The Essence of Non-Traditional Security Issues and Their Solutions

Non-traditional security issues have arisen since the 1960s,especially after the end of the Cold War,and are becoming a major issue in world security and politics.This reflects tremendous changes in the world situation.With diverse causes and plural referent objects,non-traditional security issues cover nearly all the problems in the world today and make development difficult to sustain.This raises the question of whether human society and the earth can survive.Power politics one-sidedly stresses the role of power,endangering the harmonious development of nations and the whole of human society.It is not at all conducive to the solution of non-traditional security issues.The solution of non-traditional security issues demands cooperation from all actors in the international community.Multiple means are needed to solve these issues.Equal dialogue between all the actors,which can easily be attained,will play an effective role,as long as all actors respect each other's differences.

Defining Non-Traditional Security and Its Implications for China

Non-traditional security, often abbreviated to NTS, is a popular but rather ambiguousconcept within and outside academic circles. How to accurately define this term? Whatshould be considered in prioritising the needs to curb various NTS threats, given a countryslimited resources and capacities? By raising thought-provoking questions, the author triesto explain the perplexity concerning NTS issues, arguing that NTS is important in economic,political and security sense, but that more efforts are needed from the academics in order toreach a consensus in understanding and dealing with NTS issues.

Repositioning fertilizer manufacturing subsidies for improving food security and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in China

China removed fertilizer manufacturing subsidies from 2015 to 2018 to bolster market-oriented reforms and foster environmentally sustainable practices.However,the impact of this policy reform on food security and the environment remains inadequately evaluated.Moreover,although green and low-carbon technologies offer environmental advantages,their widespread adoption is hindered by prohibitively high costs.This study analyzes the impact of removing fertilizer manufacturing subsidies and explores the potential feasibility of redirecting fertilizer manufacturing subsidies to invest in the diffusion of these technologies.Utilizing the China Agricultural University Agri-food Systems model,we analyzed the potential for achieving mutually beneficial outcomes regarding food security and environmental sustainability.The findings indicate that removing fertilizer manufacturing subsidies has reduced greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions from agricultural activities by 3.88 million metric tons,with minimal impact on food production.Redirecting fertilizer manufacturing subsidies to invest in green and low-carbon technologies,including slow and controlled-release fertilizer,organic-inorganic compound fertilizers,and machine deep placement of fertilizer,emerges as a strategy to concurrently curtail GHG emissions,ensure food security,and secure robust economic returns.Finally,we propose a comprehensive set of government interventions,including subsidies,field guidance,and improved extension systems,to promote the widespread adoption of these technologies.

Enhancing Cybersecurity Competency in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia:A Fuzzy Decision-Making Approach

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia(KSA)has achieved significant milestones in cybersecurity.KSA has maintained solid regulatorymechanisms to prevent,trace,and punish offenders to protect the interests of both individual users and organizations from the online threats of data poaching and pilferage.The widespread usage of Information Technology(IT)and IT Enable Services(ITES)reinforces securitymeasures.The constantly evolving cyber threats are a topic that is generating a lot of discussion.In this league,the present article enlists a broad perspective on how cybercrime is developing in KSA at present and also takes a look at some of the most significant attacks that have taken place in the region.The existing legislative framework and measures in the KSA are geared toward deterring criminal activity online.Different competency models have been devised to address the necessary cybercrime competencies in this context.The research specialists in this domain can benefit more by developing a master competency level for achieving optimum security.To address this research query,the present assessment uses the Fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory(Fuzzy-DMTAEL),Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process(F.AHP),and Fuzzy TOPSIS methodology to achieve segment-wise competency development in cyber security policy.The similarities and differences between the three methods are also discussed.This cybersecurity analysis determined that the National Cyber Security Centre got the highest priority.The study concludes by perusing the challenges that still need to be examined and resolved in effectuating more credible and efficacious online security mechanisms to offer amoreempowered ITES-driven economy for SaudiArabia.Moreover,cybersecurity specialists and policymakers need to collate their efforts to protect the country’s digital assets in the era of overt and covert cyber warfare.

