Threat Type Research Articles

Northern bobwhite predator avoidance behavior in response to varying types of threat

The flight behavior and cover use of northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) have been examined in several studies, but the current data lack quantitative measures of how bobwhites respond to natural threats. We examined aspects of bobwhite behavior in response to 4 threat categories: researcher, hunter, raptor, and mammal. We found that bobwhite flight distance is best predicted by threat type and covey size, and bobwhite flight speed is best predicted by threat type. Bobwhites flushed by the hunter threat and the raptor threat selected for significantly taller obstruction at landing sites than was randomly available, with average heights of 6.2 cm taller (P = 0.034), and 38.1 cm taller (P < 0.001), respectively. Raptor-flushed bobwhites also selected for significantly denser shrub cover (42.2%, P < 0.001) and a lower angle of obstruction (70.4°, P < 0.001) at landing points than was randomly available. In the process of data collection, we also observed bobwhite roost locations have lower visual height obstruction (7.3 cm, P = 0.03), lower shrub intercept (10.1%, P = 0.02), and greater angles of obstruction (18.5°, P = 0.005) than bobwhite diurnal locations; this may facilitate escape from nocturnal mammalian predators. Our results suggest that bobwhite escape strategies and cover use vary among threat types. These results support current management recommendations of creating a patchwork of vegetation covers for bobwhites but also suggest how a more complete understanding of bobwhite behavior would improve management and conservation efforts. © 2014 The Wildlife Society.

Joint tail and vocal alarm signals of gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis)

Threat-specific vocalizations have been observed in primates and ground squirrels, but their contemporaneous usage with visible signals has not been experimentally analyzed for association with threat type. Here we examine the eastern gray squirrel, an arboreal squirrel that uses both vocal and tail signals as alarms. Squirrels were presented with cat and hawk models simulating natural terrestrial or aerial predator attacks and also with control objects that do not resemble predators but approach in a similar manner. Individuals responded with tail signals (twitches and flags) and vocalizations (kuks, quaas and moans), but only flags and moans are associated with predator type. Moans were elicited primarily by aerial stimuli and flags by terrestrial stimuli. Eastern gray squirrels use an alarm-signaling system in which signals in each modality potentially are associated with particular attributes of a threat or may be general alarms. Terrestrially-approaching stimuli yielded vocal and tail alarm signals regardless of whether the stimulus resembled a predator. With aerially-approaching stimuli, however, quaas were used more often when the stimulus resembled an aerial predator than when it did not. An approaching object’s physical appearance may therefore affect squirrels’ responses to aerial, but not terrestrial, objects. When the stimuli resembled real predators approaching in the natural manner (terrestrially or aerially), both tail flags and vocal moans were associated with predator type, so we also considered moans and flags together. The presence and absence of moans and flags in an alarm signaling bout yields a higher statistical index of predictive association as to whether the threat is aerial or terrestrial than does either component alone.

Network Threat Behavior Detection and Trend Analysis Based on the TDLC Model

The rapid development of computer networks has accelerated the development of society, but also leads to much more frequent network attacks, and makes the attacks much more complex. Therefore, network intrusion detection becomes a great challenge to security in both industry and academics. In this paper, we present a network detection method based on a collaborative model against network threats and attacks, as well as trend analysis of network structure. First of all, the threat detection level collaboration model is given a specific framework and build process, as well as collaborative mechanisms. We then provide a pattern-matching algorithm and a behavioral sequence template for a simple introduction to this approach, and we explain how to use the collaborative model structure. Finally, the security situation of the entire network is analyzed by a quantitative situation evaluation model, cooperating with the network topology, and the threat type is determined by a D-S evidence theory algorithm. The experiment results show that, while running in an intranet security guard system of a large enterprise, a next-step attack can be predicted by our algorithm, and the security situation of the entire network can be accurately evaluated as well.

Threat diversity will erode mammalian phylogenetic diversity in the near future.

