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Since 2009, Moving Target Defense (MTD) has become a new paradigm of defensive mechanism that frequently changes the state of the target system to confuse the attacker. This frequent change is costly and leads to a trade-off between misleading the attacker and disrupting the quality of service. Optimizing the MTD activation frequency is necessary to develop this defense mechanism when facing realistic, multi-step attack scenarios. Attack modeling formalisms based on DAG are prominently used to specify these scenarios. It represents the attack goal in the root of a tree that is recursively refined into subgoals to show the different ways the attacker can compromise the system. According to some specific models, the tree is augmented with countermeasures, time, costs, or probabilities. Our contribution is a new DAG-based formalism for MTDs and its translation into a Price Timed Markov Decision Process to find the best activation frequencies against the attacker’s time/cost-optimal strategies. For the first time, MTD activation frequencies are analyzed in a state-of-the-art DAG-based representation. Moreover, this is the first paper that considers the specificity of MTDs in the automatic analysis of attack modeling formalisms. Finally, we present some experimental results using UPPAAL STRATEGO to demonstrate its applicability and relevance. / Sedan 2009 har Moving Target Defense (MTD) blivit ett nytt paradigm av defensiv mekanism som ofta ändrar målsystemets tillstånd för att förvirra angriparen. Denna frekventa förändring är kostsam och leder till en avvägning mellan att vilseleda angriparen och att störa målsystemets tillförlitlighet. Att optimera MTD-aktiveringsfrekvensen är nödvändigt för att utveckla denna försvarsmekanism när man står inför realistiska attackscenarier i flera steg. Attackmodelleringsformalismer baserade på DAG är de främst använda metoderna för att specificera dessa scenarier. Metoden representer attackmålet i roten av ett träd som rekursivt förfinas till delmål för att visa de olika sätt som angriparen kan äventyra systemet. Enligt vissa specifika modeller är trädet utökat med motåtgärder, tid, kostnader eller sannolikheter. Vårt bidrag är en ny DAG-baserad formalism för MTD:er och dess översättning till en Price Timed Markov Decision Process för att hitta de bästa aktiveringsfrekvenserna mot angriparens tids-/kostnadsoptimala strategier. För första gången analyseras MTD-aktiveringsfrekvenser i en toppmodern DAG-baserad representation. Dessutom är detta det första rapporten som överväger specificiteten hos MTD:er i den automatiska analysen av attackmodelleringsformalismer. Slutligen presenterar vi några experimentella resultat med UPPAAL STRATEGO för att visa dess tillämpbarhet och relevans.

Detection of multiple-lane markings (lane-line) on road surfaces is an essential aspect of autonomous vehicles. Although several approaches have been proposed to detect lanes, detecting multiple lane-lines consistently, particularly across a stream of frames and under varying lighting conditions is still a challenging problem. Since the road's markings are designed to be smooth and parallel, lane-line sampled features tend to be spatially and temporally correlated inside and between frames. In this thesis, we develop novel methods to model these spatial and temporal dependencies in the form of the target tracking problem. In fact, instead of resorting to the conventional method of processing each frame to detect lanes only in the space domain, we treat the overall problem as a Multiple Extended Target Tracking (METT) problem. In the first step, we modelled lane-lines as multiple "independent" extended targets and developed a spline mathematical model for the shape of the targets. We showed that expanding the estimations across the time domain could improve the result of estimation. We identify a set of control points for each spline, which will track over time. To overcome the clutter problem, we developed an integrated probabilistic data association fi lter (IPDAF) as our basis, and formulated a METT algorithm to track multiple splines corresponding to each lane-line.In the second part of our work, we investigated the coupling between multiple extended targets. We considered the non-parametric case and modeled target dependency using the Multi-Output Gaussian Process. We showed that considering dependency between extended targets could improve shape estimation results. We exploit the dependency between extended targets by proposing a novel recursive approach called the Multi-Output Spatio-Temporal Gaussian Process Kalman Filter (MO-STGP-KF). We used MO-STGP-KF to estimate and track multiple dependent lane markings that are possibly degraded or obscured by traffic. Our method tested for tracking multiple lane-lines but can be employed to track multiple dependent rigid-shape targets by using the measurement model in the radial space In the third section, we developed a Spatio-Temporal Joint Probabilistic Data Association Filter (ST-JPDAF). In multiple extended target tracking problems with clutter, sometimes extended targets share measurements: for example, in lane-line detection, when two-lane markings pass or merge together. In single-point target tracking, this problem can be solved using the famous Joint Probabilistic Data Association (JPDA) filter. In the single-point case, even when measurements are dependent, we can stack them in the coupled form of JPDA. In this last chapter, we expanded JPDA for tracking multiple dependent extended targets using an approach called ST-JPDAF. We managed dependency of measurements in space (inside a frame) and time (between frames) using different kernel functions, which can be learned using the trained data. This extension can be used to track the shape and dynamic of dependent extended targets within clutter when targets share measurements. The performance of the proposed methods in all three chapters are quanti ed on real data scenarios and their results are compared against well-known model-based, semi-supervised, and fully-supervised methods. The proposed methods offer very promising results. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Most publications discussing missile interception systems assume a zero computer response time. This thesis studies the impact of computer response time on single-missile single-target and multiple- missile multiple-target systems. Simulation results for the final miss distance as the computer response time increases are presented. A simple online cooperative adjustment model for multiple-missile multiple-target system is created for the purpose of studying the computer delay effect.

