Digital Commons Network^™

Employing Entropy In The Detection And Monitoring Of Network Covert Channels, Chaim Sanders, Jacob Valletta, Bo Yuan, Daryl Johnson, Peter Lutz

Presentations and other scholarship

The detection of covert channels has quickly become a vital need due to their pervasive nature and the increasing popularity of the Internet. In recent years, new and innovative methods have been proposed to aid in the detection of covert channels. Existing detection schemes are often too specific and are ineffective against new covert channels. In this paper, we expound upon previous work done with timing channels and apply it to detecting covert storage channels. Our approach is based on the assumption that the entropy of covert channels will vary from that of previously observed, legitimate, communications. This change in …

Forensic Acquisition And Analysis Of Vmware Virtual Hard Disks, Manish Hirwani, Yin Pan, Bill Stackpole, Daryl Johnson

Presentations and other scholarship

With the advancement in virtualization technology, virtual machines (VMs) are becoming a common and integral part of datacenters. As the popularity and the use of VMs increases, incidents involving them are also on the rise. There is substantial research on using VMs and virtual appliances to aid forensic investigation, but research on the appropriate forensics procedures for collecting and analyzing evidence within a VM following is lacking. This paper presents a forensically sound way to acquire and analyze VM hard disks. A forensics tool for analyzing VM snapshots and vmdk files is developed and has been proven to be forensically …

A Covert Channel In Ttl Field Of Dns Packets, Christopher Hoffman, Daryl Johnson, Bo Yuan, Peter Lutz

Presentations and other scholarship

Covert channels are used as a means of secretly transferring information when there is a need to hide the fact that communication is taking place. With the vast amount of traffic on the internet, network protocols have become a common vehicle for covert channels, typically hiding information in the header fields of packets. Domain name service (DNS) packets contain a 32-bit time to live (TTL) fields for each response record. This is the number of seconds the entry is valid for before caching servers remove the entry. There is no prescribed value for this field making it an ideal covert …

Browser Web Storage Vulnerability Investigation: Html5 Localstorage Object, Dan Bogaard, Daryl Johnson, Robert Parody

Presentations and other scholarship

Along with the introduction of HTML5 a new data storage technique, Web Storage, has been added to browsers. This technique stores larger amounts of data for an extended period of time on a client system. This technology does not (as of this writing) have a fully implemented interface to support end user control. The authors interest is modeling the use of Web Storage to store illicit data. The authors built a web application that would take a file, encrypt it, split it into multiple parts and distribute it to as many clients as possible. At a later time, the system …

Covert Channel In The Bittorrent Tracker Protocol, Joseph Desimone, Daryl Johnson, Bo Yuan, Peter Lutz

Presentations and other scholarship

Covert channels have the unique quality of masking evidence that a communication has ever occurred between two parties. For spies and terrorist cells, this quality can be the difference between life and death. However, even the detection of communications in a botnet could be troublesome for its creators. To evade detection and prevent insights into the size and members of a botnet, covert channels can be used. A botnet should rely on covert channels built on ubiquitous protocols to blend in with legitimate traffic. In this paper, we propose a covert channel built on the BitTorrent peer-to-peer protocol. In a …

Developing Small Team-Based Cyber Security Exercises, Brandon Mauer, Bill Stackpole, Daryl Johnson

Presentations and other scholarship

The growth of the security industry is sparking a significant interest in well-rounded security professionals. Regional and national competitions in the academic community have been developed to help identify qualified candidates to support this industry. A course has been built to allow students to improve their skills in this area. This paper describes the process used to administer events in the support of such a competitive environment, and the process by which appropriate infrastructures are developed.

Audio Steganography Using High Frequency Noise Introduction, David Wheeler, Daryl Johnson, Bo Yuan, Peter Lutz

Presentations and other scholarship

This paper presents a new method of audio steganography that allows character data to be encoded into audio in a way that is indiscernible to prying third-parties. Unlike typical methods of audio steganography that propose storage by modifying the least significant bits or the phase of the audio data, this approach makes use of frequency ranges that are undetectable to the human ear. The method proposed in this paper provides for a reasonably high-bandwidth and is resistant to common detection and prevention techniques.

Integration Of Multiple Stakeholders In Scientific Research: A Sensemaking-Sensegiving Approach, Nicolas Battard, Paul F. Donnelly, Vincent Mangematin

Conference papers

This paper argues that senior scientists in the area of nanoscience and nanotechnology build a new vision of their research activity in order to encompass multiple stakeholders such as policy makers, funding agencies and PhD students. Through a qualitative and inductive study and the lens of sensemaking and sensegiving, we show that senior scientists shape new boundaries in order to make the new vision visible to both internal and external stakeholders. Finally, they engage in sensemaking and sensegiving on a daily basis in order to adapt and sustain their activity over time.

