ± 7.2 standard deviation [SD]) and in the remote network (71.45 ms ± 43.5 SD) which is almost 3 times faster. In the 50 and 100 resources per Bundle test the HTTP/3 protocol demonstrated again more than two times gain in downloading performance for remote requests with mean request time 91.13 ms ± 34.54 SD and 88.09 ms ± 21.66 SD respectively. Furthermore, HTTP/3 outperformed HTTP/2 in the constructed clinical dataset remote transfer. In the upload tests HTTP/3 showed only a slight gain in performance merely in the remote network. The HTTP/3 protocol is a relatively new development and a major improvement for the worldwide web. This new technology is still missing in the digital health and EHRs. Its use could offer a major performance gain in situations where data is gathered from multiple remote locations.

Classification of malware for security improvement in IoT using heuristic aided adaptive multi-scale and dilated ResneXt with gated recurrent unit

The rise of malware in the Internet of Things (IoT) realm exploits sensitive IoT devices that lead to extensive malicious attacks that pose a significant danger to the integrity of the Internet ecosystem. Addressing this threat effectively requires a robust system for classifying and attributing IoT malware, serving as vital initial steps toward implementing countermeasures for attack prevention and mitigation. So, in this work, a new malware classification technique using deep learning is developed for solving different kinds of malware in IoT. The required images for the malware classification process are gathered from online databases and given to the developed Adaptive Multi-scale and Dilated ResneXt with Gated Recurrent Unit (AMDR-GRU)-based malware classification process. Here, the last layer of the ResneXt is modified with GRU, and several parameters are optimized in the suggested AMDR-GRU model with the support of the designed Intensified Random Parameter-based Chameleon Swarm Algorithm (IRPCSA) to enhance the classification performance. Finally, the developed AMDR-GRU model offered the classified outcome and the obtained classification results are compared with different existing malware classification models to prove the effectiveness of the developed model over others. The developed model offered 99.59 % of precision. The result proved that the developed model is used to classify different malware without reverse engineering, binary code analysis, and feature engineering. Moreover, by effectively classifying malware, this technique can contribute to enhancing the security of IoT devices, protecting them from potential threats and vulnerabilities. This has significant implications for ensuring the privacy, integrity, and overall safety of IoT systems.

Application of Artificial Intelligence Technology in Vulnerability Analysis of Intelligent Ship Network

The improvement in transportation efficiency, security, safety, and environmental effects may be possible due to the impending advent of autonomous ships. Automatic situational awareness, risk detection, and intelligent decision-making are the key features of the intelligent ship network, differentiating it from conventional ships. There is an immediate need to implement a system for marine information management and network security due to the growing importance of this field, which poses a risk to national and societal stability due to factors, such as the diversity and complexity of marine information types, the challenges associated with data collection, and other similar factors. By recognizing different vulnerabilities and through research cases of the ship systems and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, this paper presents Adaptive Fuzzy Logic-assisted Vulnerability Analysis of Intelligent Ship Networks (AFL-VA-ISN) in various cyberattack scenarios for autonomous ship intrusion detection and information management. Fuzzy logic has been combined with AI, providing a framework for handling uncertainty and imprecision in intelligent ship networks and effective decision-making. This work presents a method for detecting anomalies in risk data based on the collaborative control structure of the Ship Information System. Maintaining the network security of intelligent ships is the primary focus of this research, which mainly employed multi-sensor nodes to evaluate data containing information about malicious attacks and placed self-execution protection organize generating nodes into place to intercept and protect against attacks. The experimental outcomes demonstrate that the suggested AFL-VA-ISN model increases the data transmission rate by 99.2%, attack detection rate by 98.5%, risk assessment rate by 97.5%, and access control rate of 96.3%, and reduces the network latency rate of 11.4% compared to other existing models.

Security analysis and improvement of DWFCAT

With the rapid development of Internet technology, the copyright protection and authentication of multimedia data have attracted more and more attention. Recently, a dual watermarking framework for industrial image content authentication and tampering localization (DWFCAT) has been proposed, in which the main innovation is the double encrypted robust watermark is embedded into the transform domain by exploiting the DCT energy compression characteristics and block coefficient correlation mechanism, the fragile watermark is embedded in the spatial domain to ensure data authentication and tamper location. However, through security analysis, we found that DWFCAT has security holes, the dual encryption algorithm of the robust watermarks cannot resist KPA attacks and prevent robust watermarks from being damaged, stolen, and replaced, even when the fragile watermark is unaware. Theoretical analysis and simulation results verify the effectiveness of the method. To improve the security of the original watermarking scheme and the ability to tampering with location, and restore the robust watermark that has been tampered with, an improved scheme is also given in this paper.

