abstract: Since its inception in 1973, the Endangered Species Act has been met with both praise and criticism. More than 40 years later, the Act is still polarizing, with proponents applauding its power to protect species and critics arguing against its perceived ineffectiveness and potential mismanagement. Recovery plans, which were required by the 1988 amendments to the Act, play an important role in organizing efforts to protect and recover species under the Act. In 1999, in an effort to evaluate the process, the Society for Conservation Biology commissioned an independent review of endangered species recovery planning. From these findings, the SCB made key recommendations for how management agencies could improve the recovery planning process, after which the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service redrafted their recovery planning guidelines. One important recommendation called for recovery plans to make threats a primary focus, including organizing and prioritizing recovery tasks for threat abatement. Here, I seek to determine the extent to which SCB recommendations were incorporated into these new guidelines, and if, in turn, the recommendations regarding threats manifested in recovery plans written under the new guidelines. I found that the guidelines successfully incorporated most SCB recommendations, except those that addressed monitoring. As a result, recent recovery plans have improved in their treatment of threats, but still fail to adequately incorporate threat monitoring. This failure suggests that developing clear guidelines for monitoring should be an important priority in future ESA recovery planning. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Biology 2014

Context: Cloud computing is a prospering technology that most organizations are considering for adoption as a cost effective strategy for managing IT. However, organizations also still consider the technology to be associated with many business risks that are not yet resolved. Such issues include security, privacy as well as legal and regulatory risks. As an initiative to address such risks, organizations can develop and implement SLA to establish common expectations and goals between the cloud provider and customer. Organizations can base on the SLA to measure the achievement of the outsourced service. However, many SLAs tend to focus on cloud computing performance whilst neglecting information security issues. Objective: We identify threats and security attributes applicable in cloud computing. We also select a framework suitable for identifying information security metrics. Moreover, we identify SLA based information security metrics in the cloud in line with the COBIT framework. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) to identify studies focusing on information security threats in the cloud computing. We also used SLR to select frameworks available for identification of security metrics. We used Engineering Village and Scopus online citation databases as primary sources of data for SLR. Studies were selected based on the inclusion/exclusion criteria we defined. A suitable framework was selected based on defined framework selection criteria. Based on the selected framework and conceptual review of the COBIT framework we identified SLA based information security metrics in the cloud. Results: Based on the SLR we identified security threats and attributes in the cloud. The Goal Question Metric (GQM) framework was selected as a framework suitable for identification of security metrics. Following the GQM approach and the COBIT framework we identified ten areas that are essential and related with information security in the cloud computing. In addition, covering the ten essential areas we identified 41 SLA based information security metrics that are relevant for measuring and monitoring security performance of cloud computing services. Conclusions: Cloud computing faces similar threats as traditional computing. Depending on the service and deployment model adopted, addressing security risks in the cloud may become a more challenging and complex undertaking. This situation therefore appeals to the cloud providers the need to execute their key responsibilities of creating not only a cost effective but also a secure cloud computing service. In this study, we assist both cloud provider and customers on the security issues that are to be considered for inclusion in their SLA. We have identified 41 SLA based information security metrics to aid both cloud providers and customers obtain common security performance expectations and goals. We anticipate that adoption of these metrics can help cloud providers in enhancing security in the cloud environment. The metrics will also assist cloud customers in evaluating security performance of the cloud for improvements.

Quality and security of software are key factors in the software development. This thesis deals with the quality of open source software (OSS for short) and different questions that are related with open source and close source software has discussed in the thesis proposal. Open source software is a process by which we can produce cheap and qualitative software and its source could be re-use in the development of the software. Close source software is more expensive than open source software and we can not re-use its source code, so there should be a way by which cheap and qualitative software should be produced. This thesis describes that how the quality of the open source software can be evaluated and increased. There are different factors which are helpful to increase the software quality these factors are low cycle time, low cost and small size of software. These factors are also helpful for the development of software product according to the requirement of clients and the users of that software. This thesis also describes the security and performance of close and open source software and it also analyze different software development processes. The quality of OSS can be increased by use of best evaluation techniques, best quality measurement, best development tools and best development process. There are also many challenges for OSS, which it has to face for improvement of the quality of OSS. Initially there were many drawbacks in open source software but with the passage of time improvement has produced in it. This thesis also describes the compression, advantages and disadvantages of the close source and open source software. / 0046-737218653 , 0046-739131829

