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Studies were conducted on Heteropogon contortus at three natural stands and a common nursery in southeast Arizona and under controlled conditions. The objective was to examine H. contortus growth and development and relate it to concurrently measured environmental variables, especially soil temperature. It was hypothesized that response to such environment variables would be sufficiently consistent to serve as an indicator of range site characteristics. Response to temperature of local accessions was examined under controlled conditions to confirm field observations and determine the possibility of ecotypic differences. Common nursery studies examined phenotypic response of local accessions plus others from outside the region, to examine ecotypic response. Major conclusions were that H. contortus distribution pattern varies among sites of different temperature and/or moisture regime. Sites where H. contortus is prominent have definite characteristics, associated with warm microsites at high elevations (southern aspects, increasing slope) and mesic microsites at low elevations (the borders of washes, roadsides or microdepressions). Growth was entirely associated with the current year, with no carry-over of vegetative tillers from previous years. Growth began in spring, but was soon restricted by depleted soil moisture. Major growth, flowering and seedling establishment occurred during summer rains. Growth ceased with the first frost. Seedling survival appeared temperature dependent at high elevations, extreme temperatures perhaps responsible for age structure differences among sites. Overall growth and development and microsite requirements appear sufficiently consistent for H. contortus presence and growth pattern to indicate range site characteristics, especially temperature. The response to temperature of H. contortus is typical of C4 species, the temperature threshold for leaf elongation being approximately 15 C. However, carry-over effects of cold nights together with warm days may reduce elongation. There is little ecotypic difference in response to temperature among local accessions. However, non-local material differs in cold tolerance (both more or less tolerant) and flowering date from local accessions. Some accessions may be more valuable for early-season growth than local accessions if H. contortus establishment is considered.

No description available.

Cyber-security is an ever-increasing problem in the 21st century. Though the majority of cyber-security breaches are a direct result of human error (Hu, Dinev, Hart, & Cooke, 2012), there is a dearth of research in psychology on the application of human decision-making for cyber-security compliance. Through an online inbox simulation, the present research examined the utility of a robust psychological model for decision-making, signal detection theory (SDT) for modeling decision-making in the context of receiving and responding to phishing and spear-phishing email scams. The influence of individual differences, specifically conscientiousness, on phishing email detection was also examined. The results indicate that SDT is useful for modeling and measuring cyber-compliance behavior in terms of responding to phishing emails. This finding supports the feasibility of using SDT to monitor training effectiveness for individuals’ resistance to social engineering in phishing email detection. There were no significant relationships between participants’ scores on conscientiousness and their phishing and spear-phishing email detection ability. Future research should explore predictors of cyber-compliance with regards to individuals’ phishing and spear-phishing susceptibility.

The use of special operations forces has increased over the last decades. But the theories on how special operation forces best will be used to conduct special operations does not keep up with the development in the field. There are theories in the field of special operations, among them are Robert G. Spulak and William H McRaven. According to McRavens theory there are six principles that are to be met to be successful in a special operation. Robert G. Spulaks theory says that the personal attributes of the soldiers are essential for success. These two theoretical frameworks are used to examine one operation where special operations forces were used, Operation Neptune Spear. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the operation to see which of the theories that can explain the outcome. The operation is examined through a qualitative case study. The results of the study indicate that McRavens six principles can explain the outcome of the operation. The result also indicate that Spulaks theory can explain the outcome. Despite the differences in the theories both manage to explain the outcome of a special operation.

Spear phishing attacks pose an ongoing threat to organizational cybersecurity, requiring effective response measures. This study examines measures that can be implemented by Swedish organizations to respond to successful spear phishing attacks, focusing on technical solutions and cybersecurity frameworks. Through 14 semi-structured interviews with incident response teams and cybersecurity professionals, insights were gathered on the effectiveness of these measures as well as the challenges that may be faced in complying with them. The results indicate the presence of two primary response measures: technical solutions used during and after the successful attack. In addition, cybersecurity frameworks play a critical role in guiding organizations in countering successful spear phishing attacks. While the results provide valuable insight, their effectiveness varies depending on the challenges the organization may face in complying with measures. This study underscores the importance of comprehensive and effective measures to respond to successful spear phishing attacks and improve organizational resilience to evolving cyber threats.

