Security Governance Research Articles

African Union Mission in Somalia Considerations for Transition and Kenya’s National Security

This study assessed the implications of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) on Kenya's national security within the context of AMISOM's transition to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). The objective of the study was analyse achievement of African Union Mission in Somalia mandates, to examine the effects to Kenya's National security and assess transition strategies of national security. The study was guided by Functionalist, Strategic and Securitisation theories. The research employed a mixed-methods research design using questionnaire surveys and interviews with respondents in Kenya's border counties most affected by Somali instability. Study findings established that, while a majority (52%) believe AMISOM has achieved its mandate to a moderate extent, concerns remain regarding the capacity of Somali Security Forces (SSF) and the overall stability of Somalia. In addition, study findings established that while progress has been made in degrading Al-Shabaab and supporting the Somali Federal Government (FGS). However, only a third of respondents believe the SSF has been adequately mentored by AMISOM. Despite success in facilitating humanitarian assistance and Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) projects, nearly two-thirds believe Somalia lacks the conditions necessary for long-term stability. The study concludes that AMISOM's transition strategy inadequately addresses governance and security aspects essential for Kenyan security. Weak SSF and FGS capacity pose a threat of failed stabilization after AMISOM's withdrawal. Additionally, Kenya's current border security measures are insufficient to manage potential spill over effects. ANOVA indicated an F statistic of 134.318 and a p value of 0.000<0.05 thus the Somalia PSO strategies significantly predict Kenya’s National Security. Regressions weight model (β = -0.451, P = .000<.05) implied that Nature of Somalia PSO strategies negatively influences Kenya’s National Security. The study recommends a revision of the AMISOM transition strategy to include capacity building for FGS and SSF, including forces in federal member states like Jubaland; allocation of sufficient time for a well-monitored transition with clear benchmarks; an exploration cautious negotiations with Al-Shabaab, contingent on a strong FGS and a hybrid AU-UN peacekeeping mission to succeed ATMIS to ensure Kenya's long-term security.

Multi-agency counter-terrorism in Britain and Norway: Intelligence agencies and the administration of welfare

This article explores the emergence of new counter-terrorism programmes in the Britain and Norway through which intelligence and security agencies administer welfare. Support and resources are covertly allocated to persons identified as potential threats, through multi-agency structures led by intelligence and security agencies. Unlike Countering Violent Extremism programmes, this multi-agency management is not led by the local municipality; nor are its participants asked to consent to participation. These new programmes are covert. To conceptualize the significance of intelligence agencies entering the space of welfare administration, Mitchell Dean’s work ‘Liberal Government and Authoritarianism’ is used to underline the traditional separation of agencies within liberal governmentality. Governing through freedom entails the ostensible separation of policing, education and care agencies – reflecting the categorization of the population into groups requiring varying levels of coercion to self-govern. To avoid governing too much, each category of population is allocated a specific agency. Traditionally, intelligence and security agencies have been positioned at the highest tier of repression. By entering the space of welfare administration (and thus social policy), intelligence and security agencies have disturbed the sectoral separation integral to liberal governmentality, leaving care and repression in an ever more ambiguous relationship.

AN ASSESSMNENT OF THE RESPONSE OF SECUIRTY INSTITUTION TO CONFLICT AND SECURITY CHALLENGES IN NIGERIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Nigeria has been struggling with several challenges, such as insecurity, poverty, unemployment, and so on, in a bid to attain the desired national development goal. These issues have, however, continued to affect all efforts geared toward national development. The goal of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of our security agencies in response to security challenges in our country, which could gingered national development. To achieve this purpose, the paper relied on documented sources to assess the responses and challenges associated with the operations of the security agencies in the countries. The findings of the research show that the insecurity agencies have not been effective in performing their tasks due to poor funding, poor recruitment and training processes, and corruption in the system, among others. The paper recommends, among others, that leadership at all institutional levels are central to building responses to security challenges. Therefore, Nigeria will have to develop visionary leadership, a leadership that is detribalized and free from corruption that can channel the necessary resources to strengthen the security institutions response to insecurity issues in the country. This will create an enabling environment for developmental activities to take palace effectively.