A Practical Regular LDPC Coded Scheme for Physical-Layer Information Security

In this paper,we aim to design a practical low complexity low-density parity-check(LDPC)coded scheme to build a secure open channel and protect information from eavesdropping.To this end,we first propose a punctured LDPC coded scheme,where the information bits in a codeword are punctured and only the parity check bits are transmitted to the receiver.We further propose a notion of check node type distribution and derive multi-edge type extrinsic information transfer functions to estimate the security performance,instead of the well-known weak metric bit error rate.We optimize the check node type distribution in terms of the signal-to-noise ratio(SNR)gap and modify the progressive edge growth algorithm to design finite-length codes.Numerical results show that our proposed scheme can achieve a lower computational complexity and a smaller security gap,compared to the existing scrambling and puncturing schemes.

Information Security in the Cloud: Emerging Trends and Challenges

This article explores the evolution of cloud computing, its advantages over traditional on-premises infrastructure, and its impact on information security. The study presents a comprehensive literature review covering various cloud infrastructure offerings and security models. Additionally, it deeply analyzes real-life case studies illustrating successful cloud migrations and highlights common information security threats in current cloud computing. The article concludes by offering recommendations to businesses to protect themselves from cloud data breaches and providing insights into selecting a suitable cloud services provider from an information security perspective.

The Role of Plantain in Promoting Food Security: A Review

Plantain is a food security crop of significant nutritional value in the global south. Yet there are significant post-harvest losses, especially at the senescent stage. This review seeks to give a general overview of the crop, its nutritional significance and the technologies that can be adopted to enhance its utilisation at its senescent stage. In West Africa, plantains are eaten at all ripening stages, yet processing is limited to the unripe and semi-ripe. Adoptable technologies such as foam-mat drying will enhance its utilisation in indigenous meals and other food applications. This review provides useful insight to optimize the use of plantain to prevent food waste.

Enhancing Security in QR Code Technology Using AI: Exploration and Mitigation Strategies

The widespread adoption of QR codes has revolutionized various industries, streamlined transactions and improved inventory management. However, this increased reliance on QR code technology also exposes it to potential security risks that malicious actors can exploit. QR code Phishing, or “Quishing”, is a type of phishing attack that leverages QR codes to deceive individuals into visiting malicious websites or downloading harmful software. These attacks can be particularly effective due to the growing popularity and trust in QR codes. This paper examines the importance of enhancing the security of QR codes through the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI). The abstract investigates the integration of AI methods for identifying and mitigating security threats associated with QR code usage. By assessing the current state of QR code security and evaluating the effectiveness of AI-driven solutions, this research aims to propose comprehensive strategies for strengthening QR code technology’s resilience. The study contributes to discussions on secure data encoding and retrieval, providing valuable insights into the evolving synergy between QR codes and AI for the advancement of secure digital communication.

Systematic Security Guideline Framework through Intelligently Automated Vulnerability Analysis

This research aims to propose a practical framework designed for the automatic analysis of a product’s comprehensive functionality and security vulnerabilities,generating applicable guidelines based on real-world software.The existing analysis of software security vulnerabilities often focuses on specific features or modules.This partial and arbitrary analysis of the security vulnerabilities makes it challenging to comprehend the overall security vulnerabilities of the software.The key novelty lies in overcoming the constraints of partial approaches.The proposed framework utilizes data from various sources to create a comprehensive functionality profile,facilitating the derivation of real-world security guidelines.Security guidelines are dynamically generated by associating functional security vulnerabilities with the latest Common Vulnerabilities and Exposure(CVE)and Common Vulnerability Scoring System(CVSS)scores,resulting in automated guidelines tailored to each product.These guidelines are not only practical but also applicable in real-world software,allowing for prioritized security responses.The proposed framework is applied to virtual private network(VPN)software,wherein a validated Level 2 data flow diagram is generated using the Spoofing,Tampering,Repudiation,Information Disclosure,Denial of Service,and Elevation of privilege(STRIDE)technique with references to various papers and examples from related software.The analysis resulted in the identification of a total of 121 vulnerabilities.The successful implementation and validation demonstrate the framework’s efficacy in generating customized guidelines for entire systems,subsystems,and selected modules.

Security and Privacy in Solar Insecticidal Lamps Internet of Things:Requirements and Challenges

Solar insecticidal lamps(SIL) can effectively control pests and reduce the use of pesticides. Combining SIL and Internet of Things(IoT) has formed a new type of agricultural IoT,known as SIL-IoT, which can improve the effectiveness of migratory phototropic pest control. However, since the SIL is connected to the Internet, it is vulnerable to various security issues.These issues can lead to serious consequences, such as tampering with the parameters of SIL, illegally starting and stopping SIL,etc. In this paper, we describe the overall security requirements of SIL-IoT and present an extensive survey of security and privacy solutions for SIL-IoT. We investigate the background and logical architecture of SIL-IoT, discuss SIL-IoT security scenarios, and analyze potential attacks. Starting from the security requirements of SIL-IoT we divide them into six categories, namely privacy, authentication, confidentiality, access control, availability,and integrity. Next, we describe the SIL-IoT privacy and security solutions, as well as the blockchain-based solutions. Based on the current survey, we finally discuss the challenges and future research directions of SIL-IoT.