This study aimed to examine if there was a difference in how likely a victim is to click on a phishing email’s links based on the content of the email, the tone and language used and the structure of the code. This likelihood also includes the email’s ability to bypass spam filters.  Method: The method used to examine this was a simulated phishing attack. Six different phishing templates were created and sent out via the Gophish framework to target groups of students (from Halmstad University), from a randomized pool of 20.000 users. The phishing emails contained a link to a landing page (hosted via a virtual machine) which tracked user status. The templates were: Covid19 Pre-Attempt, Spotify Friendly CSS, Spotify Friendly Button, Spotify Aggressive CSS, Spotify Aggressive Button, Student Union. Results: Covid19 Pre-Attempt: 72.6% initial spam filter evasion, 45.8% spam filter evasion, 4% emails opened and 100% links clicked. Spotify Friendly CSS: 50% initial spam filter evasion, 38% spam filter evasion, 26.3% emails opened and 0% links clicked. Spotify Friendly Button: 59% initial spam filter evasion, 28.8% spam filter evasion, 5.8% emails opened and 0 %links clicked. Spotify Aggressive CSS: 50% initial spam filter evasion, 38% spam filter evasion, 10.5% emails opened, and 100% links clicked. Spotify Aggressive Button: 16% initial spam filter evasion, 25% spam filter evasion, 0% emails opened and 0% emails clicked. Student Union: 40% initial spam filter evasion, 75% spam filter evasion, 33.3% emails opened and 100% links clicked. Conclusion: Differently structured emails have different capabilities for bypassing spam filters and for deceiving users. Language and tone appears to affect phishing email efficacy; the results suggest that an aggressive and authoritative tone heightens a phishing email’s ability to deceive users, but seems to not affect its ability to bypass spam filters to a similar degree. Authenticity appears to affect email efficacy; the results showed a difference in deception efficacy if an email was structured like that of a genuine sender. Appealing to emotions such as stress and fear appears to increase the phishing email’s efficacy in deceiving a user. / Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka om det fanns en skillnad i hur troligt det är att ett offer klickar på länkarna till ett phishing-e-postmeddelande, baserat på innehållet i e-postmeddelandet, tonen och språket som används och kodens struktur. Denna sannolikhet inkluderar även e-postens förmåga att kringgå skräppostfilter. Metod: Metoden som användes var en simulerad phishing-attack. Sex olika phishing-mallar skapades och skickades ut via Gophish-ramverket till målgruppen bestående av studenter (från Halmstads universitet), från en slumpmässig pool med 20 000 användare. Phishing-e-postmeddelandena innehöll en länk till en målsida (hostad via en virtuell maskin) som spårade användarstatus. Mallarna var: Covid19 Pre-Attempt, Spotify Friendly CSS, Spotify Friendly Button, Spotify Aggressive CSS, Spotify Aggressive Button, Student Union. Resultat: Covid19 förförsök: 72,6% kringgick det primära spamfiltret, 45,8% kringgick det sekundära spamfiltret, 4% e-postmeddelanden öppnade och 100% länkar klickade Spotify Friendly CSS: 50% kringgick det primära spamfiltret, 38% kringgick det sekundära spamfiltret, 26,3% e-postmeddelanden öppnade och 0% länkar klickade. Spotify Friendly Button: 59% kringgick det primära spamfiltret, 28,8% kringgick det sekundära spamfiltret, 5.8% e-postmeddelanden öppnade och 0% länkar klickade. Spotify Aggressive CSS: 50% kringgick det primära spamfiltret, 38% kringgick det sekundära spamfiltret, 10,5% e-post öppnade och 100% länkar klickade. Spotify Aggressive Button: 16% kringgick det primära spamfiltret, 25% kringgick det sekundära spamfiltret, 0% e-postmeddelanden öppnade och 0% e-postmeddelanden klickade. Studentkåren: 40% kringgick det primära spamfiltret, 75% kringgick det sekundära spamfiltret, 33,3% e-postmeddelanden öppnade och 100% länkar klickade. Slutsats: Olika strukturerade e-postmeddelanden har olika funktioner för att kringgå skräppostfilter och för att lura användare. Språk och ton tycks påverka effektiviteten för epost-phishing. Resultaten tyder på att en aggressiv och auktoritär ton ökar phishing-epostmeddelandets förmåga att lura användare, men verkar inte påverka dess förmåga att kringgå skräppostfilter i motsvarande grad. Autenticitet verkar påverka e-postens effektivitet, då resultaten visade en skillnad i effektivitet om ett e-postmeddelande var strukturerat som en äkta avsändare. Att adressera känslor som stress och rädsla verkar öka phishing-e-postens effektivitet när det gäller att lura en användare.