“Fliehen. Flüchten. Davon. Eilen. Stürmen”: Stumbling towards the Future in Marlene Streeruwitz’s Die Schmerzmacherin.

The crises of recent years have engendered increasingly bleak visions of the future. This development challenges us to rethink our understanding of hope and futurity, and Marlene Streeruwitz’s 2011 novel Die Schmerzmacherin. takes an important step in this direction. Amy Schreiber, the novel’s young and existentially disoriented protagonist, trains at a security agency, learning to plan and control the future. But Amy keeps tripping over her own feet; her unsteady gait keeps throwing her off course. This article argues that Streeruwitz’s novel employs stumbling as an aesthetic device to expose the conceptual pitfalls of modern notions of the future. By discussing this poetics of stumbling, the article explores the double binds of modern security politics, the tensions between security and care, the unsustainability of societal expectations of success, and the subversive potential of errancy and failure. In Die Schmerzmacherin., stumbling represents an antidote to traditional utopian visions: a sober form of hopefulness that draws on the power of discord and disruption.

DESIGN AND ANALYSIS ON IMAGE COMPRESSION USING NEURAL NETWORKS

Due to the explosion of video based information proliferating in the world due to the ubiquitous usage of video cameras the amount of video based information that is currently being generated around the world is huge. And due to security purposes it is becoming imperative that these video data needs to be stored in computer memory for an extended period of time for referrals by security agencies. Because of the advancement of imaging technologies that is being used nowadays it is possible to capture extremely detailed high definition images. But it is not physically possible to store all these high-definition images in computer memories for a long time because infrastructure providers will run out of memory. Image compression is a technology which assists us in this regard. Nowadays this technology has moved from image compression to video compression to compression of 3- dimensional videos which is now becoming more and more popular due to the ever increasing usage of Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Ec The quantity of image data produced in modern surveillance networks is rising exponentially year on year which necessitated development of novel schemes for reducing the sizes of the images captured by CCTV cameras while not compromising on the image quality increases when the images are decompressed. This paper proposed a novel Deep Neural Network based method of compressing images in which the image accuracy is not lost but the space it occupies in the memory storage of the computes is reduced greatly compared to other image compression schemes, this proposed scheme is best suited for usage in CCTVs and other networks using Internet of Things which record images and videos continuously.

‘Wolf Warriors’ in the UN Security Council? Investigating power shifts through blaming

AbstractWhat shifts in the extent and patterns of China's blaming are observable at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)? This article employs automated content analysis to measure the frequency of blaming by China and other permanent UNSC member states based on a dataset of all speeches (19,623 overall) in the UNSC from January 1995 to May 2022. Furthermore, it uses qualitative text analysis and network analysis to examine the targets of blaming in three different case studies of UN security governance—UN peacekeeping in former Yugoslavia (1998–2008), the UN sanctions regime against North Korea (2007–2017) and the broader peace and security discourse at the UNSC (2008–2018). The study conceptualizes Chinese blaming as a previously unexamined discursive strategy of compulsory power with potential long‐term effects on shifts in productive power. However, the results indicate the absence of blaming‐related shifts in the discursive space of the UNSC: China's rhetoric in the UNSC, compared with other UNSC members, has remained restrained over time. Variance in blaming behaviour between actors and across bilateral and multilateral settings seems to depend on strategic considerations that assess how to exert power most effectively.

Behind the Hospital Ward: In-Hospital Mortality of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients in Indonesia (Analysis of National Health Insurance Claim Sample Data).

The rising global prevalence of diabetes mellitus, a chronic metabolic disorder, poses significant challenges to healthcare systems worldwide. This study examined in-hospital mortality among patients diagnosed with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) of ICD-10, or Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), in Indonesia, utilizing hospital claims data spanning from 2017 to 2022 obtained from the Indonesia Health Social Security Agency or Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Sosial (BPJS) Kesehatan. The analysis, which included 610,809 hospitalized T2DM patients, revealed an in-hospital mortality rate of 6.6%. Factors contributing to an elevated risk of mortality included advanced age, the presence of comorbidities, and severe complications. Additionally, patients receiving health subsidies and those treated in government hospitals were found to have higher mortality risks. Geographic disparities were observed, highlighting variations in healthcare outcomes across different regions. Notably, the complication of ketoacidosis emerged as the most significant risk factor for in-hospital mortality, with an odds ratio (OR) of 10.86, underscoring the critical need for prompt intervention and thorough management of complications to improve patient outcomes.

