<p> The purpose of this study is to explore the potential threats that are posed uniquely by cyber terrorism. While traditional terrorism has affected governmental policy, and inflicted physical damage to people and infrastructure across the world, computers and the Internet can allow for attacks as well. As terrorism groups begin to adapt to, and take advantage of - cyber tools and capabilities, the threat they pose will grow accordingly. While a terrorist is not able to directly kill people with cyber tools, the mayhem or social disruption that such attacks can cause, fit well with these organization's objectives. The anonymity of cyber space permits terrorist groups to plan and execute attacks without being identified immediately, if ever. In addition, the targets of cyber terrorists are often under prepared, and fairly vulnerable to various forms of cyber attacks. While these organizations may be aware of the risk posed by failing to adequately address cyber security deficiencies, their solutions are likely not sufficient to truly prevent cyber terrorism attacks. In order to discover technological advancements, efficient cyber security, and generally spread awareness on the subject, this study attempts to highlights existing threats, as well as an overview of what can be done to mitigate them. </p><p> Keywords: Intelligence, Cyber security, Professor Albert Orbanati</p>

<p> Given the pervasion of multi-touch tablet, pen-based applications have rapidly moved onto this new platform. Users draw both with bare fingers and using capacitive pens as they would do on paper in the past. Unlike paper, these tablets cannot distinguish legitimate finger/pen input from accidental touches by other parts of the user's hand. In this thesis, we refer it to as errant touch rejection problem since users may unintentionally touch the screen with other parts of their hand. </p><p> In this thesis, I design, implement and evaluate new approaches, bezel-focus rejection, of preventing errant touches on multi-touch tablets. I began the research by conducting a formal study to collect and characterize errant touches. I analyzed the data collected from the study and the results are guiding me to design rejection techniques. I will conclude this research by developing bezel-focus rejection and evaluate its performance. The results show that bezel-focus rejection yields high rejection rate of errant touches and make users more inclined to rest hands on tablet than comparison techniques. </p><p> This research has two major contributions to Human Computer Interaction (HCI) community. First, my proposed errant touch rejection approaches can be applied the other pen-based note-taking applications. Second, my experimental results can serve as a guide to other developing similar techniques.</p>

<p> This study analyzed the meta-data collected from a honeypot that was run by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a period of 5 years. This analysis compared the use of existing industry methods and tools, such as Intrusion Detection System alerts, network traffic flow and system log traffic, within the Open Source Security Information Manager (OSSIM) against techniques that were used to prioritize the detailed analysis of the data which would aid in the faster identification of attackers. It was found that by adding the results from computing a Hilbert Curve, Popularity Analysis, Cadence Analysis and Modus Operandi Analysis did not introduce significant or detrimental latency for the identification of attacker traffic. Furthermore, when coupled with the traditional tools within OSSIM, the identification of attacker traffic was greatly enhanced. Future research should consider additional statistical models that can be used to guide the strategic use of more intense analysis that is conducted by deep packet inspection software and broader intelligence models from reviewing attacks against multiple organizations. Additionally, other improvements in detection strategies are possible by these mechanisms when being able to review full data collection.</p>

<p> Unauthorized data removal and modification from information systems represents a major and formidable threat in modern computing. Security researchers are engaged in a constant and escalating battle with the writers of malware and other methods of network intrusion to detect and mitigate this threat. Advanced malware behaviors include encryption of communications between the server and infected client machines as well as various strategies for resilience and obfuscation of infrastructure. These techniques evolve to use any and all available mechanisms. As the Internet has grown, DNS has been expanded and has been given security updates. This study analyzed the potential uses of DNSSEC as a covert channel by malware writers and operators. The study found that changing information regarding the Start of Authority (SOA) and resigning the zone can create a covert channel. The study provided a proof of concept for this previously undocumented covert channel that uses DNSSEC. </p>

<p> The research topic of this study is the impact of consumer security awareness on the adoption of the Internet of Things. The Internet of Things (IoT) is the emerging network of Internet connected smart devices. Several authors have predicted that adoption of the IoT will be hindered if security issues are not addressed. Other authors have noted that users often trade security and privacy for convenience. To better understand these two points of view, the main research question of this study is: to what extent does consumer security awareness impact adoption of the Internet of Things. To address the competing factors impacting adoption, the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) will be used as the base model of this study and was extended to account for the construct of security awareness. A quantitative non-experimental correlational study was designed to measure the impact. The population of this study is U.S. adult consumers of Internet connected smart devices. The sample frame was selected from the SurveyMonkey&trade; voluntary audience panel. Multiple regression was used as the statistical analysis to perform hypothesis testing and attempt to answer the research questions. The findings of the study showed that although there is a statistically significant impact of security awareness on adoption of the IoT, it is not the dominant factor. Other factors, such as performance expectation and effort expectation prove to be better indicators of adoption of the IoT at this time. Several recommendations are given to improve future studies in this area. The results of this study provide business managers, IoT device manufacturers and service providers with valuable information on the relation between awareness of security risks and adoption of the IoT.</p>