A Holistic Secure Communication Mechanism Using a Multilayered Cryptographic Protocol to Enhanced Security

In an era characterized by digital pervasiveness and rapidly expanding datasets,ensuring the integrity and reliability of information is paramount.As cyber threats evolve in complexity,traditional cryptographic methods face increasingly sophisticated challenges.This article initiates an exploration into these challenges,focusing on key exchanges(encompassing their variety and subtleties),scalability,and the time metrics associated with various cryptographic processes.We propose a novel cryptographic approach underpinned by theoretical frameworks and practical engineering.Central to this approach is a thorough analysis of the interplay between Confidentiality and Integrity,foundational pillars of information security.Our method employs a phased strategy,beginning with a detailed examination of traditional cryptographic processes,including Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman(ECDH)key exchanges.We also delve into encrypt/decrypt paradigms,signature generation modes,and the hashes used for Message Authentication Codes(MACs).Each process is rigorously evaluated for performance and reliability.To gain a comprehensive understanding,a meticulously designed simulation was conducted,revealing the strengths and potential improvement areas of various techniques.Notably,our cryptographic protocol achieved a confidentiality metric of 9.13 in comprehensive simulation runs,marking a significant advancement over existing methods.Furthermore,with integrity metrics at 9.35,the protocol’s resilience is further affirmed.These metrics,derived from stringent testing,underscore the protocol’s efficacy in enhancing data security.

NFT Security Matrix:Towards Modeling NFT Ecosystem Threat

Digital assets have boomed over the past few years with the emergence of Non-fungible Tokens(NFTs).To be specific,the total trading volume of digital assets reached an astounding$55.5 billion in 2022.Nevertheless,numerous security concerns have been raised by the rapid expansion of the NFT ecosystem.NFT holders are exposed to a plethora of scams and traps,putting their digital assets at risk of being lost.However,academic research on NFT security is scarce,and the security issues have aroused rare attention.In this study,the NFT ecological process is comprehensively explored.This process falls into five different stages encompassing the entire lifecycle of NFTs.Subsequently,the security issues regarding the respective stage are elaborated and analyzed in depth.A matrix model is proposed as a novel contribution to the categorization of NFT security issues.Diverse data are collected from social networks,the Ethereum blockchain,and NFT markets to substantiate our claims regarding the severity of security concerns in the NFT ecosystem.From this comprehensive dataset,nine key NFT security issues are identified from the matrix model and then subjected to qualitative and quantitative analysis.This study aims to shed light on the severity of NFT ecosystem security issues.The findings stress the need for increased attention and proactive measures to safeguard the NFT ecosystem.

A Review on the Security of the Ethereum-Based DeFi Ecosystem

Decentralized finance(DeFi)is a general term for a series of financial products and services.It is based on blockchain technology and has attracted people’s attention because of its open,transparent,and intermediary free.Among them,the DeFi ecosystem based on Ethereum-based blockchains attracts the most attention.However,the current decentralized financial system built on the Ethereum architecture has been exposed to many smart contract vulnerabilities during the last few years.Herein,we believe it is time to improve the understanding of the prevailing Ethereum-based DeFi ecosystem security issues.To that end,we investigate the Ethereum-based DeFi security issues:1)inherited from the real-world financial system,which can be solved by macro-control;2)induced by the problems of blockchain architecture,which require a better blockchain platform;3)caused by DeFi invented applications,which should be focused on during the project development.Based on that,we further discuss the current solutions and potential directions ofDeFi security.According to our research,we could provide a comprehensive vision to the research community for the improvement of Ethereum-basedDeFi ecosystem security.

Soybean maize strip intercropping:A solution for maintaining food security in China

The practice of intercropping leguminous and gramineous crops is used for promoting sustainable agriculture,optimizing resource utilization,enhancing biodiversity,and reducing reliance on petroleum products.However,promoting conventional intercropping strategies in modern agriculture can prove challenging.The innovative technology of soybean maize strip intercropping(SMSI)has been proposed as a solution.This system has produced remarkable results in improving domestic soybean and maize production for both food security and sustainable agriculture.In this article,we provide an overview of SMSI and explain how it differs from traditional intercropping.We also discuss the core principles that foster higher yields and the prospects for its future development.