DETERMINAN AKSESIBILITAS PANGAN DI SUMATERA: Pendekatan Simulasi Kebijakan

The main objective of this research is to analyse the impact of government spending, especially social assistance and the food security budget, on food accessibility in Sumatra. This research uses secondary time series data for the 2010-2019 period. The cross section data consists of 10 provinces, namely, Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, South Sumatra, Riau Islands, Riau, Bengkulu, Jambi, Lampung and Bangka Belitung. The research data source was obtained from the Food Security Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic. This research uses a system of simultaneous equations including 5 equations, consisting of 3 structural equations and 2 identity equations. Simultaneous equation regression results for food accessibility show that increasing consumption of rice and corn can reduce the prevalence of inadequate food consumption in Sumatra. On the other hand, the increase in the prevalence of inadequate food consumption was caused by an increase in malnutrition and an increase in the prevalence of inadequate food consumption in year t-1. The research results also show that an increase in the prevalence of inadequate food consumption in year t-1, an increase in the percentage of the population with malnutrition and an increase in poverty in year t-1 have an effect on increasing poverty. The increase in regional economic growth in the food crop sub-sector (increased food accessibility) is driven from the production, consumption side and the influence of the increase in regional economic growth in the food crop sub-sector in previous years (t-1). The simulation results show that social assistance and the government's food security budget contribute to increasing regional macroeconomic variables such as regional economic growth in the food crop sub-sector, per capita income and AHK's gross regional domestic product.

Regional Differences in Public-Sector Productivity and Managerial Talent

This paper studies whether regional differences in the productivity of Italian Social Security Agency offices can be explained by variation in manager characteristics. Consistent with other settings, offices in the North are more productive on average than those in the South. However, managers differ primarily in demographic characteristics, attaining similar levels of education. Because most of the variation in office productivity is within rather than across region, reassigning managers to more productive offices increases total (and within-region) inequality in productivity while decreasing across-region inequality.

Revolutionizing Payment Ease: Unleashing the Power of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) in India

Digital currencies, or cryptocurrencies, are gaining popularity. Some national central banks are contemplating digital currencies to address these issues and accelerate the cashless society transition. A Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) is a nation's official currency and central bank liabilities in digital form. Nine companies appear to be working with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on the Central Bank Digital Currency pilot plan. You may recognise IDFC First Bank, HDFC Bank, State Bank of India, and ICICI Bank. Indian digital currency, the Digital Rupee, will be tested by the Reserve Bank of India on November 1, 2022. On October 31, 2022, the government agency in charge of the project stated that this pilot endeavour will facilitate secondary market transactions involving government securities. The RBI has chosen nine financial institutions to pilot the Digital Rupee. Bank of Baroda, State Bank of India, Union Bank of India, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, IDFC First Bank, YES Bank, and HSBC are notable financial institutions. This study seeks to understand the growth of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) in India, taking into account its global adoption to speed up transactions, improve security, and reduce physical currency production costs.

Comparative Literature Analysis of National Security Management from The Global to Malaysia

The national security management structure is crucial to understand in ensuring whether the existing mechanisms are effective in dealing with national security issues and challenges. The country's approach, particularly through security agencies, should always carry out an assessment of internal and external threats from time to time, so that the integrity of the country's sovereignty remains guaranteed. The evolution of threat perception is in line with what is stated in the Malaysia Defense White Paper published in 2020 which is "the national interests in the present and future are tied to an uncertain security environment and the impact of an uncertain regional and global security environment, as well as an international strategic perspective become more complex and difficult to predict in the coming year.” Therefore, it is very important for a study to be carried out to see the comparison of national security management at the global and Malaysia so that good added value can be emulated, and the constraints faced can be used as lessons for improvement. The study uses Qualitative methods through library research which is the analysis of journals and online articles to obtain the views of past scholars on internal and external threats and security management structure, including the reformation required. The results of the analysis found that the threat that occurs in Malaysia same as the global except nuclear. Both globally and Malaysia face agency coordination problems due to national decisions and duplication of duties, state coordination issues due to the role being denied, reform failure and increased threats, weaknesses in reformation caused by political interference and there is a need for the involvement of all parties in national security management.