This work presents a security analysis of a distributed software system. Relevant threats have been identified and a set of possible countermeasures are presented. The different countermeasures have been compared against each other by looking at performance, scalability, flexibility, usability and cost considerations. A prototype system has been implemented as a proof-of-concept with database encryption, logging and access control. / Detta magisterarbete presenterar en säkerhetsanalys av ett distribuerat mjukvarusystem. Relevanta hot har blivit identifierade och ett antal möjliga säkerhetslösningar har blivit presenterade. Lösningarna har blivit jämförda med varandra genom att titta på prestanda, skalbarhet, flexibilitet, användbarhet och kostnader. Ett prototypsystem har blivit implementerat som ”proof- of-concept” med databas kryptering, loggning och rättighetskontroll.

The IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is an open IP based service infrastructure that enables an easy deployment of new rich multimedia services mixing voice and data. The IMS is an overlay network on top of IP that uses SIP as the primary signaling mechanism. As an emerging technology, the SIP standard will certainly be the target of Denial of Service (DoS) attacks and consequently IMS will also inherit this problem. The objective of proposed architecture for IMS is to cram the potential attacks and security threats to IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and explore the security solutions developed by 3GPP. This research work incorporates the ideas of immune system and multiagent architecture that is capable of detecting, identifying and recovering from an attack. The proposed architecture protects IMS core components i.e. P-CSCF (Proxy- Call Session Control Function), I-CSCF (Interrogating-Call Session Control Function), S-CSCF (Serving Call Session Control Function) and HSS (Home Subscriber Server) from external and internal threats like eavesdropping, SQL injection and denial-ofservice (DoS) attacks. In the first level i.e. CPU under normal load all incoming and out going messages were investigated to detect and prevent SQL injection. Second level considers Denial of Service (DOS) attacks when CPU load exceeds threshold limit. Proposed architecture is designed and evaluated by using an approach called Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method (ATAM). The results obtained confirm consistency of the architecture. / kalyani-0046737527800

Målet med detta arbete är att bättre förstå hur riktlinjer ska skapas och användas. Utgångspunkten har varit att media uppmärksammat ett flertal incidenter där främmande människor tog oönskad kontakt med olika förskolor i Karlskronaområdet. Författarna ville då se över hur kommunen arbetade med frågor om yttre hot vilket medförde att arbetet utmynnade i ett försök om att bättre försöka få förståelse för riktlinjer och dess användning då kommunen vid arbetets start saknade riktlinjer för yttre hot av denna typ. Metoden som använts är av kvalitativ art i form av intervjuer med några säkerhetsansvariga för förskolor i andra svenska kommuner. Resultatet av dessa intervjuer tillsammans med kompletterande material från generella tillvägagångssätt för identifikation och analys av säkerhetsproblem resulterade i ett förslag på arbetsmetoden vid skapandet av riktlinjer samt en påminnelse om att se över befintliga riktlinjer för yttre hot.

The IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX) is the promising technique to overcome some disadvantages on the Security concern of the widespread IEEE 802.11 standard. For providing high speed wide area broadband wireless access, WiMAX is an emerging wireless technology for creating multi-hop Mesh network. Based on the wired backbone wireless Mesh networks serve to get over present dependencies of wireless system. Wireless operates on Physical later and MAC layer in the air interface to provide fixed and Mobile Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) in broad range of frequencies. Due to the lack of Physical infrastructure of wireless networks are inherently less secure. In order to protect data exchange between the MAC layer and PHY layer WiMAX specifies a security sub-layer at the bottom of the MAC layer. The security sub-layer provides privacy with SS and BS from service hijacking. For providing authentication, data traffic privacy services and key management a PKM protocol defined by the WiMAX MAC as a sub-layer where the PKM protocol is the main protocol work in the security sub-layer. WiMAX is only a “Paper based” newly established technology based on Wi-Fi system then it is tough to find out its security holes in all the way. Keeping all the fact in mind the objectives of the thesis are to analyze the WiMAX security architecture security keys (AK, KEK and HMAC) are used for authorization, authentication and key management and TEK is for secure data transmission, possible security vulnerabilities, threats and risks are classified according to different layer with 802.16 std Mesh network. In addition, vulnerabilities comparison between IEEE 802.11 and 802.16 std has been pointed out in details, as well as security improvements and possible solutions has been proposed to protect WiMAX attacks.

