Evading malware classifiers using RL agent with action-mask

International Journal of Information Security - For malware detection, the commonly known technique used by many commercial antivirus engines is signature-based methods. However, researchers have...     

The effects of knowledge mechanisms on employees' information security threat construal

Organisations implement a variety of knowledge mechanisms such as information security education, training and awareness (SETA) programs and information security policies, to influence employees' secure behaviour. Despite increased efforts to provide information systems (IS) security knowledge to employees, data breaches and other security incidents resulting from insider behaviour continue. Recent IS security research, primarily grounded on assumptions of employees' rational assessment of numerous factors, has yielded inconsistent results. Challenging this paradigm, we model secure behaviour on security knowledge mechanisms, which focuses on the multidimensional nature of security knowledge breadth, depth and finesse to represent the full array of managerial levers. We further draw on construal level theory to conceptualise users' perceptual judgements of security messages. Two studies support our model, with the second building on the first. Study 1, an experiment with 312 participants, focused on validating the treatments. Study 2, a survey with 219 participants, validated the entire model. Results showed that our model has significantly more explanatory and predictive power than the orthodox paradigm. Our results have practical implications for optimising the organisation of knowledge mechanisms by emphasising the personal relevance of threats and defining the factors that lead to secure behaviour. We also contribute to the discourse on information security research and provide a template for integrating theories, thus opening new avenues for future research.     

Snoek-Dominated Internal Friction Response in bcc Steel: Relating Experiments With a Multi-scale Atomistic Computational Framework

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A - Internal friction is often sensitive to microstructural features. However, there is a clear absence of rational approach for decoupling internal...     

Optimizing Storage for Energy Conservation in Tracking Wireless Sensor Network Objects

The amount of needed control messages in wireless sensor networks (WSN) is affected by the storage strategy of detected events. Because broadcasting superfluous control messages consumes excess energy, the network lifespan can be extended if the quantity of control messages is decreased. In this study, an optimized storage technique having low control overhead for tracking the objects in WSN is introduced. The basic concept is to retain observed events in internal memory and preserve the relationship between sensed information and sensor nodes using a novel inexpensive data structure entitled Ordered Binary Linked List (OBLL). Whenever an object passes over the sensor area, the recognizing sensor can immediately produce an OBLL along the object’s route. To retrieve the entire information, the OBLL can be traversed with logarithmic complexity which is much less than the traversing complexity of existing linked list structures. Performance evaluation and simulations were carried out to ensure that the suggested technique minimizes the number of messages and thus saving energy and extending the network life.     

Correlating the Dipolar Interactions Induced Magneto-Viscoelasticity and Thermal Conductivity Enhancements in Nanomagnetic Fluids

The effective thermal management of electronic system holds the key to maximize their performance. The recent miniaturization trends require a cooling system with high heat flux capacity, localized cooling, and active control. Nanomagnetic fluids (NMFs) based cooling systems have the ability to meet the current demand of the cooling system for the miniaturized electronic system. However, the thermal characteristics of NMFs have a long way to go before the internal mechanisms are well understood. This review mainly focuses on the three aspects to establish a correlation between the thermal and rheological properties of the NMFs. First, the background, stability, and factors affecting the properties of the NMFs are discussed. Second, the ferrohydrodynamic equations are introduced for the NMFs to explain the rheological behavior and relaxation mechanism. Finally, different theoretical and experimental models are summarized that explain the thermal characteristics of the NMFs. Thermal characteristics of the NMFs are significantly affected by the morphology and composition of the magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) in NMFs as well as the type of carrier liquids and surface functionalization that also influences the rheological properties. Thus, understanding the correlation between the thermal characteristics of the NMFs and rheological properties helps develop cooling systems with improved performance.     

Aluminum Yttrium Oxide Metal Matrix Composite Synthesized by Microwave Hybrid Sintering: Processing,Microstructure and Mechanical Response

The current study is focused on the microstructure, phase transition, and mechanical properties of the aluminum yttrium oxide (Al–Y₂O₃) composite material. Microwave hybrid sintering using Y₂O₃ nanoparticles as reinforcement at various (i.e., 0.5, 2, 3.5 and 5) wt% was used. Simultaneous thermal analysis (STA) and X-ray photoelectric spectroscopy (XPS) were used to investigate the chemical interaction between Al and Y₂O₃. This research will aid in gaining a better knowledge of the changes in thermal characteristics and compositional changes that occur throughout the microwave hybrid sintering process. The insight into material properties reveals that intermetallic Al₃Y and Al₂O₃ are generated during the synthesis process, which was substantiated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX) analysis. The Al–Y₂O₃ composite material has a well-consolidated microstructure and improved mechanical characteristics. To further understand material behaviour, a robust and non-destructive depth sensing nano-indentation technology was being used. With the addition of 5 wt% Y₂O₃, the microhardness of composite material is enhanced by 1.62 times. Furthermore, with 5 wt% Y₂O₃, the produced composite's nano hardness and elastic modulus augmented by 2.43 and 1.8 times, respectively. It is caused by the presence of intermetallic in the composite material, as well as the prevalence of uniform reinforcement distribution.

     

The Defining Role of Local Shear on the Development of As-Rolled Microstructure and Crystallographic Texture in Steel

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A - This study involved laboratory unidirectional (UDR) and reverse (RR) cold rolling of steel, and corresponding direct (and indirect) observations of...     

Correction: Snoek-Dominated Internal Friction Response in bcc Steel: Relating Experiments With a Multi-scale Atomistic Computational Framework

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A -     

Retraction: Copper‐Catalyzed Cascade Reaction for Practical and Efficient Synthesis of Alkyl 2H‐Isoindole‐1‐carboxylates

The above article in Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis, published online on December 8, 2011, in Wiley Online Library (onlinelibrary.wiley.com), and in print Volume 353, Issue 18, 2011, pages 3330–3334 (DOI: 10.1002/adsc.201100451 ), has been retracted by agreement between the authors, the journal Editor, Joe P. Richmond, and Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. The retraction has been agreed to for the following reasons. As determined by X‐ray analysis carried out by Jérôme Thibonnet and co‐workers, Université François Rabelais, Tours, the products reported are not isoindoles, but rather the corresponding indoles. The reaction mechanism reported is therefore also incorrect.