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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Enhancing IoT Security:Quantum-Level Resilience against Threats

The rapid growth of the Internet of Things(IoT)operations has necessitated the incorporation of quantum computing technologies tomeet its expanding needs.This integration ismotivated by the need to solve the specific issues provided by the expansion of IoT and the potential benefits that quantum computing can offer in this scenario.The combination of IoT and quantum computing creates new privacy and security problems.This study examines the critical need to prevent potential security concerns from quantum computing in IoT applications.We investigate the incorporation of quantum computing approaches within IoT security frameworks,with a focus on developing effective security mechanisms.Our research,which uses quantum algorithms and cryptographic protocols,provides a unique solution to protecting sensitive information and assuring the integrity of IoT systems.We rigorously analyze critical quantum computing security properties,building a hierarchical framework for systematic examination.We offer concrete solutions flexible to diverse aswell as ambiguous opinions through using a unified computational model with analytical hierarchy process(AHP)multi-criteria decision-making(MCDM)as the technique for ordering preferences by similarity to ideal solutions(TOPSIS)in a fuzzy environment.This study adds practical benefit by supporting practitioners in recognizing,choosing,and prioritizing essential security factors from the standpoint of quantum computing.Our approach is a critical step towards improving quantum-level security in IoT systems,strengthening their resilience against future threats,and preserving the IoT ecosystem’s long-term prosperity.

A Security Trade-Off Scheme of Anomaly Detection System in IoT to Defend against Data-Tampering Attacks

Internet of Things(IoT)is vulnerable to data-tampering(DT)attacks.Due to resource limitations,many anomaly detection systems(ADSs)for IoT have high false positive rates when detecting DT attacks.This leads to the misreporting of normal data,which will impact the normal operation of IoT.To mitigate the impact caused by the high false positive rate of ADS,this paper proposes an ADS management scheme for clustered IoT.First,we model the data transmission and anomaly detection in clustered IoT.Then,the operation strategy of the clustered IoT is formulated as the running probabilities of all ADSs deployed on every IoT device.In the presence of a high false positive rate in ADSs,to deal with the trade-off between the security and availability of data,we develop a linear programming model referred to as a security trade-off(ST)model.Next,we develop an analysis framework for the ST model,and solve the ST model on an IoT simulation platform.Last,we reveal the effect of some factors on the maximum combined detection rate through theoretical analysis.Simulations show that the ADS management scheme can mitigate the data unavailability loss caused by the high false positive rates in ADS.

Enhancing visual security: An image encryption scheme based on parallel compressive sensing and edge detection embedding

A novel image encryption scheme based on parallel compressive sensing and edge detection embedding technology is proposed to improve visual security. Firstly, the plain image is sparsely represented using the discrete wavelet transform.Then, the coefficient matrix is scrambled and compressed to obtain a size-reduced image using the Fisher–Yates shuffle and parallel compressive sensing. Subsequently, to increase the security of the proposed algorithm, the compressed image is re-encrypted through permutation and diffusion to obtain a noise-like secret image. Finally, an adaptive embedding method based on edge detection for different carrier images is proposed to generate a visually meaningful cipher image. To improve the plaintext sensitivity of the algorithm, the counter mode is combined with the hash function to generate keys for chaotic systems. Additionally, an effective permutation method is designed to scramble the pixels of the compressed image in the re-encryption stage. The simulation results and analyses demonstrate that the proposed algorithm performs well in terms of visual security and decryption quality.

Security-Reliability Tradeoff Analysis for Jamming Aided Decode-and-Forward Relay Networks

In this paper,we explore a cooperative decode-and-forward(DF)relay network comprised of a source,a relay,and a destination in the presence of an eavesdropper.To improve physical-layer security of the relay system,we propose a jamming aided decodeand-forward relay(JDFR)scheme combining the use of artificial noise and DF relaying which requires two stages to transmit a packet.Specifically,in stage one,the source sends confidential message to the relay while the destination acts as a friendly jammer and transmits artificial noise to confound the eavesdropper.In stage two,the relay forwards its re-encoded message to the destination while the source emits artificial noise to confuse the eavesdropper.In addition,we analyze the security-reliability tradeoff(SRT)performance of the proposed JDFR scheme,where security and reliability are evaluated by deriving intercept probability(IP)and outage probability(OP),respectively.For the purpose of comparison,SRT of the traditional decode-and-forward relay(TDFR)scheme is also analyzed.Numerical results show that the SRT performance of the proposed JDFR scheme is better than that of the TDFR scheme.Also,it is shown that for the JDFR scheme,a better SRT performance can be obtained by the optimal power allocation(OPA)between the friendly jammer and user.

Machine Learning Security Defense Algorithms Based on Metadata Correlation Features

With the popularization of the Internet and the development of technology,cyber threats are increasing day by day.Threats such as malware,hacking,and data breaches have had a serious impact on cybersecurity.The network security environment in the era of big data presents the characteristics of large amounts of data,high diversity,and high real-time requirements.Traditional security defense methods and tools have been unable to cope with the complex and changing network security threats.This paper proposes a machine-learning security defense algorithm based on metadata association features.Emphasize control over unauthorized users through privacy,integrity,and availability.The user model is established and the mapping between the user model and the metadata of the data source is generated.By analyzing the user model and its corresponding mapping relationship,the query of the user model can be decomposed into the query of various heterogeneous data sources,and the integration of heterogeneous data sources based on the metadata association characteristics can be realized.Define and classify customer information,automatically identify and perceive sensitive data,build a behavior audit and analysis platform,analyze user behavior trajectories,and complete the construction of a machine learning customer information security defense system.The experimental results show that when the data volume is 5×103 bit,the data storage integrity of the proposed method is 92%.The data accuracy is 98%,and the success rate of data intrusion is only 2.6%.It can be concluded that the data storage method in this paper is safe,the data accuracy is always at a high level,and the data disaster recovery performance is good.This method can effectively resist data intrusion and has high air traffic control security.It can not only detect all viruses in user data storage,but also realize integrated virus processing,and further optimize the security defense effect of user big data.

武汉大学网络安全研究成果被USENIX Security 2024录用

近日,武汉大学国家网络安全学院2021级博士生葛云洁(第一作者)与网络安全试验班2020级本科生陈品极(共同第一作者)撰写的论文被第33届USENIX安全研讨会(The 33rd USENIX Security Symposium 2024)录用。论文题目为“More Simplicity for Trainers,More Opportunity for Attackers:Black-Box Attacks on Speaker Recognition Systems by Inferring Feature Extractor”(《训练简化增大攻击风险:基于特征提取器推断的黑盒语音声纹对抗攻击》),指导老师为武汉大学国家网络安全学院教授王骞(通讯作者)、副教授赵令辰(通讯作者),与中国香港城市大学教授王聪、清华大学副教授李琦和西安交通大学教授沈超合作完成。武汉大学国家网络安全学院2021级博士生牟宁平、2019级博士生江沛佩参与了该成果的研究工作。