Law Library Newsletter, Volume 4, Issue 1 - Summer 2012, Kresge Law Library

Law Library Newsletter

Discover which NDLS Law Prof. has been named one of the “Top 50 Law Professors on Twitter”! Learn about a new HeinOnline collection. The Return of the Fr. Mike Stained-Glass Window! Summer Research Assistance. Meet the winner of the 2012 Kresge Library Student Service Award: Leonard Gionnone! ProQuest Vogue Archive (1892—Present). Winning AALL “Day in the Life” Photos. 2012 Graduation Photos. Dwight’s New Exhibit @ the Buchanan Art Center

Perception And Knowledge About Dietary Intake In Patients With Liver Cirrhosis And Its Relationship With The Level Of Education, Rustam Khan, Ashfaq Ahmed, Faisal Wasim Ismail, Shahab Abid, Safia Awan, Syed Hasnain Shah, Saeed Hamid, Wasim Jafri

Section of Gastroenterology

Objective: To determine patients perception and knowledge regarding diet in cirrhosis and its relationship with the level of patients education.
Study Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at Gastroenterology Outpatient Clinics at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, the Aga Khan Health Services, Malir, Karachi and Hamdard University, Karachi, from January to December 2010.
Methodology: Consecutive adult patients with compensated cirrhosis were enrolled. Demographic data, level of education, type and reason of food restriction as well as the source of dietary information was asked. Baseline laboratory test were performed, and nutritional status was …

Reproductive Phenology Of Fishes Of The Rio Grande, New Mexico: A Genes-To-Community Approach, Trevor James Krabbenhoft

Biology ETDs

Reproductive phenology is a key life history attribute of long lived organisms that can strongly affect reproductive success and, ultimately, drive community composition. Understanding the ecological causes and consequences and genetic mechanisms shaping reproductive timing is key to predicting the outcome of environmental change (e.g., climate change). The three chapters that comprised this dissertation were focused on elucidating the ecological and genetic underpinnings of reproductive timing in the fish community of an arid-land river, the Rio Grande, New Mexico. In Chapter 1, we assessed reproductive phenology in the Rio Grande fish community with four years of young-of-year sampling data and …

Linking Environment To Ecology In Arid Land Consumers: Two Case Studies, Ian White Murray

Biology ETDs

The physical environment has a profound influence over many aspects of animal ecology, such as governing the pace and timing of phenology and the patterns of activity across space and time. In extreme habitats such as deserts, the most important components of the physical environment are precipitation and temperature. Not only do these vary temporally and spatially, but this variation may influence the life history and ecology of species. My research examines how variance in temperature and precipitation influences the ecology of two species of desert dwelling consumers (desert woodrats and desert tortoises) over differing temporal scales. In Chapter 1, …

Spectral Densities And Coherence Of Nm Hydrology; Nm Decomposition Analysis; Quantifying Science Education, Jennifer L. Tichy

Biology ETDs

Chapter 1: River discharge and montane snowpack play a central role in controlling processes at all levels of ecological organization, so the identification of dominant hydrological periods is an important issue in relating the physical system to the biological system. To quantitatively study the Rio Grande discharge along with the closely related snowpack, we determine the spectral densities as a function of frequency in addition to coherence estimates. This is quality-controlled through a signal to noise ratio, which also allows us to create a transfer function to model the relationship between river discharge and snowpack. By using frequency domain techniques, …

Effects Of Translocation And Climatic Events On The Population Genetic Structure Of Black Bears In New Mexico, Frederic S. Winslow

Biology ETDs

Population structure of the American black bear (Ursus americanus) in New Mexico has been shaped by anthropogenic and natural forces. Black bears occur in habitat islands throughout New Mexico with natural movement among islands influenced by periodic drought, resource limitations and dispersal. Both natural movement and human mediated translocations primarily involve male black bears because of their tendency to move farther distances and more frequent conflict with human dominated landscapes than females. Using DNA microsatellite analysis to investigate the degree of differentiation between different population segments (Fst =0.025 across genetic loci, range = 0.018-0.032) we determined that black bear populations …

Pattern And Process In Metabolic Ecology: From Biotic Interactions To Cultural Diversity Gradients, William R. Burnside

