Computer Sciences Commons^™

Politeness In Security Directives: Insights In Browser Compliance For The Human Element, Deanna House, Gabe Giordano

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis Faculty Publications

The technical protection provided by information security technology is necessary as a frontline defense against threats. However, the human element adds great risk to systems and cannot be ignored. This research explores the human elements related to security communications and intention to comply with security directives. Security communications are more-commonly being sent using richer computer-based channels. While the goal of security communications is the gain compliance, there is still much to learn related to what influences a user to comply. This research explores the effects that (im)politeness has on intention to comply with security directives. The research utilized an experiment …

Extended Functionalities For Automating Comic Book Pull Files, Jackson Cunningham

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This Honors Thesis project involves programming additional features for a Java application developed as a team for the UNO Computer Science Capstone Project. The purpose of this Capstone project was to develop an updated Pull File system for Dragon’s Lair Comics & Games, which has been running an outdated system in need of improvement. The pull file is an organizational system used by customers to reserve new issues of specific on-going comic book series as they are released. The comic book store can use a pull file system to maintain records of customers, store inventory, and order requests, gaining important …

A User Study Of A Wearable System To Enhance Bystanders’ Facial Privacy, Alfredo J. Perez, Sherali Zeadally, Scott Griffith, Luis Y. Matos Garcia, Jason A. Mouloud

Computer Science Faculty Publications

The privacy of users and information are becoming increasingly important with the growth and pervasive use of mobile devices such as wearables, mobile phones, drones, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Today many of these mobile devices are equipped with cameras which enable users to take pictures and record videos anytime they need to do so. In many such cases, bystanders’ privacy is not a concern, and as a result, audio and video of bystanders are often captured without their consent. We present results from a user study in which 21 participants were asked to use a wearable system called …

Cyber Supply Chain Risk Management: Toward An Understanding Of The Antecedents To Demand For Assurance, Clark Hampton, Steve G. Sutton, Vicky Arnold, Deepak Khazanchi

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis Faculty Publications

Recognizing the need for effective cyber risk management processes across the supply chain, the AICPA issued a new SOC in March 2020 for assuring cyber supply chain risk management (C-SCRM) processes. This study examines supply chain relationship factors and cyber risk issues to better understand the demand for C-SCRM assurance. Resource-Advantage Theory of Competition provides the conceptual foundation for assessing the dual drivers of relationship building and cyber risk management on demand for assurance. We use a field survey to collect data from 205 professionals enabling evaluation of the complex relationships in the theoretical model. Results support all hypotheses, provide …

Effect Of Implementing Subgoals In Code.Org's Intro To Programming Unit In Computer Science Principles, Lauren E. Margulieux, Briana Baker Morrison, Baker Franke, Hari Ramilison

Computer Science Faculty Publications

The subgoal learning framework has improved performance for novice programmers in higher education, but it has only started to be applied and studied in K-12 (primary/secondary). Programming education in K-12 is growing, and many international initiatives are attempting to increase participation, including curricular initiatives like Computer Science Principles and non-profit organizations like Code.org. Given that subgoal learning is designed to help students with no prior knowledge, we designed and implemented subgoals in the introduction to programming unit in Code.org's Computer Science Principles course. The redesigned unit includes subgoal-oriented instruction and subgoal-themed pre-written comments that students could add to their programming …

Bots And Humans On Social Media, Lale Madahali

Interdisciplinary Informatics Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Social networks are an important part of today’s life. They are used for entertainment, getting the news, advertisements, and branding for businesses and individuals alike. Research shows that automated accounts, also known as bots, contribute to the content spread on social media allowing the the environment pollution and public opinion manipulation. This research aims at investigating bots’ behavior on Twitter and examine how different and similar they are compared to humans. I will investigate their underlying network, whether it is an information network or social network. In the second step, I attempt to answer whether they follow the structure of …

Prototypical Career Paths In Urban, Suburban, And Rural Locations In The United States, Tenace Kwaku Setor, Damien Joseph

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis Faculty Publications

Career paths are formed over time from interactions between individuals, organizations, and labor markets within and across geographic locations. What are the prototypical career paths thus formed? Who are the likely incumbents of these career paths? What are the consequences of pursuing these career paths? This study combines micro-level perspectives on personal agency and macro-level institutional factors to explain how careers unfold over time and space. The juxtaposition of micro- and macro-level factors contributes to career research and practice, which have traditionally examined careers as movements across organizations and occupations over time, but almost exclusively within specific geographic locations. We …

