Survey of information security

The 21st century is the age of information when information becomes an important strategic resource. The information obtaining, processing and security guarantee capability are playing critical roles in comprehensive national power, and information security is related to the national security and social stability. Therefore, we should take measures to ensure the information security of our country. In recent years, momentous accomplishments have been obtained with the rapid development of information security technology. There are extensive theories about information security and technology. However, due to the limitation of length, this article mainly focuses on the research and development of cryptology, trusted computing, security of network, and information hiding, etc.     

Integrated information environment or matrix of control? The contradictory implications of information technology

This paper examines the extent to which information technology deployed in work processes facilitates changes in forms of control and forms of organizing. A field study of a single organization that implemented information technology in its production process is presented as an empirical investigation of these issues. The findings indicate that information technology reinforced established forms of organizing and facilitated an intensification and fusion of existing mechanisms of control. While debunking the technological imperative once again, the results also provide a number of insights into the contradictory implications of computer-based work and control in organizations. In particular, this paper shows that when information technology mediates work processes, it creates an information environment, which while it may facilitate integrated and flexible operations, may also enable a disciplinary matrix of knowledge and power. These findings and their implications for forms of control, forms of organizing, and professional practice are discussed.     

Designing information fusion for the encoding of visual–spatial information

In a simulated aircraft navigation task, a fusion technique known as triangulation was used to improve the accuracy and onscreen availability of location information from two separate radars. Three experiments investigated whether the reduced cognitive processing required to extract information from the fused environment led to impoverished retention of visual–spatial information. Experienced pilots and students completed various simulated flight missions and were required to make a number of location estimates. Following a retention interval, memory for locations was assessed. Experiment 1 demonstrated, in an applied setting, that the retention of fused information was problematic and Experiment 2 replicated this finding under laboratory conditions. Experiment 3 successfully improved the retention of fused information by limiting its availability within the interface, which it is argued, shifted participants' strategies from over-reliance on the display as an external memory source to more memory-dependent interaction. These results are discussed within the context of intelligent interface design and effective human–machine interaction.     

Embodied cognition of information visualization: Human–computer interaction with six degrees of freedom in movement of an information space

Mental healthcare has been identified as one of the major social and economic challenges that society will face in the coming decades. In this paper, we explore the potential of technology to improve people’s access to and engagement in, as well as the effectiveness and affordability of, mental healthcare services while interacting with computers. Information visualization plays a crucial role in people’s interaction with computers. Specifically, information visualization represents data or concepts graphically and helps people construct cognitive maps i.e., mental representations of the information space. Well-designed information visualization methods enable users to employ their mental capabilities to manipulate an information space and perceive it based on good mental health. According to the latest study of mental capability, movement will guide insight in problem solving situations. Movement in the 3D world is a crucial part of our mental capability, but traditional information visualization approaches fail to consider it. In an attempt to fill this research gap, we propose a new information visualization method that integrates a user’s visual perception and his/her ergonomic perception. Specifically, the approach enables users to manipulate an information space to follow the behavior of human movement in the 3D world with six degrees of freedom. Users can move an information space along the x-, y-, and z-axes as well as rotate it-giving six degrees of freedom. Manipulating the information space in this way provides users with a more comprehensive understanding of the space, and integrates their visual capability and ergonomic perception so that they can fully utilize their mental capabilities.     

The new HCI? navigation of information space

When we use the term ‘human–computer interaction’ (HCI), the image that is conjured up is of a person sitting at a visual display unit staring in at the world of ‘information’; the person is very much outside the space of information. But when we think of other activities such as going shopping, having a meeting or driving across town, we do not think of the person as outside this space. On the contrary, we see the person as inside a space of activities, surrounded by, and interacting with, assorted artefacts and people. Navigation of Information Space is an alternative conceptualisation of HCI that sees people as existing inside information spaces. Looking at HCI in this way means looking at HCI design as the creation of information spaces. This paper explores these ideas in more detail, arguing that Navigation of Information Space is not just a metaphor for HCI; it is a ‘paradigm shift’. The paper illustrates how Semiotics has informed this conception and discusses why such a paradigm shift is needed.     

Additive information measures with preference of order β

Mechanical and logical systems admit an “additive” law of measures, while biological and social system may not. We consider generalized additive models which under the sum property get transformed into a generalized functional equation. Solutions of this generalized functional equation characterize the generalized information measures with preference order β. Some particular cases are studied.     