Information exchange is increasing rapidly with the advent of globalization. As the language spoken by the most people in today's world, Chinese will play an important role in information exchange in the future. Therefore, we need an efficient and practical means to access the increasingly large volume of Chinese data. This thesis describes a target-dominant Chinese-English machine translation system, which can translate a given Chinese news sentence into English. We conjecture that we can improve the state of the art of MT using a TDMT approach. This system has participated in the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) 2004 machine translation competition. Experimental results on Penn Chinese Treebank corpus show that a machine translation system adopting a target-dominant approach is promising.

In this thesis, we first use the reachability theory to develop algorithms for state predictionunder delayed state or output measurements. We next develop control strategies forcollision avoidance and trajectory tracking of UAVs based on the devised algorithms andthe model predictive control theory. Finally, simulations results for collision avoidanceand trajectory tracking problems are presented, for different communication delays,using a UAV model with 6 degrees of freedom. / I denna avhandling använder vi först tillgänglighetsteorin för att utveckla algoritmerför tillståndsförutsägelse under fördröjda tillstånds- eller utgångsmätningar. Därefterutvecklar kontrollstrategier för undvikande av kollision och spårning av UAV: er baseradepå de planerade algoritmerna och modellen förutsägbar kontrollteori. Slutligenpresenteras simuleringsresultat för att undvika kollision och problem med spårningav banan, för olika kommunikationsförseningar, med en UAV-modell med 6 frihetsgrader.

<p>Basic radar systems use electromagnetic wave reflections from targets to determine the motion characteristics of these targets. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems use the reflections to produce target images as well. SAR is an imaging radar system that produces high resolution images of a scene or target by using radar motion to synthesize the antenna aperture. A SAR model to handle extended targets and point targets in faster time is presented, as are some simulated results. This thesis explains synthetic aperture concepts, the model used and a simulation of a SAR system. It runs through modelling point targets as well as extended targets by using the resolution cells of the radar, creating the raw signal data from the target information and then the signal processing that converts the raw data to a SAR image. The simulation was done for better understanding of synthetic aperture parameters and it was done in C++ programming language for improved processing speed. In comparison to previous simulations obtained from literature review, there is an increase in speed of more than 2.5 times as the number of targets increases, producing higher resolution images in less time. A model to handle extended targets was presented while also showing the imperfections due to the model assumptions. These assumptions are then explained as the best option in the absence of extra geographic information on the target scene.</p> / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