Biology ETDs

Many ecological patterns and processes are functions of metabolism (Brown 2004), meaning the acquisition, transformation, and allocation of energy, materials, and information within the bodies of individuals and among members of human and other animal societies. Individual metabolic rate should influence behavior by determining the energy available for action as well as the rate at which the body requires fuel. First, I test a key prediction of the metabolic theory of ecology (MTE), that biotic interaction rates are characteristic functions of temperature. Findings support this prediction and suggest that herbivory, predation, parasitism, parasitoidy, and competition increase exponentially with temperature and …

The Effects Of The Flyer Plate's Radius Of Curvature On The Performance Of An Explosively Formed Projectile, Phillip R. Mulligan, Jason Baird, Joshua Hoffman

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An explosively formed projectile (EFP) is known for its ability to penetrate vehicle armor effectively. Understanding how an EFP’s physical parameters affect its performance is crucial to development of armor capable of defeating such devices. The present study uses two flyer plate radii of curvature to identify the experimental effects of the flyer plate’s radius of curvature on the measured projectile velocity, depth of penetration, and projectile shape. The Gurney equation is an algebraic relationship for estimating the velocity imparted to a metal plate in contact with detonating explosives. The authors of this research used a form of the Gurney …

Brain Recorder, Anthony M. Garcia

Computer Engineering

Electroencephalography (EEG) is the recording of electrical activity along the scalp. Our mind regulates its activities by means of electric waves which are registered in the brain, emitting tiny electrochemical impulses of varied frequencies, which can be registered by an electroencephalogram. These “brainwave” frequencies are split into different bands. There is ongoing research that attempts to correlate the frequencies in the different bands to different emotional states and levels of concentration. With the increase in availability of commercial EEG devices, such studies can be sped up by making the collection of data easier, faster, and mobile. Creating a mobile application …

The Phylogeny And Classification Of Embioptera (Insecta), Janice Edgerly-Rooks, Kelly Miller, Cheryl Hayashi, Michael Whiting, Gavin Svenson

Biology

A phylogenetic analysis of the order Embioptera is presented with a revised classification based on results of the analysis. Eighty-two species of Embioptera are included from all families except Paedembiidae Ross and Embonychidae Navás. Monophyly of each of the eight remaining currently recognized families is tested except Andesembiidae Ross, for which only a single species was included. Nine outgroup taxa are included from Blattaria, Grylloblattaria, Mantodea, Mantophasmatodea, Orthoptera, Phasmida and Plecoptera. Ninety-six morphological characters were analysed along with DNA sequence data from the five genes 16S rRNA, 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, cytochrome c oxidase I and histone III. Data were …

Evaluating Citizen Petition Procedures: Lessons From An Analysis Of The Nafta Environmental Commission, David L. Markell, John H. Knox

Scholarly Publications

The NAFTA Environmental Commission’s citizen petition process is an important experiment in “new governance” because of its emphasis on citizen participation, accountability, and transparency as strategies to enhance government legitimacy and improve government performance. Its focus on promoting compliance and enforcement adds to its importance for those interested in those central aspects of the regulatory process. The procedure has had a rocky start in many respects, although there are signs that in some cases it has had a positive impact.

This Article sets forth what we perceive to be the promise of the process, the pitfalls that have undermined its …

Weightlifting Performance Is Related To Kinematic And Kinetic Patterns Of The Hip And Knee Joints, Kristof Kipp, Josh Redden, Michelle B. Sabick, Chad Harris

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this study was to investigate correlations between biomechanical outcome measures and weightlifting performance. Joint kinematics and kinetics of the hip, knee, and ankle were calculated while ten subjects performed a clean at 85% of 1-RM. Kinematic and kinetic time-series patterns were extracted with principal components analysis. Discrete scores for each time-series pattern were calculated and used to determine how each pattern was related to body-mass normalized 1-RM. Two hip kinematic and two knee kinetic patterns were significantly correlated with relative 1-RM. The kinematic patterns captured hip and trunk motions during the first pull and hip joint motion …

Deception Detection: Using Eye-Tracking Technology To Measure Faking In A Simulated Applicant Setting, Luke Simmering

Doctoral Dissertations

The impact of faking on selection assessments and the need for methods to detect such behavior has drawn increased attention of researchers in the selection field over the last quarter century. The overarching purpose of this study was to assess the validity of utilizing eye-tracking technology in the detection of applicant faking on personality measures. Specifically, this study examined the physiological cues of response latency, eye fixation, and pupil dilation and their association with deception in the context of personality assessment in a job seeking scenario. The results indicated that individuals engaged in faking behavior had significantly more eye fixations …

The Impact Of Psychological Reactance And Approach/Avoidance Motivation On The Effectiveness Of Sleep Interventions, Barbara Calvert