To reduce the accelerating rate of phylogenetic diversity loss, many studies have searched for mechanisms that could explain why certain species are at risk, whereas others are not. In particular, it has been demonstrated that species might be affected by both extrinsic threat factors as well as intrinsic biological traits that could render a species more sensitive to extinction; here, we focus on extrinsic factors. Recently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature developed a new classification of threat types, including climate change, urbanization, pollution, agriculture and aquaculture, and harvesting/hunting. We have used this new classification to analyze two main factors that could explain the expected future loss of mammalian phylogenetic diversity: 1. differences in the type of threats that affect mammals and 2. differences in the number of major threats that accumulate for a single species. Our results showed that Cetartiodactyla, Diprotodontia, Monotremata, Perissodactyla, Primates, and Proboscidea could lose a high proportion of their current phylogenetic diversity in the coming decades. In contrast, Chiroptera, Didelphimorphia, and Rodentia could lose less phylogenetic diversity than expected if extinctions were random. Some mammalian clades, including Marsupiala, Chiroptera, and a subclade of Primates, are affected by particular threat types, most likely due solely to their geographic locations and associations with particular habitats. However, regardless of the geography, habitat, and taxon considered, it is not the threat type, but the threat diversity that determines the extinction risk for species and clades. Thus, some mammals might be randomly located in areas subjected to a large diversity of threats; they might also accumulate detrimental traits that render them sensitive to different threats, which is a characteristic that could be associated with large body size. Any action reducing threat diversity is expected to have a significant impact on future mammalian phylogeny.

탄두의 관통 효과를 고려한 함정 취약성 평가 절차에 관한 기본 연구

The survivability of warship is assessed by susceptibility, vulnerability and recoverability. Essentially, a vulnerability assessment is a measure of the effectiveness of a warship to resist hostile weapon effects. Considering the shot line and its penetration effect on the warship, present study introduces the procedural aspects of vulnerability assessments of warship. Present study also considers the prediction of penetration damage to a target caused by the impact of projectiles. It reflects the interaction between the weapon and the target from a perspective of vulnerable area method and COVART model. The shotline and tracing calculation have been directly integrated into the vulnerability assessment method based on the penetration equation empirically obtained. A simplified geometric description of the desired target and specification of a threat type is incorporated with the penetration effect. This study describes how to expand the vulnerable area assessment method to the penetration effect. Finally, an example shows that the proposed method can provide the vulnerability parameters of the warship or its component under threat being hit through tracing the shotline path thereby enabling the vulnerability calculation. In addition, the proposed procedure enabling the calculation of the component's multi-hit vulnerability introduces a propulsion system in dealing with redundant Non-overlapping components.

Survivability Modelling of Lithuanian Government Information System

This paper presents a new approach which allows us to find the system compromise probabilities and applying them to simulate computer system survivability. Also, four computer system survivability simulation models were composed and according to requirements for recovery time and accessibility of Lithuanian government information systems computer system survivability simulations were performed. Simulation models were composed using Stochastic Activity Network (SAN) formalism. Presented model allows evaluating system survivability based on threat type, incident severity and the amount of implemented security mechanisms. The model is flexible, expandable and can be adapted to other computer systems. Ill. 3, bibl. 8, tabl. 1 (in English; abstracts in English and Lithuanian).DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.eee.120.4.1463

犯罪情報と対処行動の効果性が犯罪対処行動意図に与える影響

A survey and an experiment were conducted about the promotion of behavioral intentions for preventing sexual assaults by strangers. The study focused on the "identifiable victim effect", where contextual descriptions of a single victim resulted in the collection of more donations than statistical descriptions of victims. A survey of 42 police websites that made recommendation for preventing sexual assaults revealed that only 3.3% of the threat messages described identifiable victims, whereas 50.0% referred to statistical figures. Additionally, only 9.5% of the coping recommendations mentioned the effectiveness of the recommendation. In the experiment, 207 female university students were randomly presented with one of four threat messages featuring victims (statistical, identifiable, combination, or none), followed by recommendation of high-efficacy or low-efficacy response. ANOVA indicated interaction effects of threat type and response efficacy on behavioral intentions. The effect of threat messages was statistically significant only when a high-efficacy response was recommended. The difference in behavioral intentions for different types of threats partly replicated the findings in donation. These results suggest that current threat appeals for crime prevention need refinements regarding both the threat description and response the efficacy.

From catch-up to overtaking: competition and innovation in the semiconductor industries of Korea and Japan

The purpose of this study is to explore the mechanism of overtaking in the semiconductor industry which cannot be explained by ‘catching-up’ theory. From the analysis, it was found that Korean companies are not inferior to their Japanese counterparts in terms of technological capability. The average number of patents in one company was almost the same, and Samsung had the biggest number of forward citations in the 1990s. The level of facility investment of Samsung was as large as that of Japanese companies. More importantly, massive and focused facility investment was implemented in Korean firms just before the demand expanded. Korean firms specialized in DRAM products, stuck to former-generation products, and concentrated on volume. An examination of the threat type carried out by combining the changes of market share found that the direct threat was the most frequent. Moreover, Korean companies utilized the US–Japan Semiconductor Agreement as a window of opportunity. And it is more persuasive to emphasize the firm's own initiative rather than to overstate the role of government. Korean overtaking in the semiconductor industry was possible because of a combination of these various factors.