Primary exploration of nonlinear information fusion control theory

By introducing information fusion techniques into a control field, a new theory of information fusion control (IFC) is proposed. Based on the theory of information fusion estimation, optimal control of nonlinear discrete control system is investigated. All information on control strategy, including ideal control strategy, expected object trajectory and dynamics of system, are regarded as measuring information of control strategy. Therefore, the problem of optimal control is transferred into the one of information fusion estimation. Firstly, the nonlinear information fusion estimation theorems are described. Secondly, an algorithm of nonlinear IFC theory is detailedly deduced. Finally, the simulation results of manipulator shift control are given, which show the feasibility and effectiveness of the presented algorithm.     

Uncertainty,measurement and thermodynamics of information†

In this paper we speculate on the existence of a notion of information and an information-theoretic structure that could be generally applicable in systems analysis. From basic principles and by physical analogies we hypothesize on some qualitative and quantitative relationships between entropy and information.

Information and entropy are here regarded as the basic, or primitive, system variables, conceptually interrelated in a manner which differs from the traditional ideas on information vis-a-vis entropy. In a quasi-physical manner it is proposed that information be considered as the one intensity and entropy as the one extensity that span the whole physical world. It is then possible to define a conserved quantity, termed informational power, relating information to entropy flow.

The above ideas are then generally applied to systems in which the act of measurement appreciably affects the system itself. This can introduce an aspect of uncertainty to large scale systems modelling similar to that occurring in particle physics. The central notions in this paper could provide a mechanism by means of which such aspects could be structurally accommodated in a model.     

Unsupervised segmentation of medical image based on difference of mutual information

Image segmentation is a very important research field in the scope of image process- ing. It has extensive application and involves almost all fields such as image understand- ing, pattern recognition and image encoding, etc. Furthermore, research of imag…     

An information theory consideration of a design of test input signals†

A problem of determining optimal periodic test input signals for estimating weighting functions of continuous-time systems is considered by an information theory approach. Under appropriate assumptions, the amount of information provided by the measurements in a period is calculated in terms of the corresponding periodic test input signals. By taking the amount of information as a criterion function, the existence of optimal test input signals and the condition for optimality are studied under energy constraint. It is shown that, in the case of observing sampled outputs, an input signal of as small auto-correlation as possible and, at the same time, of as largo energy as possible is optimal, while, in the case of observing outputs continuously, an input signal of as flat a spectrum as possible and, at the same time, of as large energy as possible is optimal. As an example, the optimality of an M-sequence signal is examined.     

Are we forgetting the risks of information technology?

The complexity and interconnectedness of information systems is growing. There must be some way to systematically assess the risk to critical infrastructures. Work began two decades ago (1980s) on a comprehensive theoretical framework to model and identify risks to large-scale and complex systems. The framework, hierarchical holographic modeling (HHM) (Y.Y. Haimes, 1981; 1998) is to conventional modeling schemes what holography is to conventional photography. Holography captures images in three dimensions, as compared with conventional photography's two-dimensional, planar representation. Likewise, HHM endorses a gestalt and holistic philosophy, which allows it to capture more dimensions than modeling schemes that yield planar models. HHM promotes a systemic process that identifies most, if not all, important and critical sources of risk.     

Multimodality image registration by maximization of quantitative–qualitative measure of mutual information

This paper presents a novel image similarity measure, referred to as quantitative–qualitative measure of mutual information (Q-MI), for multimodality image registration. Conventional information measures, e.g., Shannon's entropy and mutual information (MI), reflect quantitative aspects of information because they only consider probabilities of events. In fact, each event has its own utility to the fulfillment of the underlying goal, which can be independent of its probability of occurrence. Thus, it is important to consider both quantitative (i.e., probability) and qualitative (i.e., utility) measures of information in order to fully capture the characteristics of events. Accordingly, in multimodality image registration, Q-MI should be used to integrate the information obtained from both the image intensity distributions and the utilities of voxels in the images. Different voxels can have different utilities, for example, in brain images, two voxels can have the same intensity value, but their utilities can be different, e.g., a white matter (WM) voxel near the cortex can have higher utility than a WM voxel inside a large uniform WM region. In Q-MI, the utility of each voxel in an image can be determined according to the regional saliency value calculated from the scale-space map of this image. Since the voxels with higher utility values (or saliency values) contribute more in measuring Q-MI of the two images, the Q-MI-based registration method is much more robust, compared to conventional MI-based registration methods. Also, the Q-MI-based registration method can provide a smoother registration function with a relatively larger capture range. In this paper, the proposed Q-MI has been validated and applied to the rigid registrations of clinical brain images, such as MR, CT and PET images.     