RUNWAY END SAFETY AREA: OVERRUN AND UNDERSHOT SAFETY RISK ANALYSIS

An airport is a complex facility for passenger and cargo processing, aircraft arrival, departure, and maintenance. Ensuring safe and comfortable flights for its passengers requires implementing aviation security and safety improvements in tandem with the growing number of aircraft in operation. Aviation operators and regulators are always focused on issues and potential incidents that jeopardize aviation safety and security, particularly during the landing and takeoff phases of flight, which include overrun and undershoot occurrences. Therefore, a study is required to determine the event’s probability. By adopting research methods that have been developed by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), this research aimed to analyze the risk of overrun and undershoot at Sultan Syarif Kasim II Airport (SSK II) and Raja Haji Fisabilillah Airport (RHF). The research method is quantitative by comparing data collected with the Target Level of Safety (TLS), which is quantified and recommended by the aviation authority International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the British Civil Aviation Authority (CAA UK), where the acceptable TLS according to ICAO is 6.6 x 10-7 while according to the UK CAA it is 4 x 10-7. The result showed that the probability value of overrun and undershoot at SSK II Airport averages 0.66 x 10-7 and 2.98 x 10-7 at RHF Airport. This indicates that at RHF Airport, there is a higher possibility of overrun and undershooting risk frequency than at SSK II Airport. The fact that RHF Airport has just one RESA is the primary element affecting the high-risk likelihood at RHF Airport. The chance of overrun and undershoot occurrence frequency dropped to an average of 2.06 x 10-7 after simulating RESA compliance per ICAO regulations.

PRISON EFFORTS TO PROTECT ESCAPED PRISONERS (STUDY AT PRISON CLASS II B KUANTAN SINGINGI, RIAU PROVINCE)

<p class="Alishlah17abstract"><span lang="EN">Prisons as a place for the implementation of guidance for residents have caused various kinds of problems. The escape or flight of correctional residents is a phenomenon that continues to occur in prisons. This study was conducted with the aim of knowing the efforts made by the Kuantan Bay Class IIB Prison in protecting the escape or flight of residents from prison. The method used in this study is a qualitative method with a descriptive approach. The results revealed that the escape of prisoners was caused by many factors, namely the inability to maximize supervision by prisons due to overcrowded, and the strong desire of the residents. to meet with family. The conclusion in this study is that the efforts made by The Kuantan Bay Class IIB Prison in protecting the residents of the fostered escape or run away are by establishing good relations between prison officers and the fostered residents, providing punishment for residents who have escaped, holding coaching, training and useful activities for the fostered residents. In addition, in terms of facilities and building conditions, building and security improvements are also carried out to minimize residents from escaping or running away from prisons such as the addition of barbed wire so that fences are not easy to climb. The conclusion of this study is effort</span><span lang="EN-US">.</span></p>

Community perception of climate events as a security issue: the case of Hatiya Island, Bangladesh

This study delves into the multifaceted dynamics linking climate change and conflict on Hatiya Island, Bangladesh. Examining perceptions and responses to climate-induced stress, insecurity and potential conflicts, our research draws insights from literature reviews and focus group discussions. Despite the heightened stress resulting from unpredictable climate events, islanders perceive recent improvements in food security. They continue to struggle with periodic shortages and inaccessible health care and education. Many are entrapped in a cycle of poverty, debt and political marginalisation, further compounded by exploitative economic relations, power dynamics and government policies that intensify grievances. Climate change impacts are not perceived locally as an (immediate) threat: other issues seem to have more priority. Our findings emphasise the importance of prioritising social and political dynamics, alongside structural constraints, in understanding the climate–conflict nexus. This should not be taken to mean that climate change is irrelevant, though, as it has an impact on the bedrock of long-term poverty and distress. This article was published open access under a CC BY licence: https://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0 .

