Computer Sciences Commons^™

A Probabilistic Perspective Of Human-Machine Interaction, Mustafa Canan, Mustafa Demir, Samuel Kovacic

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Human-machine interaction (HMI) has become an essential part of the daily routine in organizations. Although the machines are designed with state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence applications, they are limited in their ability to mimic human behavior. The human-human interaction occurs between two or more humans; when a machine replaces a human, the interaction dynamics are not the same. The results indicate that a machine that interacts with a human can increase the mental uncertainty that a human experiences. Developments in decision sciences indicate that using quantum probability theory (QPT) improves the understanding of human decision-making than merely using classical probability theory (CPT). …

Cybersecurity In Fintech Companies, Efstratios Zouros

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

Have you recently accessed your bank account online? Have you accessed any financial instrument through your computer or your mobile device? If you are reading this, chances are you have. Every time you utilize those services, you ultimately put your trust in the financial institutions that offer them. You trust that they can securely keep your private information, while also keeping your savings safe. Ultimately, there is a certain dependability and trust in financial institutions that have been present on earth before most of us.

Digital Forensic Investigation, Dejuan Green

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

Finding, acquiring, processing, analyzing, and reporting data on electronically stored data is the main goal of the forensic science discipline known as "digital forensics." Nearly all illegal acts include the use of electronic evidence, making digital forensics support essential for law enforcement investigations. Furthermore, digital forensics is very important to cases aiding in many cases and can lead to saving lives/ victims and locking up criminals. A wide range of devices, including laptops, cellphones, remote storage, unmanned aerial systems, shipborne equipment, and more, can be used to gather electronic evidence. [2] Digital forensics' major objective is to take data from …

Understanding The Effectivity And Increased Reliance Of Credit Risk Machine Learning Models In Banking, Grishma Baruah

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

Credit risk analysis and making accurate investment and lending decisions has been a challenge for the financial industry for many years, as can be seen with the 2008 financial crisis. However, with the rise of machine learning models and predictive analytics, there has been a shift to increased reliance on technology for determining credit risk. This transition to machine learning comes with both advantages, such as potentially eliminating human error and assumptions from lending decisions, and disadvantages, such as time constraints, data usage inabilities, and lack of understanding nuances in machine learning models. In this paper, I look at four …

Ransombuster Iot: A Intrusion Detection And Dataset Creation Tool For Ransomware Attacks Within Iot Networks, Jackson M. Walker

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

The proposed research follows the design-science guidelines(Hevner, 2004). This paper uses these design-science methods for developing the guidelines for the implementation of the proposed architecture, understanding previous research contributions, and evaluating of research. This paper proposes a network artifact for studying ransomware IoT intrusion detection techniques and offers a proposed network architecture to serve as a framework for creating a publicly available dataset for IoT research on ransomware.

Deepfakes: Ai Technology Of The Future, Hosanna Root

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

Deepfakes technology’s danger stems from its ability to create realistic but fake synthesized media that people often identify as something that is real. With this powerful technology in the wrong hands, deepfakes can cause devastating havoc through information warfare, election campaign disruptions, and more, creating distrust in society. Disinformation is already rampant today, even without wide deployments of deepfakes, which is concerning given the fact that deepfakes’ nefarious full potentials are yet to be reached.

Mitigation Of Algorithmic Bias To Improve Ai Fairness, Kathy Wang

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

As artificial intelligence continues to evolve rapidly with emerging innovations, mass-scale digitization could be disrupted due to unfair algorithms with historically biased data. With the rising concerns of algorithmic bias, detecting biases is essential in mitigating and implementing an algorithm that promotes inclusive representation. The spread of ubiquitous artificial intelligence means that improving modeling robustness is at its most crucial point. This paper examines the omnipotence of artificial intelligence and its resulting bias, examples of AI bias in different groups, and a potential framework and mitigation strategies to improve AI fairness and remove AI bias from modeling techniques.

Cyber Threat On The High Seas. A Growing Threat To Infrastructure, James Cummins

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

In a growing digital and cloud-connected world, all aspects of our lives are becoming interconnected. All these interconnections breed a possibility for ever-increasing cybersecurity threats. The oceans are not impervious to these attacks. In this research paper, we address the following questions.

What threats do commercial ships face today?

What actions are necessary to mitigate these threats?