Protecting against what? The Achilles heel of information assurance

Many have long regarded software assessment as a way to determine the correctness of software. Formal methods attempt to build in correct behavior. Techniques such as formal verification and testing attempt to demonstrate, either formally or empirically, that the software computes the specified function-whether or not the specified function is correct. Note several subtleties here. First, to employ these techniques, we need a definition of correct behavior. Without an accurate definition of what we want, we cannot confidently label an information system as defective. Second, the predominant goal of software assurance has been to demonstrate correct behavior. But as we all know, correct software can still kill you. Correct and safe behaviors can conflict since safety is a system property while correctness is a software property. We must merge these two properties if we ever hope to realize information assurance. Information assurance is similar to software assurance but covers a broader set of information integrity issues, such as information security, privacy, and confidentiality. For example, if a system can thwart attacks, whether malicious or simply unfortunate, and still provide accurate information on demand, then it provides some degree of information assurance. Information assurance also includes the traditional software “ilities” (as they are called), such as software safety, software security, reliability, fault tolerance, correctness, and so on. Put simply, information assurance is accurate enough information that is available on demand for a given application or situation     

Evaluating cross-organizational impacts of information technology – an empirical analysis

This paper documents information technology (IT) impacts that extend across organizational boundaries based on the economic theory. It evaluates how a firm's production cost is affected by the IT decisions of its business partners, over which it has no direct control. Using cross-sectional data on 100 audit engagements for the 100 largest continuing clients of a leading international public accounting firm's main office, it empirically evaluates the impact of the clients’ IT choices on their supplier's (the public accounting firm's) production costs, professional allocations and product prices. The results indicate, other things being equal, that the higher intensity or complexity a client's IT exhibits, the more effort public accounting professionals need to exert, thus, the higher the production cost incurred by the public accounting firm. In contrast, the better documentation or security a client's IT furnishes, the lower the cost the public accounting firm sustains. Furthermore, such differences in production cost are eventually passed on to the client via differences in product price.     

The “problem” in and of management information systems

Management Information Systems uncritically draws upon a number of disciplines for its theoretical framework. In doing so it has imported a host of ontological, epistemological and behavioral assumptions which have shaped the theories, technologies and practices of information system analysis, design and implementation. This has taken place without careful reflection upon the historical emergence of these assumptions or upon the context within which attempts are made to operationalize them. This paper argues that the Management Information Systems field is in need of researching itself. It proposes that through a combination of genealogical and ethnographic research methodologies, the historical emergence of theoretical constructs and the organizational context within which information systems operate should be critically examined. In the following analysis, the historical emergence of the “problem” as a generic construct in the Management Information System literature is examined and contrasted to the manner in which a group of manufacturing managers defined problems within their organizational context. A critical tension is revealed which suggests that information systems researchers, analysts and designers need to at least broaden their assumption about the nature of organizational reality, human behavior, information processing and problem solving.     

Beyond productivity—productivity and the three types of efficiencies of information technology industries

The purpose of this paper is to analyze productivity and efficiency of information technology industries of fourteen OECD countries. IT productivity has been studied for years and most papers have confirmed the IT productivity. Some even proved that IT productivity is far better than other factors. The impact of IT to the economy depends not only on the productivity but also on the size of IT production. Thus, to analyze productivity and efficiency of IT industries is important. They are the drive for the economic growth in the new economy. Although productivity has been analyzed and discussed in the information systems field for years, little research has been done in efficiency of IT.This paper analyzes the productivity and productive efficiency of fourteen OECD countries and compared them to each other. The models we used in this paper follow Kumbhakar's 1989 models [Rev. Econ. Stat. (1989) 595] and some other econometric models in other productive efficiency studies. By using these models, we were allowed to estimate three different types of (in)efficiencies—technical, allocative and scale, and the percentage loss due to the inefficiency.     

Usability of geographic information – Factors identified from qualitative analysis of task-focused user interviews

Understanding user needs for geographic information and the factors which influence the usability of such information in diverse user contexts is an essential part of user centred development of information products. There is relatively little existing research focused on the design and usability of information products in general. This paper presents a research approach based on semi structured interviews with people working with geographic information on a day to day basis, to establish a reference base of qualitative data on user needs for geographic information with respect to context of use. From this reference data nine key categories of geographic information usability are identified and discussed in the context of limited existing research concerned with geographic information usability.