When Agile Means Staying: A Moderated Mediated Model, Tenace Kwaku Setor

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis Faculty Publications

The design of software development methods focuses on improving task processes, including accommodating changing user requirements and accelerating product delivery. However, there is limited research on how the use of different software development methods impacts IT professionals’ perceptions of organizational mobility. Drawing on concepts from the agile development literature and job characteristics theory, we formulate a moderated mediation model explicating the mechanism and the condition under which agile development use exerts an influence on IT professionals’ intention to stay with their current employer. Specifically, we examine job satisfaction as mediating the effect of using agile development on the intention to …

Reducing Withdrawal And Failure Rates In Introductory Programming With Subgoal Labeled Worked Examples, Lauren E. Margulieux, Briana B. Morrison, Adrienne Decker

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Background

Programming a computer is an increasingly valuable skill, but dropout and failure rates in introductory programming courses are regularly as high as 50%. Like many fields, programming requires students to learn complex problem-solving procedures from instructors who tend to have tacit knowledge about low-level procedures that they have automatized. The subgoal learning framework has been used in programming and other fields to breakdown procedural problem solving into smaller pieces that novices can grasp more easily, but it has only been used in short-term interventions. In this study, the subgoal learning framework was implemented throughout a semester-long introductory programming course …

Comparative Analysis Of Metabolic Pathways Of Bacteria Used In Fermented Food, Keanu Hoang, Kiran Bastola

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This study presents a novel methodology for analyzing metabolic pathways. Utilizing KEGG REST API through a Biopython package and file parser, data about whether or not a bacteria has an enzyme or not was extracted. The results found that differences in metabolic pathway enrichment values follow along the lines of genera and pathway type. In particular, bacteria found in food spoilage and commercial nitrogen fixing products had high values of enrichment.

A Semi-Automated Technique For Transcribing Accurate Crowd Motions, Alexander Fuchsberger, Brian Ricks, Zhicheng Chen

Computer Science Faculty Publications

We present a novel technique for transcribing crowds in video scenes that allows extracting the positions of moving objects in video frames. The technique can be used as a more precise alternative to image processing methods, such as background-removal or automated pedestrian detection based on feature extraction and classification. By manually projecting pedestrian actors on a two-dimensional plane and translating screen coordinates to absolute real-world positions using the cross ratio, we provide highly accurate and complete results at the cost of increased processing time. We are able to completely avoid most errors found in other automated annotation techniques, resulting from …

The 10th Annual Computer Science Workshop, Submissions, Abstract Template, Computer Science Department

Computer Science Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

This is the abstract template for the 10th Annual Computer Science Graduate Research Workshop (2020). To learn more about this workshop, please visit: https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/csworkshop/2020/.

Encryption Decrypted, Alex Ramsey

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Encryption is a complex and bewildering process, yet it is absolutely foundational for secure and safe activities on the internet. Encryption, in its many forms, ultimately enables identity verification, password protection, secure conversation, cryptocurrency trade, and other online activities. Despite this widespread use, encryption is not a process easily explained to the layperson due to its complexity. Thus, the object of this research is to demystify the process of encryption and provide an understanding of one of the most common forms of modern encryption - RSA Encryption. This will be accomplished through the information provided on my poster as well …

Automated Tool Support - Repairing Security Bugs In Mobile Applications, Larry Singleton

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Cryptography is often a critical component in secure software systems. Cryptographic primitive misuses often cause several vulnerability issues. To secure data and communications in applications, developers often rely on cryptographic algorithms and APIs which provide confidentiality, integrity, and authentication based on solid mathematical foundations. While many advanced crypto algorithms are available to developers, the correct usage of these APIs is challenging. Turning mathematical equations in crypto algorithms into an application is a difficult task. A mistake in cryptographic implementations can subvert the security of the entire system. In this research, we present an automated approach for Finding and Repairing Bugs …

A Cost Analysis Of Internet Of Things Sensor Data Storage On Blockchain Via Smart Contracts, Yesem Kurt Peker, Xavier Rodriguez, James Ericsson, Suk Jin Lee, Alfredo J. Perez

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Blockchain is a developing technology that can be utilized for secure data storage and sharing. In this work, we examine the cost of Blockchain-based data storage for constrained Internet of Things (IoT) devices. We had two phases in the study. In the first phase, we stored data retrieved from a temperature/humidity sensor connected to an Ethereum testnet blockchain using smart contracts in two different ways: first, appending the new data to the existing data, storing all sensor data; and second, overwriting the new data onto the existing data, storing only a recent portion of the data. In the second phase, …