<p> Smart spaces are physical environments equipped with pervasive technology that sense and react to human activities and changes in the environment. End User Development (EUD) skills vary significantly among end users who want to design, develop and deploy software applications for their smart spaces. Typical end user development is opportunistic, requirements are usually unplanned and undocumented, applications are simplistic in nature, design is ad-hoc, reuse is limited, and software testing is typically haphazard, leading to many quality issues. On the other hand, technical end users with advanced EUD skills and domain expertise have the ability to create sophisticated software applications for smart spaces that are well designed and tested.</p><p> This research presents a systematic approach for adopting reuse in end user development for smart spaces by using Software Product Line (SPL) concepts. End User (EU) SPL Designers (who are technical end users and domain experts) design and develop EU SPLs for smart spaces whereas less technical end users derive their individual smart space applications from these SPLs. Incorporating SPL concepts in EUD for smart spaces makes it easier for novice end users to derive applications for their spaces without having to interface directly with devices, networks, programming logic, etc. End users only have to select and configure the EU SPL features needed for their space. Another benefit of this approach is that it promotes reuse. End user requirements are mapped to product line features that are realized by common, optional, and variant components available in smart spaces. Product line features and the corresponding component product line architecture can then be used to derive EU applications. Derived EU applications can then be deployed to different smart spaces, thereby avoiding end users having to create EU applications from scratch. Finally the proposed approach has the potential of improving software quality since testing will be an integral part of EU SPL process.</p><p> In particular, this research has: (a) defined a systematic approach for EU SPL Designers to design and develop EU SPLs, (b) provided an EU SPL application derivation approach to enable end users to derive software applications for their spaces, (c) designed an EU SPL meta-model to capture the underlying representation of EU SPL and derived application artifacts in terms of meta-classes and relationships that supports different EUD platforms, (d) designed and implemented an EUD development environment that supports EU SPL development and application derivation, and (e) provided a testing approach and framework for systematic testing of EU SPLs and derived applications.</p>

<p> Global scale identity management attempts to be the system of identifying and authenticating entities such as people, hardware devices, distributed sensors and actuators, and software applications when accessing critical information technology (IT) systems from anywhere. The term global-scale is intended to emphasize the pervasive nature of identities and implies the existence of identities in federated systems that may be beyond the control of any single organization. The purpose of this research was to analyze the current state of Global Scale Identity Management. Today, news of security breaches is far too commonplace. The results reveal that global scale identity management would have a positive effect on the individual person, businesses, government agencies, and institutions. However for global scale identity management to be operational much work remains. The remaining work is split between the physical realm, i.e., biometric equipment, quantum resistant cryptography, and the abstract realm, i.e., legal considerations, social and cultural mores, privacy issues, and international considerations. The research concluded that humans are repeatedly the weak link in password security that ultimately undermines a system&rsquo;s stability. For the short term, the best suggestion is to use password managers and have systems disallow poor password choices. For the long-term build infrastructures with quantum resistant cryptography interfacing with the ubiquitous smartphone to provide multifactor authentication. </p>

<p> This qualitative, exploratory, normative study examined the security and privacy of location based services in mobile applications. This study explored risk, and controls to implement privacy and security. This study was addressed using components of the FIPS Risk Management Framework. This study found that risk to location information was considered <i> high</i> and the study provided suggested controls for security and privacy. </p>

<p>Users are increasingly expected to manage complex privacy settings in their normal online interactions. From shopping to social networks, users make decisions about sharing their personal information with corporations and contacts, frequently with little assistance. Current solutions require consumers to read long documents or go out of their way to manage complex settings buried deep in management interfaces, all of which lead to little or no actual control. </p><p> The goal of this work is to help people cope with the shifting privacy landscape. While our work looks at many aspects of how users make decisions regarding their privacy, this dissertation focuses on two specific areas: the current state of web privacy policies and mobile phone application permissions. We explored consumers' current understandings of privacy in these domains, and then used that knowledge to iteratively design and test more comprehensible information displays. </p><p> These prototyped information displays should not be seen as final commercially-ready solutions, but as examples of privacy notices that can help users think about, cope with, and make decisions regarding their data privacy. We conclude with a series of design suggestions motivated by our findings. </p><p> Keywords: privacy, notice, usability, user interfaces, security, mobile, policy, P3P, HCI, information design. </p>

<p>ABSTRACT The purpose of this capstone project was to research the hibernation file, its role in memory forensics and to explore current technology, techniques and concepts for analysis. This study includes an in-depth look at the Windows hibernation feature, file format, potential evidence saved to the file and its impacts in digital forensic investigations. This research was performed to demonstrate the importance of the hibernation file and to generate awareness for this forensic artifact. The research questions presented were designed to identify the properties of Windows hibernation and its significance in digital forensics. Additionally, these research questions were aimed at identifying the important concepts analysts should understand in selecting forensic software and in hibernation analysis. Through the literature review process, the hibernation file was identified as an essential part of digital forensics which provides analysts with snapshots of system memory from various points in the past. This data includes web, email and chat sessions in addition to running processes, login credentials, encryption keys, program data and much more. Beyond forensics, the hibernation file is useful in the fields of data recovery and incident response. A review of current hibernation file publications revealed incomplete and conflicting works culminating in the acknowledgment that more research is needed in order to close these research gaps. More awareness for hibernation forensics through its inclusion in future published works and in computer forensic educational courses is recommended. These inclusions will assist to arm practitioners with the ability to accurately utilize the hibernation file in order to obtain the highest quality forensic evidence. Keywords: Cybersecurity, hiberfil.sys, hybrid sleep, malware, slack space, Albert Orbinati.