НОВІТНІ ПРОТОКОЛИ БЕЗДРОТОВИХ МЕРЕЖ: ПЕРЕВАГИ ТА НЕДОЛІКИ

The authors examines the issues of Wireless Networks, which are the foundation of modern communication, providing Internet connectivity for millions of devices worldwide. With the advancement of technology, new protocols are emerging that promise improvements in speed, reliability, and security. This article will review the latest wireless network protocols, such as Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), and 5G, as well as their advantages and disadvantages. The growing number of connected devices requires networking solutions that can easily scale without sacrificing performance. In a world where there are many different devices and systems, the latest protocols must ensure interoperability between different manufacturers and technologies. Therefore, the problems of the latest wireless network protocols are closely related to important scientific and practical tasks facing modern society. Studying the advantages and disadvantages of these protocols is critical to ensure the efficient functioning of wireless communications in the future. The influence of the implementation of the latest protocols on the practical use of wireless networks in various fields, including communications, medicine, and industry, will be evaluated. An analysis of the competitiveness of the latest protocols in comparison with previous versions of the protocols and other competing technologies was also carried out, and recommendations were formulated for organizations and enterprises regarding the selection and implementation of the latest wireless network protocols, taking into account their advantages and disadvantages. Given an example with Wi-Fi 6, I used the Scapy library to create and send frames. This example demonstrates how you can configure frames for data transmission using Wi-Fi 6 technology. Using RadioTap and Dot11 allows you to configure the necessary parameters for wireless transmission.

ENSEÑANZAS DE LA PANDEMIA COVID-19. EXPERIENCIA DE UN COMITÉ ÉTICO-CIENTÍFICO UNIVERSITARIO

This presentation communicates the lessons learned by the COVID-19 epidemic during the op­eration of the Human Research Ethics Committee,Faculty of Medicine,University of Chile during the first three years of the pandemic. Between 2020 and 2022 we received 806 projects,which meant an increase of 20% compared to the 672 projects of the pre-pandemic triennium (2017­2019). Additionally, it was necessary to keep the committee operating completely telematically to avoid contagion and giving priority to COVID-19 projects,without affecting the rigor of its analysis. To this end, the length and frequency of the sessions were increased,adapting instru­ments and procedures. Among the lessons learned from this operation,the following stand out: 1) Management of digital document, telematic and recorded sessions, approval certificates and proceedings of sessions sent by email and use of electronic signatures. 2) Adaptation of procedures to prevent contagion: application of remote informed consent, dispatch of docu­ments via the internet, replacement of visits by video-calls, use of individualized transport and personal protection elements in face-to-face activities. 3) Improvement in computer capacity and security, to safeguard the confidentiality of meetings, resolutions and communications. 4) Increase of the memory of the computers,to increase the storage capacity of the committee. 5) Implementation of an electronic platform for the management of processed projects. Most of these changes implemented in pandemic are durable and can be expected to become mastered over the course of their repeated application.

A Public Sector Innovation in Strengthening Local Community Food Security in the Selected Municipalities of Lanao del Sur

This study presents an in-depth analysis of food security challenges in selected municipalities of Lanao del Sur, focusing on household food insecurity prevalence and proposing public sector innovations to address these issues. Conducted through a data survey spanning Lumbatan, Lumbanayague, and Sultan Dumalondong over two months, the research collected 268 responses. Findings reveal nuances in food availability and preferences, highlighting gaps in food variety and accessibility despite overall sufficiency. Contributing factors include low income, poverty, limited nutritious food, high commodity prices, and insufficient agency support, leading to perceptions of inadequate food access, availability, and affordability. Proposed interventions encompass community-based food production, price stabilization, targeted subsidies, and nutrition education campaigns, emphasizing collaborative stakeholder efforts for sustainable improvements in Lanao del Sur's food security and dietary diversity.

Machine learning based on reinforcement learning for smart grids: Predictive analytics in renewable energy management

This paper introduces a groundbreaking approach to energy management in smart cities, leveraging deep reinforcement learning (DRL) and secured blockchain technology. The escalating demand for energy in urban areas necessitates intelligent solutions that optimize energy usage while ensuring data security and integrity. Our proposed technique integrates DRL algorithms with blockchain technology to achieve optimal energy management while addressing security concerns. The core innovation lies in the development of a DRL framework that dynamically adapts to changing energy demands and environmental factors. By continuously learning and optimizing energy allocation strategies, our approach enhances resource utilization efficiency and reduces wastage, contributing to sustainable smart city initiatives. Additionally, the incorporation of blockchain technology ensures data immutability, transparency, and secure transactions within the energy management system. We validate the effectiveness of our method through extensive simulations and real-world experiments, demonstrating significant improvements in energy efficiency, cost savings, and security compared to traditional approaches. Our research paves the way for future advancements in smart city infrastructure, offering a scalable and robust solution for optimal energy management with heightened security measures.