Doctoral Dissertations

Research has shown that college students experience sleep difficulties at a higher rate than the general population. Many factors contribute to the sleep difficulties of college students including lifestyle, stimulant use, alcohol use, physiological arousal, and cognitive factors. Sleep difficulties have been shown to have a significant negative impact on numerous aspects of an individual's life including cognitive/academic performance, physical health, and psychological functioning. College administrators and counselors need effective interventions for students experiencing sleep difficulties. It is also essential that individuals working with college students be aware of personal factors that may impact how an individual responds to a …

Response Rate And Response Error In Marketing Research, M. Yasemin Ocal Atinc

Doctoral Dissertations

In this study, I investigate the perspectives of marketing researchers views about the two important concepts of survey research, response rate and response bias. I specifically aimed to answer the following questions: Research Question #1: Do marketing researchers separate the concepts of response rate from response bias? Research Question #2: How exactly should data quality be measured? Is it about sample representativeness, minimizing non- response bias or just solely Increasing the response rate? Research Question #3: What are researchers doing to assess and minimize response bias? Research Question #4: Do additional efforts put forth by survey researchers, such as reminder …

Valuing Value: Value-In-Use And Marketing Performance, Kevin William James

Doctoral Dissertations

A unified subject matter defines every scientific discipline. Marketing then, like other disciplines, consists of a finite set of core concepts. This dissertation focuses specifically on the core concept of "value" as being among the most central of concepts and more specifically elaborates theoretically on the concept of value-in-use. Historically, marketing's received view suggests customer satisfaction is a key contributor to firm success. However, the extant literature reports a weak relation between customer satisfaction and a firm's organizational performance (Woodruff, 1997). This dissertation makes a theoretical case for value as among the most telling metrics in all of marketing and …

July 20, 2012 - Alec Department Meeting Agenda

ALEC Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

Occupy Mindfulness, David Forbes

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Genetic Ancestry And Sociocultural Factors On Pulmonary Tuberculosis Susceptibility In Northeastern Mexico, Bonnie Nadyne Young

Anthropology ETDs

Genetic and environmental factors contribute to variation in tuberculosis (TB) disease risk among individuals in the Americas, although the relative contribution of each of these factors remains unclear. Genetic ancestry may serve as a proxy for underlying genetic differences in TB risk between the European, Native American, and African groups that formed many populations in the Americas, but this has never been tested. Such tests are complicated by the fact that genetic ancestry and important potential social predictors of TB are usually confounded. The urban center of Nuevo León, the Monterrey Metropolitan Area (MMA), presents a unique setting to tease …

Women Living Islam In Post-War And Post-Socialist Bosnia And Herzegovina, Emira Ibrahimpašić

Anthropology ETDs

This is an ethnographic study of what it means to be a Muslim woman in post-war and post-socialist Bosnia and Herzegovina. Almost two decades after the end of inter-ethnic wars that led to the dissolution of socialist Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Bosnias inhabitants are undergoing radical social, economic, political, and particularly religious transformations. This transformation, visible in both community and individual lives, can be discerned in all aspects of daily life. In this dissertation I examine the underlying reasons and motivations concerning the different ways in which one can practice and live Islam in Sarajevo and Zenica, two of the …

Shamanism In Cross-Cultural Perspective, Michael Winkelman

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

This article reviews the origins of the concept of the shaman and the principal sources of

controversy regarding the existence and nature of shamanism. Confusion regarding the

nature of shamanism is clarified with a review of research providing empirical support for a

cross-cultural concept of shamans that distinguishes them from related shamanistic healers.

The common shamanistic universals involving altered states of consciousness are examined

from psychobiological perspectives to illustrate shamanism’s relationships to human nature.

Common biological aspects of altered states of consciousness help explain the origins of

shamanism while social influences on this aspect of human nature help to explain …

Differential Item Functioning Analysis Of The Mental, Emotional, And Bodily Toughness Inventory, Yong Gao, Mick G. Mack, Moira A. Ragan, Brian Ragan

Kinesiology Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study was to use differential item functioning (DIF) analysis to examine if there were items in the Mental, Emotional, and Bodily Toughness Inventory (MeBTough) functioning differently across gender and athletic membership. A total of 444 male (56.3%) and female (43.7%) participants (30.9% athletes and 69.1% non-athletes) responded to the MeBTough items. Using Mantel-Haenszel and SIBTEST methods, 43 items were analyzed for DIF. Four MeBTough items were identified as large DIF items by both Mantel-Haenszel and SIBTEST methods, where item 21 favored non-athletes, item 40 favored athletes, item 2 favored males, and item 17 favored females. Athletic membership DIF disappeared …