Icedge: When Edge Computing Meets Information-Centric Networking, Spyridon Mastorakis, Abderrahmen Mtibaa, Jonathan Lee, Satyajayant Misra

Computer Science Faculty Publications

In today’s era of explosion of Internet of Things (IoT) and end-user devices and their data volume, emanating at the network’s edge, the network should be more in-tune with meeting the needs of these demanding edge computing applications. To this end, we design and prototype Information-Centric edge (ICedge), a general-purpose networking framework that streamlines service invocation and improves reuse of redundant computation at the edge. ICedge runs on top of Named-Data Networking, a realization of the Information-Centric Networking vision, and handles the “low-level” network communication on behalf of applications. ICedge features a fully distributed design that: (i) enables users to …

The Curious Case Of Loops, Briana B. Morrison, Lauren E. Margulieux, Adrienne Decker

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Background and Context

Subgoal labeled worked examples have been extensively researched, but the research has been reported piecemeal. This paper aggregates data from three studies, including data previously unreported, to holistically examine the effect of subgoal labeled worked examples across three student populations and across different instructional designs.

Objective

By aggregating the data, we provide more statistical power for somewhat surprising yet replicable results. We discuss which results generalize across populations, focusing on a stable effect size for subgoal labels in programming instruction.

Method

We use descriptive and inferential statistics to examine the data collected from different student populations and …

Application Of The Benford’S Law To Social Bots And Information Operations Activities, Lale Madahali, Margeret Hall

Interdisciplinary Informatics Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Benford's law shows the pattern of behavior in normal systems. It states that in natural systems digits' frequency have a certain pattern such that the occurrence of first digits in numbers are unevenly distributed. In systems with natural behavior, numbers begin with a “1” are more common than numbers beginning with “9”. It implies that if the distribution of first digits deviate from the expected distribution, it is indicative of fraud. It has many applications in forensic accounting, stock markets, finding abnormal data in survey data, and natural science. We investigate whether social media bots and Information Operations activities are …

Grounding Size Predictions For Answer Set Programs, Nicholas Hippen

Student Work

Answer set programming is a declarative programming paradigm geared towards solving difficult combinatorial search problems. Logic programs under answer set semantics can typically be written in many different ways while still encoding the same problem. These different versions of the program may result in diverse performances. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to identify which version of the program performs the best, requiring expert knowledge on both answer set processing and the problem domain. More so, the best version to use may even vary depending on the problem instance. One measure that has been shown to correlate with performance is …

Uncovering And Characterizing Splice Variants Associated With Survival In Lung Cancer Patients, Sean West, Sushil Kumar, Surinder K. Batra, Hesham Ali, Dario Ghersi

Interdisciplinary Informatics Faculty Publications

Splice variants have been shown to play an important role in tumor initiation and progression and can serve as novel cancer biomarkers. However, the clinical importance of individual splice variants and the mechanisms by which they can perturb cellular functions are still poorly understood. To address these issues, we developed an efficient and robust computational method to: (1) identify splice variants that are associated with patient survival in a statistically significant manner; and (2) predict rewired protein-protein interactions that may result from altered patterns of expression of such variants. We applied our method to the lung adenocarcinoma dataset from TCGA …

Generation Of Crowd Arrival And Destination Locations/Times In Complex Transit Facilities, Brian Ricks, Andrew Dobson, Athanasios Krontiris, Kostas Bekris, Mubbasir Kapadia, Fred Roberts

Computer Science Faculty Publications

In order to simulate virtual agents in the replica of a real facility across a long time span, a crowd simulation engine needs a list of agent arrival and destination locations and times that reflect those seen in the actual facility. Working together with a major metropolitan transportation authority, we propose a specification that can be used to procedurally generate this information. This specification is both uniquely compact and expressive—compact enough to mirror the mental model of building managers and expressive enough to handle the wide variety of crowds seen in real urban environments. We also propose a procedural algorithm …

Phishing: Message Appraisal And The Exploration Of Fear And Self-Confidence, Deanna House, M. K. Raja

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis Faculty Publications

Phishing attacks have threatened the security of both home users and organizations in recent years. Phishing uses social engineering to fraudulently obtain information that is confidential or sensitive. Individuals are targeted to take action by clicking on a link and providing information. This research explores fear arousal and self-confidence in subjects confronted by phishing attacks. The study collected data from multiple sources (including an attempted phishing attack). The survey results indicated that when individuals had a high level of fear arousal related to providing login credentials they had a decreased intention to respond to a phishing attack. Self-confidence did not …

The Effect Of Conversational Agent Skill On User Behavior During Deception, Ryan M. Schuetzler, G. Mark Grimes, Justin Scott Giboney