Exploratory Analysis Of Password And Login Security Methods, Sofia Huang

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

In 2022, the average cost of a data breach is $4.35 million. Passwords are the first line of defense against unauthorized access to accounts and important data. Ensuring that accounts are secure is vital to protect personal and corporate information. Although big tech companies are researching ways to implement password-free authentication systems, they will likely not be replaced by new technology all of a sudden. Therefore, methods to strengthen passwords and optimize security must be used until more advanced options are easily accessible. In this paper, common forms of password attacks and various methods of password security evaluation and login …

Identifying Challenges And Opportunities For Designing Social Media Nudges For Adolescents, Oluwatomisin Obajemu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

With the prevalence of online risks encountered by youth online, strength-based approaches such as nudges have been recommended as a potential solution to subtly guide teens toward safer decisions. However, most nudging interventions to date have not been designed to cater to teens’ unique needs and online safety concerns. To address this gap, this study aimed to better understand adolescents’ perceptions and feedback on online safety nudges to inform the design of more effective online safety interventions. We conducted 12 semi-structured interviews and 3 focus group sessions with 21 teens (13 – 17 years old) to get their feedback on …

Authoring Tools For Augmented Reality Scenario Based Training Experiences, Andres Vargas Gonzalez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Augmented Reality's (AR) scope and capabilities have grown considerably in the last few years. AR applications can be run across devices such as phones, wearables, and head-mounted displays (HMDs). The increasing research and commercial efforts in HMDs capabilities allow end users to map a 3D environment and interact with virtual objects that can respond to the physical aspects of the scene. Within this context, AR is an ideal format for in-situ training scenarios. However, building such AR scenarios requires proficiency in game engine development environments and programming expertise. These difficulties can make it challenging for domain experts to create training …

Towards More Efficient Collaborative Distributed Data Analysis And Learning, Zixia Liu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Modern information era gives rise to the persistent generation of large amounts of data with rapid speed and broad geographical distribution. Obtaining knowledge and understanding via analysis and learning from such data have invaluable worth. Features of such data analytical tasks commonly include: data can be large scale and geographically distributed; computing capability demand can be enormous; tasks can be time-critical; some data can be private; participants can have heterogeneous capabilities and non-IID data; and multiple simultaneously submitted data analytical tasks can be possible. These bring challenges to contemporary computing infrastructure and learning models. In view of this, we develop …

Methodology Of Augmented Reality Chinese Language Articulatory Pronunciation Practice: Game And Study Design, Daria Sinyagovskaya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Learning a language can be hard. Learning a language that contains tones to convey meaning is even harder. This dissertation presents a novel methodology for creating a language practice using augmented reality that has never been used before. The design of a new app in AR and non-AR versions can evaluate the same practice methodology. This methodology was applied to new software and was examined in regard to the importance of this software. Although the study results are inconclusive, progress has been made in answering research questions on the effectiveness of AR versus non-AR and the reliability of peer assessment. …

Strategies For The Reduction Of Cybersecurity Breaches In Hospitals, Donovan M. A. Pottinger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractRecent cyberattacks in hospitals show the urgency of the need to enhance secure information technology (IT) infrastructure. Hospitals are statistically more at cyber risk than all the multiple industries against ransomware, malware, hacking and internal threats. Guided by routine activity theory, the purpose of this exploratory multiple case study was to explore strategies utilized by hospitals' IT security managers to reduce cybersecurity breaches associated with sensitive data. The participants were nine IT security managers from hospitals in the eastern United States. Data were collected via semistructured interviews and supporting documentation from the consenting participants and hospitals' websites. Through thematic analysis, …

Strategies To Secure A Voice Over Internet Protocol Telephone System, Sherese Bernard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Voice over internet protocol (VoIP) provides cost-effective phone service over a broadband internet connection rather than analog telephone services. While VoIP is a fast-growing technology, there are issues with intercepting and misusing transmissions, which are security concerns within telecommunication organizations and for customers. Grounded in the routine activity theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies information technology (IT) security managers used to secure VoIP telephone systems in telecommunication organizations. The participants consisted of nine IT security managers from three telecommunication organizations in New York who possessed the knowledge and expertise to secure a VoIP telephone …

Enterprise Resource Planning Implementation Strategies In Small- And Medium-Sized Manufacturing Enterprises, Tatianna Gilliam