Intelligent Solution System for Cloud Security Based on Equity Distribution:Model and Algorithms

In the cloud environment,ensuring a high level of data security is in high demand.Data planning storage optimization is part of the whole security process in the cloud environment.It enables data security by avoiding the risk of data loss and data overlapping.The development of data flow scheduling approaches in the cloud environment taking security parameters into account is insufficient.In our work,we propose a data scheduling model for the cloud environment.Themodel is made up of three parts that together help dispatch user data flow to the appropriate cloudVMs.The first component is the Collector Agent whichmust periodically collect information on the state of the network links.The second one is the monitoring agent which must then analyze,classify,and make a decision on the state of the link and finally transmit this information to the scheduler.The third one is the scheduler who must consider previous information to transfer user data,including fair distribution and reliable paths.It should be noted that each part of the proposedmodel requires the development of its algorithms.In this article,we are interested in the development of data transfer algorithms,including fairness distribution with the consideration of a stable link state.These algorithms are based on the grouping of transmitted files and the iterative method.The proposed algorithms showthe performances to obtain an approximate solution to the studied problem which is an NP-hard(Non-Polynomial solution)problem.The experimental results show that the best algorithm is the half-grouped minimum excluding(HME),with a percentage of 91.3%,an average deviation of 0.042,and an execution time of 0.001 s.

High-Level Security Dimension Evaluation of Blockchain BaaS System and Key Technology

In recent years,blockchain technology integration and application has gradually become an important driving force for new technological innovation and industrial transformation.While blockchain technology and applications are developing rapidly,the emerging security risks and obstacles have gradually become prominent.Attackers can still find security issues in blockchain systems and conduct attacks,causing increasing losses from network attacks every year.In response to the current demand for blockchain application security detection and assessment in all industries,and the insufficient coverage of existing detection technologies such as smart contract detectiontechnology,this paper proposes a blockchain core technology security assessment system model,and studies the relevant detection and assessment key technologies and systems.A security assessment scheme based on a smart contract and consensus mechanism detection scheme is designed.And the underlying blockchain architecture supports the traceability of detection results using super blockchains.Finally,the functionality and performance of the system were tested,and the test results show that the model and solutions proposed in this paper have good feasibility.

Security Analysis in Smart Agriculture: Insights from a Cyber-Physical System Application

Smart agriculture modifies traditional farming practices,and offers innovative approaches to boost production and sustainability by leveraging contemporary technologies.In today’s world where technology is everything,these technologies are utilized to streamline regular tasks and procedures in agriculture,one of the largest and most significant industries in every nation.This research paper stands out from existing literature on smart agriculture security by providing a comprehensive analysis and examination of security issues within smart agriculture systems.Divided into three main sections-security analysis,system architecture and design and risk assessment of Cyber-Physical Systems(CPS)applications-the study delves into various elements crucial for smart farming,such as data sources,infrastructure components,communication protocols,and the roles of different stakeholders such as farmers,agricultural scientists and researchers,technology providers,government agencies,consumers and many others.In contrast to earlier research,this work analyzes the resilience of smart agriculture systems using approaches such as threat modeling,penetration testing,and vulnerability assessments.Important discoveries highlight the concerns connected to unsecured communication protocols,possible threats from malevolent actors,and vulnerabilities in IoT devices.Furthermore,the study suggests enhancements for CPS applications,such as strong access controls,intrusion detection systems,and encryption protocols.In addition,risk assessment techniques are applied to prioritize mitigation tactics and detect potential hazards,addressing issues like data breaches,system outages,and automated farming process sabotage.The research sets itself apart even more by presenting a prototype CPS application that makes use of a digital temperature sensor.This application was first created using a Tinkercad simulator and then using actual hardware with Arduino boards.The CPS application’s defenses against potential threats and vulnerabilities are strengthened by this integrated approach,which distinguishes this research for its depth and usefulness in the field of smart agriculture security.