Identification of climate change and its impact on maize (Zea mays L.) production in Majalengka Regency

Maize is one of the multipurpose crop whose yields can be affected by climate change. Climate change includes increasing air temperature, increasing sea levels, and changes in rainfall can be a threat and cause a decrease in maize yields. This could be caused by climate change factors. This research aims to identify climate change and analyze the correlation between climate change and maize production in the Majalengka Regency. Maize plantations in the 26 sub-districts are still fluctuative. The method used in this research is quantitative descriptive using trend analysis and correlation. The data used include temperature, rainfall, harvested area, production, and productivity of maize obtained from (i) the Meteorological, Climatological, and Geophysical Agency of Majalengka Regency, (ii) Statistics Indonesia, (iii) Food Security, Agriculture, and Fisheries Office of Majalengka Regency, and other related sources. The results of this research showed that climate change in Majalengka Regency was marked by an increase in temperature trend and a decrease in rainfall trend. The correlation between temperature and changes in maize production in Majalengka Regency was significant, while rainfall was not significant.

Android Apps Vulnerability Detection with Static and Dynamic Analysis Approach using MOBSF

Ensuring the security of Android applications is paramount, especially for apps like Mobile JKN, launched by the Social Security Agency on Health “BPJS Kesehatan” under the Ministry of Health Republic Indonesia, which contain sensitive participant data. Such information is often targeted by cybercriminals seeking personal gain through data theft by exploiting security vulnerabilities within the application. To address these risks, a thorough analysis was conducted to detect security loopholes in the Mobile JKN application. The study used the Mobile Security Framework (MOBSF) tools and involved static and dynamic analyses. Despite the application’s implementation of secure SSL Pinning and detection of rooted devices, the static analysis revealed potential security loopholes, including dangerous permission access, weak cryptographic methods, and vulnerable hardcoded secrets. Moreover, the application was found vulnerable to Janus, SQL Injection, and padding oracle attacks. While the dynamic analysis showed satisfactory implementation of SSL Pinning and no performance degradation, it also revealed that root detection was lacking, and debugger connections were not detected while the application was running. These findings emphasize the critical need for immediate security enhancements in the Mobile JKN application.

Development and evaluation of test methods for the detection and enumeration of opportunistic waterborne pathogens from the hospital environment

Many Gram-negative bacteria other than Pseudomonas aeruginosa have been implicated in waterborne outbreaks, but standardized laboratory detection methods for these organisms have not been established. This study aimed to establish laboratory testing methodologies for six waterborne pathogens: Acinetobacter spp., Burkholderia spp., Cupriavidus spp., Delftia acidovorans, Elizabethkingia spp. and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Water samples were spiked by UK Health Security Agency laboratories and sent to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary laboratory for analysis. Water samples were spiked with either a pure culture of target organism or the target organism in water containing normal background flora, to ensure that the methodology could identify organisms from a mixed culture. Volumes of 100mL were filtered under negative pressure on to culture media and incubated at 30°C and 37°C. The incubation time was 7 days, with plates read on days 2, 5 and 7. Further identification of colonies was undertaken using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Optimal recovery of organisms was obtained by culturing water samples on tryptic soy agar, chocolate bacitracin agar and pseudomonas selective agar. The optimal temperature for isolation was 30°C. The optimal incubation time was 5 days, and MALDI-TOF MS identified all test species reliably. The methodology described was able to detect the six tested waterborne pathogens reliably, and can be utilized by laboratories involved in testing water samples during outbreak investigations.