Managing Biosecurity Threats in China

Compared to the extensive literature on bioterrorism and biosecurity in the United States, less analysis has been conducted on similar challenges in China. This article seeks to fill this void by providing an integrated and updated assessment of 3 major biosecurity threats China faces: biowarfare, bioterrorism, and biocrimes. An analysis of China's biosecurity threats and biodefense building suggest varying levels of risk associated with each threat type. First, a direct bioweapons attack on China is highly unlikely, although the threat of biowarfare cannot be simply written off. Second, potential perpetrators of bioterrorism have capabilities at their disposal for carrying out such attacks. While terrorist organizations in China do not have a strong interest in bioterrorism, the limited state capability to counter such a threat may increase the risk in the future. Third, unlike the threats of biowarfare and bioterrorism, potential perpetrators of biocrimes have both incentives and capabilities, and biocrimes can produce reactions far out of proportion to the actual number of casualties. Despite the distinct biosecurity challenges it faces, China has yet to articulate a differentiated and coherent strategy to effectively tackle the challenges. Assessing different types of biosecurity threats in terms of degrees of risk not only provides greater analytical clarity but also has important implications for the strategies required to manage the risks.

Population extinctions in the Italian diurnal lepidoptera: an analysis of possible causes

In depth studies of patterns of extinction are fundamental to understand species vulnerability, in particular when population extinctions are not driven by habitat loss, but related to subtle changes in habitat quality and are due to ‘unknown causes’. We used a dataset containing over 160,000 non-duplicate individual records of occurrence (referred to 280 butterflies and 43 zygenid moths), and their relative extinction data, to carry out a twofold analysis. We identified ecological preferences that influence extinction probability, and we analysed if all species were equally vulnerable to the same factors. Our analyses revealed that extinctions were non-randomly distributed in space and time, as well as across species. Most of the extinctions were recorded in 1901–1950 and, as expected, populations at their range edges were more prone to become extinct for non-habitat-related causes. Ecological traits were not only unequally distributed between extinction and non-extinction events, but also not all ecological features had the same importance in driving population vulnerability. Hygrophilous and nemoral species were the most likely to experience population losses and the most prone to disappear even when their habitat remained apparently unchanged. Species vulnerability depends on both ecological requirements and threat type: in fact, each species showed a distinct pattern of vulnerability, depending on threats. We concluded that the analysis may be an important step to prevent butterfly declines: species that are strongly suffering due to ‘unknown changes’ are in clear and urgent need of more detailed auto-ecological studies.

Botnets: To what extent are they a threat to information security?

[Display omitted] The purpose of this article is to examine to what extent botnets pose a threat to information security. In Chapter 1 the terms in the title are defined, and a comprehensive overview of botnets is provided in order to equip the reader with an understanding of the context for the remaining chapters. The motives for using botnets and the methods in which they are used are outlined. The methods of botnet attack are then analysed in terms of their potential impact on information security and a conclusion is drawn that botnets are indeed a threat to information security in general terms.Chapter 2 then goes on to examine the extent of the threat from the three different perspectives of governments, corporate and the general public. The threats from each perspective and their impacts are identified, and each threat type for each perspective is then categorised in terms of probability and potential impact. The extent of the threat of each botnet-related attack from each perspective is then assessed using a model recommended by ISO/IEC 27005:2008, and the conclusion is drawn that the extent of the threat that botnets pose to governments, corporates and the general public is High.In Chapter 3, we look at how law enforcement agencies investigate botnets and the criminals behind them, and establish the challenges they face in doing so. It is clear that law enforcement face an uphill struggle due to technical tricks employed by the botherders to remain untraceable, lack of resources with the necessary skillset, the legal complexity of working with multiple jurisdictions, and procedural delays working with foreign law enforcement agencies. The conclusion is drawn that botnets are here to stay and that for the time being the botherders will have the upper hand.

The Effects of Threat Type and Duration on Public Relations Practitioner's Cognitive, Affective, and Conative Responses in Crisis Situations

The contingency theory of public relations relies heavily on the concept of threat without fully developing the concept as well as its operationalization. This study addresses this weakness through the exposition of 2 key dimensions of threats in crises as threat type and duration, and empirically testing their effects on public relations practitioners' cognitive appraisal of threats, affective responses to threats, and the stances taken in threat-embedded crisis situations. A Web-based experiment on 116 public relations practitioners was conducted using a 2 (external vs. internal threat type) × 2 (long-term vs. short-term threat duration) within-subjects design. The findings revealed the main effects of threat type and threat duration on threat appraisal, emotional arousal, and degree of accommodation. Interaction effects indicated that external and long-term threat combination led to higher situational demands appraisal and more intensive emotional arousal.