Dagens samhälle har blivit alltmer digitaliserat och en följd av detta är att de digitala bedrägerierna har ökat. Digitala bedrägerier kan ta olika former, men i denna studie begränsades de till phishing och dess underkategorier: spear phishing, vishing och smishing. Dessa är varianter på digitala bedrägerier där syftet är att lura användaren att lämna ut känslig information digitalt. Problemet som denna studie behandlade var att det fanns en kunskapsbrist hos människor gällande digitala bedrägerier, eftersom många fortfarande blev lurade. Syftet med studien blev därmed att bidra med ökad kunskap om hur digitala bedrägerier kan upptäckas av de som blivit utsatta och vad man som individ bör vara uppmärksam på. I studien löd därför forskningsfrågan: På vilka sätt försöker individer hantera de digitala hot som finns på internet? Samt med dess följande underfrågor: Vad gör individer för att identifiera digitala bedrägerier? Hur bedömer individer trovärdigheten i digitala interaktioner? För att besvara forskningsfrågan användes forskningsstrategin kartläggning. Kartläggningen genomfördes i form av semistrukturerade intervjuer och data samlades in om hur deltagarna försökte identifiera digitala bedrägerier. Datan analyserades med hjälp av tematisk analys. Studiens resultat visade att trots begränsad formell utbildning inom ämnet, verkade de flesta ha utvecklat liknande strategier för att upptäcka digitala bedrägerier. Många var dock osäkra om vilket skydd de hade mot dessa hot. Resultatet pekade på ett behov av mer information om digitala bedrägerier, särskilt för äldre. Studiens slutsatser framhåller behovet av att åtgärda den identifierade kunskapsluckan och understryker vikten av att individer är vaksamma och kritiska när det kommer till digitala interaktioner. Framtida åtgärder bör inriktas på att höja medvetenheten om digitala bedrägerier, utbilda individer om säkra metoder för digitala interaktioner och särskilt stödja dem som kan vara mer utsatta för dessa hot. Slutligen betonar studien vikten av att företag, myndigheter och organisationer tar ansvar för att hålla sig uppdaterade och ge information om potentiella digitala bedrägerier. Studien tillhör området informationssäkerhet inom data- och systemvetenskap. / Today's society has become increasingly digitized, and as a result, digital fraud has increased. Digital fraud can take various forms, but in this study, it was limited to phishing and its subcategories: spear phishing, vishing, and smishing. These are variations of digital fraud where the purpose is to deceive users into disclosing sensitive information digitally. The problem addressed in this study was the lack of knowledge among people regarding digital fraud, as many were still being deceived. The purpose of the study was therefore to contribute to increased awareness of how digital fraud can be detected by those who have been targeted and what individuals should be mindful of. Thus, the research question of the study was: In what ways do individuals attempt to manage the digital threats present on the internet? With the following sub-questions: What do individuals do to identify digital scams? How do individuals assess the credibility of digital interactions? To answer the research question, we used the research strategy survey. The survey was conducted in the form of semi-structured interviews, and data was collected on how the selected participants try to identify digital fraud and the collected material was analyzed using thematic analysis. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The study's findings indicated that despite limited formal education on the subject, most participants seemed to have developed similar strategies to detect digital fraud. However, many were unsure about the level of protection they had against these threats. The results highlighted the need for more information about digital fraud, especially for older individuals. The study's conclusions emphasize the necessity of addressing the identified knowledge gap and underscore the importance of individuals being vigilant and critical in their digital interactions. Future actions should focus on raising awareness about digital fraud, educating individuals on secure methods of digital interactions, and providing support to those who may be more vulnerable to these threats. Lastly, the study emphasizes the significance of companies, authorities, and organizations taking responsibility for staying updated and providing information about potential digital fraud. The study falls within the field of information security in data and systems science.

An ongoing debate concerning Neandertal ecology is whether or not they utilized long range weaponry. The anteroposteriorly expanded cross-section of Neandertal humeri have led some to argue they thrusted their weapons, while the rounder cross-section of Late Upper Paleolithic modern human humeri suggests they threw their weapons. We test the hypothesis that Neandertal humeri were built to resist strains engendered by thrusting rather than throwing using finite element models of one Neandertal, one Early Upper Paleolithic (EUP) human and three recent human humeri, representing a range of cross-sectional shapes and sizes. Electromyography and kinematic data and articulated skeletons were used to determine muscle force magnitudes and directions during three positions of spear throwing and three positions of spear thrusting. Maximum von Mises strains were determined at the 35% and 50% cross-sections of all models. During throwing and thrusting, von Mises strains produced by the Neandertal humerus fell roughly within or below those produced by the modern human humeri. The EUP humerus performed similarly to the Neandertal, but slightly poorer during spear thrusting. This implies the Neandertal and EUP human humeri were just as well adapted at resisting strains during throwing as recent humans and just as well or worse adapted at resisting strains during thrusting as recent humans. We also did not find any correlation between strains and biomechanical metrics used to measure humeral adaptation in throwing and thrusting (retroversion angle, Imax/Imin, J). These results failed to support our hypothesis and suggest they were capable of using long distance weaponry.

Denna studie undersökte hur den mentala modellen av ett säkert mail ser ut hos en användare som inte har tidigare träning inom informationssäkerhet. Deltagarna testades först en gång och fick sedan ta del av träningsmaterial om phishing, och blev sen testade igen för att se hur den mentala modellen förändrades. Detta uppnåddes med semistrukturerade intervjuer. Deltagarna blev tilldelade en roll att spela och visades sedan mail och blev ombedda att säga hur de, i sin roll, skulle hantera mailet. Intervjun var sedan strukturerad kring deras svar. Intervjuerna transkriberades ordagrant och analyserades med en innehållsanalys. Resultatet visade att före träning så bestod den mentala modellen av temana mailadress, bekantskap, utseende, relevans, länkar och språk. Efter träningen bestod den mentala modellen av temana mailadress, bekantskap, utseende, relevans, länkar, språk, filformat, begärd information och kontrollerbarhet.