Application of SOM-GAN based deep learning technology in the security protection of rural bank depositors' funds information

Since the reform and opening up, the status of China's banking industry has been significantly improved, and the traditional banking industry has gradually cross-integrated with Internet technology [1], which has become an important support for national economic development and a core component of the financial system. For example, in the original physical bank and online bank, new Internet financial models have been expanded, such as online financial management, bank electronic accounts, mobile banking, P2P models, third-party payment platforms, crowdfunding, etc. [2]. However, in the period of rapid development of the transformation and upgrading of traditional banks facilitated by information technology, many problems have emerged, such as the relaxation of supervision, the lag of policies and regulations, and the difficulty of reasonable protection of private data, etc. These problems may affect the interests of depositors and even the state. For example, in 2022, China's Henan rural bank 40 billion event, this event involved about 400,000 depositors, and platforms such as Du Xiaoman and Xiaomi Finance have related cooperation with these rural banks. Therefore, reasonable security protection of depositors' fund information and information processing and encryption under certain deep learning technology have long become the focus of experts' research in information technology. For example, Tian Gengwen has conducted an in-depth discussion on customer information security in the digital transformation of banks [3]. For example, Yang Wanrong conducted an in-depth study on the path and measures of data security governance of small and medium-sized banks [4]. For example, Zhang Wenli, Peng Xiaolei et al have made an in-depth elaboration on the bank data security solution [5]. Following hot issues closely, this paper provides a method of deep learning technology based on SOM-GAN in the security protection of rural bank depositors' funds information, aiming to combine the advantages of self-organizing mapping neural network and generative adantagonistic network unsupervised learning. At the same time, it can complement the competition mode of self-organized neural network, generate the discriminant characteristics of adversarial network and generate real data to process and review the relevant data of the fund information security of rural bank depositors, ensure the fund management security of rural bank depositors, and realize the monitoring and analysis of their funds and the surrounding environment when depositors are storing funds. Thus, the security, confidentiality, authenticity and integrity of depositors' funds information are guaranteed, and hidden dangers such as theft of depositors' funds, loss of depositors' personal information and threats to depositors' personal information security brought about by the 40bn deposit red code incident of Henan Bank in 2022 are eliminated.

Preventing Electoral Fraud in Indonesia: Protecting the Social Security of Election Management Personnel

Indonesia’s Election Management Bodies (EMBs), constitutionally mandated to manage legislative and presidential elections, face substantial risks, including accidents and fatalities. However, their social security rights are often overshadowed by the focus on civil servants and private-sector workers. This study, employing normative legal research, urges the need for state protection of EMBs’ social security rights, drawing on secondary data sources. EMBs should receive comprehensive work-related accident benefits, death benefit programs, and old-age protection schemes from the Workers Social Security Agency (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan). The legal basis for these social security rights can be found in several legislative provisions, including the Indonesian 1945 Constitution, the National Social Security System Law, and other related regulations. Recognizing EMBs as state-serving workers is a crucial step in safeguarding their social security rights. This recognition is not merely a matter of legal interpretation; it is a necessity to ensure a fair and secure electoral environment. By ensuring that EMBs are accorded the same rights and protections as other workers, the state can create a more equitable electoral process and reinforce the integrity of its democratic institutions.

Big Data-driven Decision Support: Enhancing Information Integration and User Experience with Mobile Integrated Technology

This study examines how big data-driven decision support and mobile technology interact to improve information integration and user experience. The research studies big data for digital decision-making and provides theoretical and practical suggestions to assist organizations in overcoming its challenges. This study used mixed method analysis to find the relationship between big data-driven user experience and mobile-integrated technology. Businesses require sophisticated decision support tools to navigate the digital landscape of massive data. Big data-driven decision support is examined to determine how information integration and user experience affect mobile-integrated technologies. A rigorous quantitative technique examines data volume and decision precision. Although big data volumes may have diminishing returns, decision-making generally improves. The study emphasizes the delicate balance between data volume, quality, velocity, diversity, and governance. Beyond quantitative analysis, the study examines complex decision-making. Information integration methods and user experience affect decision-making time, with more data offering strategic options. Agile integration and user-centric design boost efficiency and decision-making. The research highlights the change in mobile integrated technology. The title fits the research since mobile technology increases information integration and user experience. According to the study, mobile technology's user-friendly gadgets, quick internet connectivity, security safeguards, and app functionality boost user contentment, productivity, and decision-making accuracy. The report also emphasizes big data governance in decision quality. Decision support systems need big data governance for data access, accuracy, security, and compliance. Finally, this study provides theoretical insights into big data-driven decision support and practical suggestions for organizations navigating it. The study uses data, technology, user experience, and governance to improve business decision-making. This provides them with digital-era precision, agility, and strategic edge.

