Characterization Of Metal-Insulator-Transition (Mit) Phase Change Materials (Pcm) For Reconfigurable Components, Circuits, And Systems,
2013
Air Force Institute of Technology
Characterization Of Metal-Insulator-Transition (Mit) Phase Change Materials (Pcm) For Reconfigurable Components, Circuits, And Systems, Brent L. Danner
Theses and Dissertations
Many microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) use metal contact micro-switches as part of their reconfigurable device design. These devices utilize a mechanical component that can wear down and fail over time. Metal insulator transition (MIT) materials, also known as phase change materials (PCMs), exhibit a reversible transition that can be used to replace the mechanical component in reconfigurable devices. In the presence of a thermal or electric field stimuli, the PCMs will transition back and forth between a crystalline and amorphous state. During this transformation, the resistivity, reflectivity, and Young's modulus of the material drastically change. This research effort focuses on characterizing …
Machine Conscious Architecture For State Exploitation And Decision Making,
2013
Air Force Institute of Technology
Machine Conscious Architecture For State Exploitation And Decision Making, Mark M. Derriso
Theses and Dissertations
This research addressed a critical limitation in the area of computational intelligence by developing a general purpose architecture for information processing and decision making. Traditional computational intelligence methods are best suited for well-defined problems with extensive, long-term knowledge of the environmental and operational conditions the system will encounter during operation. These traditional approaches typically generate quick answers (i.e., reflexive responses) using pattern recognition methods. Most pattern recognition techniques are static processes which consist of a predefined series of computations. For these pattern recognition approaches to be effective, training data is required from all anticipated environments and operating conditions. The proposed …
Estimating And Measuring Application Latency Of Typical Distributed Interactive Simulation (Dis) - Based Simulation Architecture,
2013
Air Force Institute of Technology
Estimating And Measuring Application Latency Of Typical Distributed Interactive Simulation (Dis) - Based Simulation Architecture, Ryan L. Drinkwater
Theses and Dissertations
One of the challenges in a distributed virtual environment stems from the requirement to simultaneously execute the simulations in realtime to support human interaction, in conjunction with maintaining a consistent view of the shared simulated environment. Maintaining a consistent set of simulation state data in the presence of network latency is difficult if individual data items are updated frequently. The principle application of DIS-based simulation environments has been in the domain of training where a consistent view or its correctness is often judged in subjective terms such as the simulation looking and feeling correct. New application areas for these systems …
Using Rf-Dna Fingerprints To Discriminate Zigbee Devices In An Operational Environment,
2013
Air Force Institute of Technology
Using Rf-Dna Fingerprints To Discriminate Zigbee Devices In An Operational Environment, Clay K. Dubendorfer
Theses and Dissertations
This research was performed to expand AFIT's Radio Frequency Distinct Native Attribute (RF-DNA) fingerprinting process to support IEEE 802.15.4 ZigBee communication network applications. Current ZigBee bit-level security measures include use of network keys and MAC lists which can be subverted through interception and spoofing using open-source hacking tools. This work addresses device discrimination using Physical (PHY) waveform alternatives to augment existing bit-level security mechanisms. ZigBee network vulnerability to outsider threats was assessed using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves to characterize both Authorized Device ID Verification performance (granting network access to authorized users presenting true bit-level credentials) and Rogue Device Rejection …
Cognitive Augmentation For Network Defense,
2013
Air Force Institute of Technology
Cognitive Augmentation For Network Defense, James E. Emge
Theses and Dissertations
Traditionally, when a task is considered for automation it is a binary decision, either the task was completely automated or it remains manual. LOA is a departure from the tradition use of automation in cyber defense. When a task is automated, it removes the human administrator from the performance of the task, compromising their SA of the state of the network. When the administrator loses SA of the network performance and its current state, failure recovery time becomes much longer. This is because the administrators must orient themselves to the current state of the network at the time of failure …
Rootkit Detection Using A Cross-View Clean Boot Method,
2013
Air Force Institute of Technology
Rootkit Detection Using A Cross-View Clean Boot Method, Bridget N. Flatley
Theses and Dissertations
In cyberspace, attackers commonly infect computer systems with malware to gain capabilities such as remote access, keylogging, and stealth. Many malware samples include rootkit functionality to hide attacker activities on the target system. After detection, users can remove the rootkit and associated malware from the system with commercial tools. This research describes, implements, and evaluates a clean boot method using two partitions to detect rootkits on a system. One partition is potentially infected with a rootkit while the other is clean. The method obtains directory listings of the potentially infected operating system from each partition and compares the lists to …
Examining Application Components To Reveal Android Malware,
2013
Air Force Institute of Technology
Examining Application Components To Reveal Android Malware, John B. Guptill
Theses and Dissertations