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The difficulty SME leaders of manufacturing firms experience in the executing of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems threatens the longevity of innovative change within firms seeking to adopt ERP systems. Grounded in the diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to examine critical success factors used to successfully implement ERP systems. The participants were four ERP business leaders of small to medium size manufacturing firms based on the east and west coasts of the United States. Data were collected using semistructured online interviews and a review of company documents. Through thematic analysis, five themes were …

Successful Information Technology Project Process Management Best Practices, Jude Oderaa Orazulike

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Globally, most information technology projects (ITPs) are reported as unsuccessful. Poor project management practices have consistently been identified as the leading cause of ITP failures. However, ITP practitioners manage project processes in diverse ways without clear guiding principles in terms of what does or does not work in practice for success. Process management practices in projects were explored in this grounded theory qualitative study from a systems theory perspective. The purpose was to understand from project practitioners' experiences what guiding principles potentially influenced ITPs to success. These experiences were then analyzed to develop a theory describing how to best use …

Impact Of Internal Control, Cybersecurity Risk, And Competitive Advantage On Retail Cybersecurity Budget, Samuel William Pfanstiel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Retail organizations are driven to improve security posture for many reasons, including meeting financial regulation requirements, mitigating threats of data breach, and differentiating themselves within markets affected by customer perception. The problem was that little was known about how these drivers of internal control, cybersecurity risk, and competitive advantage impact retail cybersecurity budgets within the retail sector. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental correlational study was to describe the relationship between cybersecurity budget and drivers of internal control, cybersecurity risk, and competitive advantage among U.S.-based retail merchant organizations. Real options theory provided a foundation for explaining this decision-making process. Data …

Infrastructure As Code Strategies And Benefits In Cloud Computing, Jeffrey Chijioke-Uche

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hybrid and multicloud infrastructure implementation without automation and versioning strategy can negatively impact organizations’ productivity. Organization leaders must ensure that infrastructures are implemented using the infrastructure as code (IaC) strategy because implementation solutions, including automated and DevOps procedures, provide assets for repeatable infrastructure implementation use cases. Grounded in the disruptive innovation theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry study was to explore strategies solution architects use to implement IaC architecture using repeatable assets with DevOps procedures in cloud computing. The participants were seven solution architects in the information technology (IT) industry within the United States who have successfully implemented …

Strategies For Catalyzing Supply Chain Innovation In Midsized Manufacturing Firms, Matthew J. Szukalowski Iii

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Supply chain inflexibility results in reduced efficiency and profitability. Without supply chain flexibility, supply chain managers in manufacturing firms risk the loss of competitive advantage due to reduced efficiency and profitability. Grounded in business process engineering conceptual framework, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies supply chain leaders in manufacturing organizations use to achieve supply chain flexibility. The participants were five supply chain leaders in the manufacturing industry in the midwestern United States and successfully implemented innovative solutions to achieve supply chain flexibility. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and a review of company documents …

Digital Strategies To Improve The Performance Of Pharmaceutical Supply Chains, Manish Shashi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some supply chain managers at pharmaceutical companies lack strategies to digitalize integrated supply chain systems impacting their profitability. Digitalized supply chain management in a pharmaceutical company can help reduce operation costs, improve assets, enhance shareholders’ value, positively respond to customer demand, and generate profits. Guided by the theory of constraints, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies some pharmaceutical managers use to digitalize integrated supply chain systems to increase their profitability. The participants were five managers from four pharmaceutical companies in New Jersey with strategies to digitalize their integrated supply chain systems. Data collection included …

Examining Trends And Experiences Of The Last Four Years Of Socially Engineered Ransomware Attacks, William Seymour

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

This study examines and reports the trends of social engineering-based ransomware attacks over the past four years from three major technology corporations. The focus of the reports was on major threat actors and their attacks against the corporations and their clients. The data were organized chronologically by year, and prevalent or abnormal findings were shared in this report. It was found that social engineering attacks were tremendously effective. Many ransomware attacks stemmed from Phishing. Social engineering approaches allowed attackers to conduct breaches using ransomware applications like GandCrab and Ryuk. Humans are incredibly susceptible and fall for social engineering tactics- primarily …

Security Issues With Network Connected Scada Systems, Chad Holm

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

The use of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems has become common place and are being used in several different industries. These have evolved as the technology has progressed. The use of Internet of Things (IOT) devices makes for less human intervention to run daily operations in these industries. This can also allow hackers to gain access to these devices due to security holes that are overlooked. There have several different ways that have been exploited on SCADA networks and the goal is to recognize and secure them so hackers cannot gain access to them.

