Security investment and information sharing for complementary firms with heterogeneous monetary loss

Two complementary firms＇ information sharing and security investment are investigated. When two complementary firms with heterogeneous assets are both breached, it is assumed that they suffer different losses which are associated with their information assets. Some insights about optimal strategies for the firms and the attacker are obtained by the game theory, which forms a comparison with those derived from substitutable firms, and those derived from complementary firms with homogenous loss. In addition, both the unit transform cost of investment and the extent of firms＇loss affect the optimal strategies.Assuming that firms can control information sharing, security investments and both of them, respectively, the effect of the social planner is further analyzed on the information sharing, firms＇ aggregate defence, the aggregate attack and social total cost. Finally, some policy advice is provided through numerical simulation. Results show that firms are willing to choose security investment centrally rather than individually, but an intervention in information sharing by the social planner may not necessarily be preferable.

The “Iterated Weakest Link” Model of Adaptive Security Investment

We devise a model for security investment that reflects dynamic interaction between a defender, who faces uncertainty, and an attacker, who repeatedly targets the weakest link. Using the model, we derive and compare optimal security investment over multiple periods, exploring the delicate balance between proactive and reactive security investment. We show how the best strategy depends on the defender’s knowledge about prospective attacks and the recoverability of costs when upgrading defenses reactively. Our model explains why security under-investment is sometimes rational even when effective defenses are available and can be deployed independently of other parties’ choices. Finally, we connect the model to real-world security problems by examining two case studies where empirical data are available: computers compromised for use in online crime and payment card security.

Empirical Investigation of Threats to Loyalty Programs by Using Models Inspired by the Gordon-Loeb Formulation of Security Investment

Loyalty program (LP) is a popular marketing activity of enterprises. As a result of firms’ effort to increase customers’ loyalty, point exchange or redemption services are now available worldwide. These services attract not only customers but also attackers. In pioneering research, which first focused on this LP security problem, an empirical analysis based on Japanese data is shown to see the effects of LP-point liquidity on damages caused by security incidents. We revisit the empirical models in which the choice of variables is inspired by the Gordon-Loeb formulation of security investment: damage, investment, vulnerability, and threat. The liquidity of LP points corresponds to the threat in the formulation and plays an important role in the empirical study because it particularly captures the feature of LP networks. However, the actual proxy used in the former study is artificial. In this paper, we reconsider the liquidity definition based on a further observation of LP security incidents. By using newly defined proxies corresponding to the threat as well as other refined proxies, we test hypotheses to derive more implications that help LP operators to manage partnerships;the implications are consistent with recent changes in the LP network. Thus we can see the impacts of security investment models include a wider range of empirical studies.

Research on the Application of Virtual Simulation Experimental Teaching in the Securities Investment Course

With the rapid development of information technology and the increasing complexity of the financial market,the teaching methods and means of the Securities Investment course in universities are facing new challenges and opportunities.The purpose of this paper is to discuss the application and construction path of virtual simulation experimental teaching in the Securities Investment course.Firstly,it analyses the problems existing in the teaching of traditional securities investment courses,such as the disconnection between theory and practice and the single teaching mode.In order to solve these problems,this paper puts forward the necessity of introducing virtual simulation experimental teaching and details the specific application path of virtual simulation experimental teaching in the Securities Investment course.

Overheated Investment in China： The Alarm Bell Is Still Ringing

The growth of fixed assets investment in China soared to a high record in the first quarter of 2004 after gross domestic product （GDP） bounced substantially in 2003. A bubble is emerging posing threats to Chinese economic development. In order to cool down the overheated investment, Chinese government should promptly take effective measures in macroeconomic control to limit or guide the red-hot investment in some sectors and slow down its growth, thus implements the changes from administrative-driven investment to enterprise-driven investment and from investment-driven economic growth to consumption-driven growth.

Stock-Selection Strategies Optimization of Fund Management Companies by Analytic Hierarchy Process

Securities investment fund is one of the most important institutional investors in the securities market. The quality of the management of the securities investment fund by the fund management company not only directly affects its survival and development,but also plays a decisive role in the stable operation of securities market and even the macroeconomy. As China is in rapid development of funds,scientific and effective investment strategies will be the only road for the long-term development of wellestablished fund management companies. We attempt to combine the value investment strategies with quantitative investment strategies to build a system of optimized investment strategies with the use of analytic hierarchy process so as to improve business performance of fund management companies and to foster the concept of value investment. Moreover,it possesses certain significance in enriching investment strategies for securities investment fund and promoting the healthy growth of the Chinese securities investment fund.

Study on the Establishment of a Long-effect Mechanism for China＇s Securities Investor Education

Investor education is not only one of the most important and fundamental institutional constructions at capital market, but also an important part of the cultural construction of capital market. At the present stage, the long-effect mechanism for investor education is not only a demand of China＇s securities market on its healthy development, but also an objective reality that China＇s investor education is necessary to confront with. For these reasons, it is necessary for China to deepen investor education, expand investor education platform, strengthen risk prevention, and take initiative to build up a multi-level investor education system, and ultimately establish and improve a long-effect mechanism for investor education, so as to ensure the stable, harmonious and order development of China＇s Securities market in futures.

Assessment for Social Security Pilot in Jilin and Hei Longjiang of China

The present paper reviews the social security pilot in Jilin and Hei Longjiang that was carried out between 2004 and 2005. The pilot in the two provinces has basically achieved its main objectives, but there are still some unsolved problems, the most severe being lack of effective investment of the funds accumulated by individual accounts. During periods of high economic growth and high growth in average wages, this problem might undermine the partially-funded security system. To this end, the paper makes some suggestions, one of which is to introduce the notional defined contribution system.

Institutional Root Cause of the Irregularity of Social Security Funds in China

This paper analyzes institutional defects in the Chinese social security system, based on irregularities in social security funds revealed in the Audit Report by the China National Audit Offce. The author divides the irregularities into five categories according to the nature of fimd use. The results show that the institutional root cause of the irregularities lies in the unreasonable design and operation of the social security system, which currently faces management and institutional risks, This paper argues that simple rhetoric about strengthening regulation and supervision cannot help to reduce illegal practices, or to realize risk control. The only solution is to reform the social security system. Specifically, the Chinese Government should regulate the administrative cost of the social security system, and the behavior of its agencies, through legislation, reform the investment regime to increase rate of return of pension assets, and adjust and reshape the existing social security system, so as to elevate its pooling level.