Smartphones are becoming ubiquitous in everyday life and malware is exploiting these devices. Therefore, a means to identify the threats of malicious applications is necessary. This paper presents a method to classify and analyze Android malware through application component analysis. The experiment parses select portions from Android packages to collect features using byte sequences and permissions of the application. Multiple machine learning algorithms classify the samples of malware based on these features. The experiment utilizes instance based learner, naive Bayes, decision trees, sequential minimal optimization, boosted naive Bayes, and boosted decision trees to identify the best components that reveal malware …
Mobile Network Defense Interface For Cyber Defense And Situational Awareness,
2013
Air Force Institute of Technology
Mobile Network Defense Interface For Cyber Defense And Situational Awareness, James C. Hannan
Theses and Dissertations
Today's computer networks are under constant attack. In order to deal with this constant threat, network administrators rely on intrusion detection and prevention services (IDS) (IPS). Most IDS and IPS implement static rule sets to automatically alert administrators and resolve intrusions. Network administrators face a difficult challenge, identifying attacks against a vast number of benign network transactions. Also after a threat is identified making even the smallest policy change to the security software potentially has far-reaching and unanticipated consequences. Finally, because the administrator is primarily responding to alerts they may lose situational awareness of the network. During this research a …
Emulation Of Industrial Control Field Device Protocols,
2013
Air Force Institute of Technology
Emulation Of Industrial Control Field Device Protocols, Robert M. Jaromin
Theses and Dissertations
It has been shown that thousands of industrial control devices are exposed to the Internet, however, the extent and nature of attacks on such devices remains unknown. The first step to understanding security problems that face modern supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and industrial controls networks is to understand the various attacks launched on Internet-connected field devices. This thesis describes the design and implementation of an industrial control emulator on a Gumstix single-board computer as a solution. This emulator acts as a decoy field device, or honeypot, intended to be probed and attacked via an Internet connection. Evaluation techniques …
Development Of A Response Planner Using The Uct Algorithm For Cyber Defense,
2013
Air Force Institute of Technology
Development Of A Response Planner Using The Uct Algorithm For Cyber Defense, Michael P. Knight
Theses and Dissertations
A need for a quick response to cyber attacks is a prevalent problem for computer network operators today. There is a small window to respond to a cyber attack when it occurs to prevent significant damage to a computer network. Automated response planners offer one solution to resolve this issue. This work presents Network Defense Planner System (NDPS), a planner dependent on the effectiveness of the detection of the cyber attack. This research first explores making classification of network attacks faster for real-time detection, the basic function Intrusion Detection System (IDS) provides. After identifying the type of attack, learning the …
Rf Emitter Tracking And Intent Assessment,
2013
Air Force Institute of Technology
Rf Emitter Tracking And Intent Assessment, Benjamin J. Kuhar
Theses and Dissertations
Current research in employing pattern recognition techniques in a wireless sensor network (WSN) to detect anomalous or suspicious behavior is limited. The purpose of this research was to determine the feasibility of an accurate tracking and intent assessment system of unknown or foreign radio frequency (RF) emitters in close proximity to and within military installations as a method for physical security. 22 position tracks were collected using a hand-held Global Positioning System (GPS) unit and a training data set from five different features was generated for each position track. Each collected position track was individually classified as suspicious or non-suspicious …
Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Ip Hopping Via An Address Routing Gateway,
2013
Air Force Institute of Technology
Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Ip Hopping Via An Address Routing Gateway, Ryan A . Morehart
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis explores the viability of using Internet Protocol (IP) address hopping in front of a network as a defensive measure. This research presents a custom gateway-based IP hopping solution called Address Routing Gateway (ARG) that acts as a transparent IP address hopping gateway. This thesis tests the overall stability of ARG, the accuracy of its classifications, the maximum throughput it can support, and the maximum rate at which it can change IPs and still communicate reliably. This research is accomplished on a physical test network with nodes representing the types of hosts found on a typical, corporate-style network. Direct …
An Architecture For Coexistence With Multiple Users In Frequency Hopping Cognitive Radio Networks,
2013
Air Force Institute of Technology
An Architecture For Coexistence With Multiple Users In Frequency Hopping Cognitive Radio Networks, Ryan K. Mclean
Theses and Dissertations
The radio frequency (RF) spectrum is a limited resource. Spectrum allotment disputes stem from this scarcity as many radio devices are con confined to a fixed frequency or frequency sequence. One alternative is to incorporate cognition within a configurable radio platform, therefore enabling the radio to adapt to dynamic RF spectrum environments. In this way, the radio is able to actively observe the RF spectrum, orient itself to the current RF environment, decide on a mode of operation, and act accordingly, thereby sharing the spectrum and operating in more flexible manner. This research presents a novel framework for incorporating several …