In today’s digital society where all daily actions are performed over the internet, there is an ever increasing need to ensure security when dealing with sensitive information. The default standard for securing communications over the internet,the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol, was used for over 90 % of all traffic communication in 2020. TLS has also in recent years received an upgrade, with the new version being 1.3, which introduced substantial changes in its communication protocol. As such, it is of vital importance to ensure that its current standard manages to ensure continued security when using encrypted communications over the internet in accordance with international standards, such as the Common Criteria (CC) standard. This leads us to the problem of how to ensure that evaluation of TLS implementations are done efficiently while ensuring the quality of the evaluation. More, specifically we aim to see how we can automate parts of the evaluation process by creating tests according to the requirements of the Supporting Document (SD) of the CC standard. In this paper we create various tests according to the CC standard for TLS 1.3 implementations that can be automatically run in order. We then use the OpenSSL command line tool as an implementation and run it against our created tests. This was done by using the TLS-Attacker testing framework to not only establish TLS handshakes as either server or client, but also edit which parameters are accepted and the created data packets themselves to test how the implementation handles specific changes in the handshake. The result of the experiment are a series of tests which evaluates whether or not a TLS 1.3 implementation fulfills the requirements set by the CC standard. Our subset of tests covers client and server tests and evaluates an implementation’s use of ciphersuites, named groups, curves, and session resumption. Our results provide a base for creating the remaining tests for TLS 1.3 which is readily extendable through the use of the testing framework, TLS-Attacker. Remaining tests include the use of certificates, as well as Datagram Transport Layer Security (DTLS) for server and client, which could be the focus for future work. / I dagens samhälle där mer och mer handlingar och transaktioner sker digitalt finns det ett stigande behov av att säkerställa säkerheten när känslig information hanteras. Den vanligaste standarden för att säkra kommunikation över internet, TLS, användes i över 90% av all trafikkommunikation år 20202. TLS har också under de senaste åren uppgraderats till version 1.3, vilket introducerade betydande ändringar i dess kommunikationsprotokoll. Det är därför av avgörande vikt att säkerställa att den nuvarande standarden klarar att säkerställa säkra krypterade kommunikationer över internet enligt internationella standarder, såsom CC standarden. Detta leder oss till problemet med hur vi ska säkerställa att utvärderingar av TLS utförs på ett effektivt och smidigt sätt och samtidigt upprätthåller kvaliteten på utvärderingen. Mer specifikt ämnar vi att se hur vi kan automatisera delar av utvärderingsprocessen genom att skapa tester enligt kraven i SD för CC standarden. I denna avhandling skapar vi olika tester enligt CC standarden för TLS 1.3 implementationer som kan köras automatiskt i ordning. Vi använder sedan OpenSSL kommandotolken som en TLS implementation och kör den mot våra skapade tester. Detta utfördes med hjälp av TLS-Attackers testramverk för att inte endast etablera TLS-handskakningar som antingen server eller klient, utan även redigera vilka parametrar som accepteras samt vilka datapaket som sänds, och hur implementationen hanterar ändringar under handskakningen. Resultatet av experimentet är en serie tester som utvärderar huruvida en TLS 1.3 implementation uppfyller kraven som ställs av CC standarden. Vår delmängd av tester täcker klient- och servertester, och utvärderar en implementations användning av chiffersviter, grupper, kurvor och återupptagande av sessioner. Våra resultat ger en bas för att skapa återstående tester för TLS 1.3 vilka kan utökas genom användning av testramverket, TLS-Attacker. Återstående tester inkluderar användning av certifikat, samt DTLS för server och klient, vilket kan vara fokus för framtida arbete.

The current methods used by forensic experts to analyse blood spatter neglects the influence of gravitation and drag on the trajectory of the droplet. This research attempts to suggest a more accurate method to determine the trajectory of a blood droplet using multi-target tracking. The multi-target tracking problem can be rewritten as a linear programming problem and solved by means of optimization and numerical methods. A literature survey is presented on relevant articles on blood spatter analysis and multi-target tracking. In contrast to a more advanced approach that assumes a background in probability, mathematical modelling and forensic science, this dissertation aims to give a comprehensive mathematical exposition of particle tracking. The tracking of multi-targets, through multi-target tracking, is investigated. The dynamic programming methods to solve the multi-target tracking are coded in the MATLAB programming language. Results are obtained for different scenarios and option inputs. Research strategies include studying documents, articles, journal entries and books. / MSc (Applied Mathematics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Speech technologies such as text-to-speech synthesis (TTS) and automatic speech recognition (ASR) have recently generated much interest in the developed world as a user-interface medium to smartphones [1, 2]. However, it is also recognised that these technologies may potentially have a positive impact on the lives of those in the developing world, especially in Africa, by presenting an important medium for access to information where illiteracy and a lack of infrastructure play a limiting role [3, 4, 5, 6]. While these technologies continually experience important advances that keep extending their applicability to new and under-resourced languages, one particular area in need of further development is speech synthesis of African tone languages [7, 8]. The main objective of this work is acoustic modelling and synthesis of tone for an African tone,language: Yorùbá. We present an empirical investigation to establish the acoustic properties of tone in Yorùbá, and to evaluate resulting models integrated into a Hidden Markov model-based (HMMbased) TTS system. We show that in Yorùbá, which is considered a register tone language, the realisation of tone is not solely determined by pitch levels, but also inter-syllable and intra-syllable pitch dynamics. Furthermore, our experimental results indicate that utterance-wide pitch patterns are not only a result of cumulative local pitch changes (terracing), but do contain a significant gradual declination component. Lastly, models based on inter- and intra-syllable pitch dynamics using underlying linear pitch targets are shown to be relatively efficient and perceptually preferable to the current standard approach in statistical parametric speech synthesis employing HMM pitch models based on context-dependent phones. These findings support the applicability of the proposed models in under-resourced conditions. / PhD (Information Technology), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2014