Enhancing Cloud Compliance: A Machine Learning Approach

The intersection of machine learning (ML) and cloud computing presents significant opportunities to enhance cloud compliance and security practices. This research paper explores the role of ML in improving cloud compliance, focusing on proactive threat detection, automated incident response, and adaptive security controls. The importance of ML-driven approaches lies in their ability to analyse large datasets, detect anomalies, and mitigate risks in dynamic cloud environments. Methods employed include case studies and experiments showcasing real-world applications of ML in cloud security, such as Google Cloud's Context-Aware Access and AWS GuardDuty for threat detection. Experimental findings demonstrate the effectiveness of ML models in reducing mean time to detect (MTTD) security incidents and improving incident response capabilities. Results highlight the transformative impact of ML technologies in bolstering cloud security effectiveness and resilience. ML-powered compliance monitoring systems, like Netflix's, have significantly improved compliance posture while reducing operational costs. Implications of this research include enhanced security governance, reduced compliance risks, and improved operational efficiencies within cloud infrastructures. Future directions entail exploring advanced ML techniques, addressing ethical considerations, and integrating ML-driven security frameworks into holistic cloud governance strategies.

Insecurity, Counterterrorism and the Use of Private Military and Security Companies in Nigeria: A Qualitative Study

Insecurity and terrorism pose significant concerns in Nigeria. Yet, there is a paucity of research on citizens’ and private security providers’ (PSP) perceptions of Nigeria’s response to insecurity and the use of Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs). The study adopts a qualitative approach, and data was collected using semi-structured interviews with 63 participants, including PSP, non-governmental organisations and lay participants from the public and private sectors in Nigeria. Thematic analysis from a social constructionist theoretical lens was used to analyse the data. The study found a lack of confidence in the Nigerian security forces, scepticism towards the perceived government’s insincere politicisation of military victory, positive reinforcement of the use of private military companies devoid of identity, ‘othering’, and perceived short-term use of private military security. It also found a perceived mistrust for government approaches in handling insecurity and a positive outlook towards involving PMSCs and mercenaries in combating terrorism regardless of the participants’ identities as Nigerians. In conclusion, the study recommends the need for policies to strengthen Nigerian security agencies to avoid a perceived trust for PMSCs instead of state security.

The Evolving Role of the United Nations Secretary General: A Comprehensive Appraisal

The United Nations Secretary-General embodies the aspirations and principles of the international community, serving as a symbol of global unity and advocate for the world's most vulnerable populations. Rooted in the UN Charter, the Secretary-General assumes multifaceted responsibilities spanning administrative, diplomatic, and peacemaking domains. This article provides a historical overview of the Secretary-General's evolution since the inception of the United Nations, delineating the tenure and contributions of each incumbent. Central to the analysis are the core functions of the Secretary-General, including administrative oversight, human resources management, peacekeeping operations, and mediation efforts. Notably, the Secretary-General's authority to address threats to international peace underscores the pivotal role in global security governance. Moreover, the Secretary-General serves as a liaison between the UN organs, world leaders, and member states, facilitating dialogue and consensus-building. Through meticulous examination, this paper elucidates the indispensable role of the Secretary-General in advancing the UN's mission of fostering peace, security, and sustainable development worldwide. Ultimately, it underscores the imperative of collective cooperation among member states to surmount the multifaceted challenges confronting the international community. Keywords: United Nations, Secretary-General, Appraisal of the United Nations, Appraisal of the Secretary-General, and Secretary-General of the United Nations.