Modeling Cyber Situational Awareness Through Data Fusion,
2013
Air Force Institute of Technology
Modeling Cyber Situational Awareness Through Data Fusion, Evan L. Raulerson
Theses and Dissertations
Cyber attacks are compromising networks faster than administrators can respond. Network defenders are unable to become oriented with these attacks, determine the potential impacts, and assess the damages in a timely manner. Since the observations of network sensors are normally disjointed, analysis of the data is overwhelming and time is not spent efficiently. Automation in defending cyber networks requires a level of reasoning for adequate response. Current automated systems are mostly limited to scripted responses. Better defense tools are required. This research develops a framework that aggregates data from heterogeneous network sensors. The collected data is correlated into a single …
A Multi Agent System For Flow-Based Intrusion Detection,
2013
Air Force Institute of Technology
A Multi Agent System For Flow-Based Intrusion Detection, David A . Ryan
Theses and Dissertations
The detection and elimination of threats to cyber security is essential for system functionality, protection of valuable information, and preventing costly destruction of assets. This thesis presents a Mobile Multi-Agent Flow-Based IDS called MFIREv3 that provides network anomaly detection of intrusions and automated defense. This version of the MFIRE system includes the development and testing of a Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm (MOEA) for feature selection that provides agents with the optimal set of features for classifying the state of the network. Feature selection provides separable data points for the selected attacks: Worm, Distributed Denial of Service, Man-in-the-Middle, Scan, and Trojan. This …
Characterization And Dynamic Analysis Of Long-Cavity Multi-Section Gain-Levered Quantum-Dot Lasers,
2013
Air Force Institute of Technology
Characterization And Dynamic Analysis Of Long-Cavity Multi-Section Gain-Levered Quantum-Dot Lasers, John R. Schmidt
Theses and Dissertations
This research investigates the impact of different device architectures on the frequency response of long-cavity multi-section quantum-dot lasers. This work focused on a novel 8.3-mm multi-section quantum-dot device which possessed the flexibility to be configured either as a single- or multi-section device having gain-to-modulation section ratios of 14:2 and 15:1. The long-cavity device design facilitated the testing of increased gain-to-modulation section length ratios previously unexplored in the context of the gain-lever effect. The investigation of the gain-lever effect showed improvements to both the modulation efficiency and modulation bandwidth of the device under test. The modulation efficiency and modulation bandwidth were …
File Carving And Malware Identification Algorithms Applied To Firmware Reverse Engineering,
2013
Air Force Institute of Technology
File Carving And Malware Identification Algorithms Applied To Firmware Reverse Engineering, Karl A . Sickendick
Theses and Dissertations
Modern society depends on critical infrastructure (CI) managed by Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs). PLCs depend on firmware, though firmware security vulnerabilities and contents remain largely unexplored. Attackers are acquiring the knowledge required to construct and install malicious firmware on CI. To the defender, firmware reverse engineering is a critical, but tedious, process. This thesis applies machine learning algorithms, from the le carving and malware identification fields, to firmware reverse engineering. It characterizes the algorithms' performance. This research describes and characterizes a process to speed and simplify PLC firmware analysis. The system partitions binary firmwares into segments, labels each segment with …
Airborne Network Data Availability Using Peer To Peer Database Replication On A Distributed Hash Table,
2013
Air Force Institute of Technology
Airborne Network Data Availability Using Peer To Peer Database Replication On A Distributed Hash Table, Trevor J. Vranicar
Theses and Dissertations
The concept of distributing one complex task to several smaller, simpler Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) as opposed to one complex UAV is the way of the future for a vast number of surveillance and data collection tasks. One objective for this type of application is to be able to maintain an operational picture of the overall environment. Due to high bandwidth costs, centralizing all data may not be possible, necessitating a distributed storage system such as mobile Distributed Hash Table (DHT). A difficulty with this maintenance is that for an Airborne Network (AN), nodes are vehicles and travel at high …
Network Intrusion Dataset Assessment,
2013
Air Force Institute of Technology
Network Intrusion Dataset Assessment, David J. Weller-Fahy
Theses and Dissertations
Research into classification using Anomaly Detection (AD) within the field of Network Intrusion Detection (NID), or Network Intrusion Anomaly Detection (NIAD), is common, but operational use of the classifiers discovered by research is not. One reason for the lack of operational use is most published testing of AD methods uses artificial datasets: making it difficult to determine how well published results apply to other datasets and the networks they represent. This research develops a method to predict the accuracy of an AD-based classifier when applied to a new dataset, based on the difference between an already classified dataset and the …
Design And Analysis Of A Small Form Factor Desktop Computer Enclosure,
2013
Morehead State University
Design And Analysis Of A Small Form Factor Desktop Computer Enclosure, Curt Adkins
Morehead State Theses and Dissertations
A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science and Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters of Science Engineering Technology by Curt Adkins on March 13, 2013.