Adaptive Network Sustainability and Defense Based on Artificial Bees Colony Optimization Algorithm for Nature Inspired Cyber Security

Cyber Defense is becoming a major issue for every organization to keep business continuity intact.The presented paper explores the effectiveness of a meta-heuristic optimization algorithm-Artificial Bees Colony Algorithm(ABC)as an Nature Inspired Cyber Security mechanism to achieve adaptive defense.It experiments on the Denial-Of-Service attack scenarios which involves limiting the traffic flow for each node.Businesses today have adapted their service distribution models to include the use of the Internet,allowing them to effectively manage and interact with their customer data.This shift has created an increased reliance on online services to store vast amounts of confidential customer data,meaning any disruption or outage of these services could be disastrous for the business,leaving them without the knowledge to serve their customers.Adversaries can exploit such an event to gain unauthorized access to the confidential data of the customers.The proposed algorithm utilizes an Adaptive Defense approach to continuously select nodes that could present characteristics of a probable malicious entity.For any changes in network parameters,the cluster of nodes is selected in the prepared solution set as a probable malicious node and the traffic rate with the ratio of packet delivery is managed with respect to the properties of normal nodes to deliver a disaster recovery plan for potential businesses.

Cyber Resilience through Real-Time Threat Analysis in Information Security

This paper examines how cybersecurity is developing and how it relates to more conventional information security. Although information security and cyber security are sometimes used synonymously, this study contends that they are not the same. The concept of cyber security is explored, which goes beyond protecting information resources to include a wider variety of assets, including people [1]. Protecting information assets is the main goal of traditional information security, with consideration to the human element and how people fit into the security process. On the other hand, cyber security adds a new level of complexity, as people might unintentionally contribute to or become targets of cyberattacks. This aspect presents moral questions since it is becoming more widely accepted that society has a duty to protect weaker members of society, including children [1]. The study emphasizes how important cyber security is on a larger scale, with many countries creating plans and laws to counteract cyberattacks. Nevertheless, a lot of these sources frequently neglect to define the differences or the relationship between information security and cyber security [1]. The paper focus on differentiating between cybersecurity and information security on a larger scale. The study also highlights other areas of cybersecurity which includes defending people, social norms, and vital infrastructure from threats that arise from online in addition to information and technology protection. It contends that ethical issues and the human factor are becoming more and more important in protecting assets in the digital age, and that cyber security is a paradigm shift in this regard [1].

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Defence and Security Forces in Northern Benin (2023)

Introduction: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is defined as “actual exposure to death or the threat of death, serious injury or sexual violence”, either directly or indirectly, resulting in a symptomatic procession of repetition, avoidance, neurovegetative hyperactivity and individualized symptoms, with or without negative cognitive and mood changes. It therefore goes without saying that the defence and security forces constitute a high-risk population in need of attention. Objective: To study post-traumatic stress disorder in defence and security forces in the city of Parakou in 2023. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted from December 2022 to July 2023. The study population consisted of active military, republican police and firefighters in the city of Parakou in 2023. Non-proportional stratified sampling was used, given the inaccessibility of the source population size for national security reasons. Post-traumatic stress disorder was assessed using the “post-traumatic stress disorder checklist-5 (PCLS-5) scale. Results: A total of 305 subjects participated in the survey. Males dominated 90.2%. The most represented corps was the Republican Police (41.6%), most of whom were non-commissioned officers (46.6%). The majority count between 11 and 20 years of service (48.9%), with 2 to 5 missions completed (67.5%). The calculated prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder was 11.8%, based on the post-traumatic stress disorder checklist-5 (PCL-5). Of the 36 respondents with post-traumatic stress disorder, 20 (55.6%) had experienced an armed attack, 25 (69.4%) had witnessed a violent death, 18 (50.0%) had witnessed the agony of a colleague, 15 (41.7%) had been exposed to a fire or explosion, while 26 (72.2%) had been traumatized by physical and/or verbal aggression. 5 (13.9%) had consulted a specialist psychiatrist, while 6 (16.7%) were on medication and 26 (72.2%) used sport as a means of maintaining physical and mental health. Respectively 22 (61.1%) and 21 (58.3%) had definite symptoms of anxiety and depression. Multivariate analysis revealed a significant association between post-traumatic stress disorder and the following variables: total number of children ≤ 2 (p = 0.015), comorbidities such as arterial hypertension (p = 0.007), history of hepatitis (p = 0.017), work accidents (p = 0.016), alcohol dependence (p = 0.004), domestic violence (p = 0.004), psychological violence (p = 0.017) and anxiety disorders (p Conclusion: Defence and security personnel can also be prey to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which needs to be systematically taken into account when they are subjected to trauma in the course of their duties. Mental health should be an integral part of the periodic medical check-up objectives for defence and security forces throughout the country.