Corporate Cybersecurity In The Context Of M&A Transactions, Cameron Beck

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

The rapid rise of digital devices has unlocked a new dimension of innovation and prosperity in the 21st century. Computers are now an integrated and ubiquitous part of our global culture. You would be hard-pressed to walk into any given room without several computer chips humming inaudibly inside the machines that facilitate our modern world. Even lightbulbs and doorbells are connected to the Internet, capturing information from the world around them and sending that information to the Cloud. The Internet expands access to communication, international marketplaces, entertainment, professional resources, and nearly every book in the world.

Random Password Generation, Kirk Smith

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

This paper will discuss the topic of random generation, first by explaining the topic, followed by how the literature review was performed. Then, a literature review will be performed, followed by a discussion of human biases and the strength of random password generation.

The Future Of Blockchain, Elijah N. Gartrell

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

Blockchain is the leading technology for cryptocurrencies, NFT’s and other online marketplace transactions that go through it because of it’s secure technology and how they distribute their data with Smart Contracts. This report shows how we can use Blockchain for other uses in our world and how it could advance us in the cybersecurity aspects. Showing also why we should use blockchain with basic cybersecurity concerns as in: Malware Detection, Voter Fraud, and Medical Record Security.

Odu Undergraduate Students Addressing The Societal Problems Of Parking Control, Classroom Seating, And Flood Monitoring In Hampton Roads, Stephanie K. Trusty, Gabriel Del Razo, Nathan Potter, Soad Ibrahim, Ayman Elmesalami

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

During the summer of 2021, ODU undergraduate computer science students undertook image processing research projects. These projects focused on utilizing the Raspberry Pi computer and camera module to address three real-world problems concerning parking control, classroom seating, and flood monitoring. The parking lot occupancy project aimed to develop a system that monitors the occupancy of parking spaces in a lot and communicates the status of the lot of drivers and the lot attendants. The COVID-19 classroom occupancy project sought to enforce social distancing protocols in a classroom environment by detecting seating violations and notifying the instructor and the impacted students …

The “Office Of The Ciso”: A Framework For Chief Information Security Officers, Yael Nagler, Christophe Veltsos

Computer Information Science Department Publications

As we enter 2022, cybersecurity continues to challenge corporations and their CISOs. The sophistication of cyberthreats coupled with an evolving digital landscape has resulted in increased complexity and expanded responsibilities for the CISO. Simply put, there is greater scrutiny, greater regulation, greater complexity, and greater scope than ever before. To respond to these changes, CISOs must organize their “Office of the CISO” to meet the expectations and deliver for their organizations. Whether the CISO has a staff of three or thirty and whether they are prepared or not, these elements are being increasingly expected of CISOs. You can think of …

Leveraging Human-Centered Insights And Vision Transformers To Understand And Detect Online Risks In Teens' Private Social Media Conversations On Instagram, Joshua Gracie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

With the growing ubiquity of the internet and internet enabled devices, the issue of online risk and the need for safety measures against such risks has grown paramount. Many researchers have analyzed the scope and characteristics of online risk, especially with respect to demographics, yet few have studied the risky media itself. This work sets out to move the conversation from surveys and interviews to content analysis and automation through a comprehensive thematic analysis of online multi-media risks (images and videos) sent to and from teens in private messages on Instagram. These messages, along with demographic information such as age …

Multivariate Cognitive Walkthrough Of Qubitvr: An Educational Quantum Computing, Virtual Reality Application, Pauline Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Quantum computing is a promising field but understanding how it works can be challenging for a beginner. There are also not many educational resources to visualize and learn about quantum computing. To advance knowledge in this area, we have created QubitVR, which employs a Bloch sphere representation of a qubit, and supports trajectory visualizations and state equations in a virtual reality (VR) setting. We also conducted a multivariate cognitive walkthrough with subject matter experts (SMEs) on QubitVR to assess the effectiveness of trajectory visualizations and state equations in learning about quantum gates. The results were that trajectory visualizations aided users …