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis Faculty Publications

Conversational agents (CAs) are an integral component of many personal and business interactions. Many recent advancements in CA technology have attempted to make these interactions more natural and human-like. However, it is currently unclear how human-like traits in a CA impact the way users respond to questions from the CA. In some applications where CAs may be used, detecting deception is important. Design elements that make CA interactions more human-like may induce undesired strategic behaviors from human deceivers to mask their deception. To better understand this interaction, this research investigates the effect of conversational skill—that is, the ability of the …

Structural Bot Detection In Social Networks, Lale Madahali

Interdisciplinary Informatics Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Social network platforms are a major part of toady’s life. They are usually used for entertainment, news, advertisements, and branding for businesses and individuals alike. However, use of automated accounts, also known as bots, pollute this environment and avoid having a reliable clean online world. In this work, I address the problem of detecting bots in online social networks.

Using The Solo Taxonomy To Understand Subgoal Labels Effect In Cs1, Adrienne Decker, Lauren E. Margulieux, Briana B. Morrison

Computer Science Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

This work extends previous research on subgoal labeled instructions by examining their effect across a semester-long, Java-based CS1 course. Across four quizzes, students were asked to explain in plain English the process that they would use to solve a programming problem. In this mixed methods study, we used the SOLO taxonomy to categorize student responses about problem-solving processes and compare students who learned with subgoal labels to those who did not. The use of the SOLO taxonomy classification allows us to look deeper than the mere correctness of answers to focus on the quality of the answers produced in terms …

A Novel Iot Switching Model Based On Cloud-Centric Rtdbs, Sheikh Muhammad Farjad

Computer Science Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Over the past decade, a significant rise in the number of internet-connected devices was observed. The number of smart devices is continuously increasing. The expanding network of interconnected devices provided an impetus for rapid advancement in the domain of Internet-of-Things (IoT). IoT has recently become a centre of attraction for research community. The development of microprocessors and microcontrollers has supplemented advancement in IoT paradigm. The rapidly emerging paradigm of IoT is facing challenges which render significant impact on its performance and cost. OBJECTIVES: In this paper, a novel architecture based on Real-Time Database System (RTDBS) coupled with cloud functionalities …

The Rise Of Citizen Science In Health And Biomedical Research, Andrea Wiggins, John Wilbanks

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis Faculty Publications

Citizen science models of public participation in scientific research represent a growing area of opportunity for health and biomedical research, as well as new impetus for more collaborative forms of engagement in large-scale research. However, this also surfaces a variety of ethical issues that both fall outside of and build upon the standard human subjects concerns in bioethics. This article provides background on citizen science, examples of current projects in the field, and discussion of established and emerging ethical issues for citizen science in health and biomedical research.

Design And Pilot Testing Of Subgoal Labeled Worked Examples For Five Core Concepts In Cs1, Lauren E. Margulieux, Briana B. Morrison, Adrienne Decker

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Subgoal learning has improved student problem-solving performance in programming, but it has been tested for only oneto-two hours of instruction at a time. Our work pioneers implementing subgoal learning throughout an entire introductory programming course. In this paper we discuss the protocol that we used to identify subgoals for core programming procedures, present the subgoal labels created for the course, and outline the subgoal-labeled instructional materials that were designed for a Java-based course. To examine the effect of subgoal labeled materials on student performance in the course, we compared quiz and exam grades between students who learned using subgoal labels …

Expanding Controllability Of Hybrid Recommender Systems: From Positive To Negative Relevance, Behnam Rahdari, Chun-Hua Tsai, Peter Brusilovsky

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

A hybrid recommender system fuses multiple data sources, usually with static and nonadjustable weightings, to deliver recommendations. One limitation of this approach is the problem to match user preference in all situations. In this paper, we present two user-controllable hybrid recommender interfaces, which offer a set of sliders to dynamically tune the impact of different sources of relevance on the final ranking. Two user studies were performed to design and evaluate the proposed interfaces.

Cooperative Signaling Behavior: Signals For Open Source Project Health, Georg John Peter Link

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

The core contribution is a critique of signaling theory from investigating cooperative signaling behavior in the context of organizational engagement with open source projects. Open source projects display signals of project health which are used by organizations. Projects and organizations engage in cooperative signaling behavior when they work together to create signals. Signaling theory is critiqued in the cooperative context of organizational engagements with open source projects by describing how cooperative signaling behavior occurs in three processes: identifying, evaluating, and filtering new signals. The contribution is informed through engaged field research and interviews, which are presented as a thick description …