Internet and information technology today has a rather obvious role in the activities of companies and organizations. All cash transactions within and between companies is digitized, communication within the company is done via e-mail, sales and marketing is done largely with marketing and ads on the Internet. This has resulted in economic benefits for companies and organizations, and facilitated the work for them. However, this has also led to new threats have emerged. Companies and organizations is well aware that there are numerous threats that comes with using the Internet and Information Technologies but exactly what those threats are for a mid-sized company in Sweden is not clarified anywhere. New reports made annually by various companies and government agencies around the world but no one puts a medium-sized Swedish business in focus. In this study several reports, made by different companies and government agencies are compared and compiled, too try too make an overview over the threats against a mid-sized company in Sweden. Together with interviews done with key people in the field of IT-security this study identifies the threats, draws conclusions of how to prevent them and also try to take a look into the future to see what threats a mid-sized company or organization can expect in just a matter of years. In the study we notice how all of the IT threats are increasing and that the digital crime are becoming more organized, that some of the key protections for a company is staff training and standard technical solutions such as antivirus software and firewalls. In the future operating systems will no longer be the target for intrusion, but instead web application be the major vulnerabilities. This essay is written in Swedish.

Abstract Security threats against computer systems are a big problem today which also includes PHP made applications. The report is focused on protection with the help of code and not how you protect a web server. Its purpose is not to educate the readers of the thesis how to make a PHP application, the purpose is how to program a safer PHP application. The thesis contains information about common security threats against PHP scripts. It contains in most cases examples of what an attack can look like and how a protection for that example can be achieved. We have tested all code examples if they work by installing our own server with the configurations according to the delimitations of the thesis and putting up small PHP applications, which we have attacked and then protected. The contents and result of this thesis can benefit developers that use PHP as a programming language for creating web applications, by giving them information about common threats and protection.

Vi lever idag under ett klimathot som påverkar oss alla. I ljuset av detta har byggbranschen valt att börja ställa om mot en mer hållbar bransch. Under tiden har även ekohus och ekobyar byggts upp som ett alternativ sätt att bo sunt Syftet med detta arbete har varit att undersöka vilka val som byggherrar/beställare gör vid projektering av nya bostäder. Jag har valt att inte titta på energianvändningen utan fokuserat på vilka miljömässiga aspekter som återfinns i arbetssätten kring projekteringen av bostadshus För att ta reda på vilka val som kunde anses som ekologiska/miljömässiga gjordes först en litteraturstudie. Sedan gjordes en enkätundersökning där utvalda företag fick svara på bl.a. vilka material de använder. Svaren jämfördes sedan med ett fiktivt företag som skulle följa alla råd som litteraturen menade var miljöfrämjande. Jämförelsen gjordes genom en viktad poängsättning Av resultatet visade det sig att företagen fick poäng motsvarade ungefär 50 – 60 % av det fiktiva företagets. Enkäten gav även en bild av vilka val de gjorde och vad de borde kunna välja för att kunna bygga ännu mer grönare. Enkäten visade att alla hade potential för det. / We are living today under climate threats which more or less will affect us all. In light of this, the construction industry has chosen to start conversion towards a more sustainable sector. Meanwhile, eco-houses and eco-villages, have been built up as an alternative way to stay healthy. The aim of this work has been to examine which choices developers / clients make during the planning of new housing. I have chosen not to look at energy, but focused on the way choices are made during planning of living apartments.To find out what choices could be considered as ecological / environmental a literature review was first made. To find out how the participant companies are choosing a survey was made. The responses were then compared with a fictitious company that would follow all advice literature meant was pro-environmental. The comparison was then made by a weighted scoring. It turned out that the companies got points that accounted for roughly 50 - 60% of the fictive. The survey also gave an overview of the choices they made and what they should be able to choose in order to build even more greener. The survey showed that the companies had the potential for it.