Cybersecurity Commons^™

Comparing Boys’ And Girls’ Attitudes Toward Computer Science, Danielle Scott, Amiee Zou, Sharin Rawhiya Jacob, Debra Richardson, Mark Warschauer

Journal of Computer Science Integration

Women are severely underrepresented in computer science (CS) degrees and careers. While student interest is a key predictor of success, little is known about how elementary students from underserved groups, such as girls, develop their interest in CS. To address this issue, we examined the differences in attitudes between upper elementary girls and boys towards CS after participating in a yearlong, inquiry-based CS curriculum designed for diverse learners. Pre-and-post surveys on students’ attitudes towards CS (n = 108) were delivered before and after student participation in the curriculum. Results from the survey showed only two demonstrated significant differences between boys …

Organizational Readiness Assessment For Fraud Detection And Prevention: Case Of Airlines Sector And Electronic Payment, Sultan Ayed Alghamdi

Dissertations and Theses

Payment processing systems have advanced significantly in the airline business. Because e-payments are easy, they have captured the attention of many companies in the aviation industry and are quickly becoming the dominant means of payment. However, as technology advances, fraud grows at a comparable rate. Over the years, there has been a surge in payment fraud incidents in the airline sector, reducing the platform's trustworthiness. Despite attempts to eliminate e-payment fraud, decision-makers lack the technical expertise required to use the finest fraud detection and prevention assessments; this research recognizes the lack of an established decision model as a hurdle and …

Examining Early Elementary Computer Science Identity Repertoires Within A Curriculum: Implications For Epistemologically Pluralistic Identities, Eleanor Richard, Shakhnoza Kayumova

Journal of Computer Science Integration

As computer science (CS) enters an increasing number of elementary classrooms, researchers must investigate the representations of what kinds of people are presented as doing computer science within CS curricula. In this paper, we explore a widely used, freely accessible, web-based, early elementary CS curriculum to examine the kinds of identity repertoires (behaviors, actions, skills, and socioemotional norms) that are promoted as representative of being/becoming a CS person. More specifically, we draw on identity studies and employ critical discourse analysis to examine how the kinds of norms and repertoires of CS practice made available in the curricular materials might construct …

Isolation Of Ddos Attacks And Flash Events In Internet Traffic Using Deep Learning Techniques, Alex Frank Mongi

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The adoption of network function visualization (NFV) and software defined radio (SDN) has created a tremendous increase in Internet traffic due to flexibility brought in the network layer. An increase in traffic flowing through the network poses a security threat that becomes tricky to detect and hence selects an appropriate mitigation strategy. Under such a scenario occurrence of the distributed denial of service (DDoS) and flash events (FEs) affect the target servers and interrupt services. Isolating the attacks is the first step before selecting an appropriate mitigation technique. However, detecting and isolating the DDoS attacks from FEs when happening simultaneously …

On Blockchain Performance Enhancement: A Systematic Map Of Strategies Used, Anthony Kigombola

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Blockchain technology is one among the recent innovations in the computing industry. Blockchains have gathered a widespread interest in the industry mainly due to their security promise. Despite the anticipated benefits of Blockchains, there are several limitations which make the technology less suitable in large scale applications such as banking, one being low throughput. Several initiatives to improve the throughput of Blockchains are being tried out both in the academia and the business worlds but no systematic classification of the initiatives and the strategies used has been done. This study explores Blockchain performance improvement initiatives and classify the initiatives by …

Exploring Misinformation Campaigns And How To Defend Against Them, Michelle S. Kuralt

Theses and Dissertations

Misinformation campaigns can have very real and lasting effects. Misinformation has been known to impact elections, create vaccine hesitancy, and increase polarization within societies. This paper reviewed existing literature regarding misinformation research, collected information from research participants to discern factors which may contribute to an increased susceptibility to misinformation, and examined Rule Based Training and a training program which utilized both rules and mindfulness to ascertain if these training programs might be effective in reducing participant susceptibility to misinformation.

Integrating Computing Into Preservice Teacher Preparation Programs Across The Core: Language, Mathematics, And Science, Lauren E. Margulieux, Patrick Enderle, Pier Junor Clarke, Natalie King, Caroline Sullivan, Michelle Zoss, Joyce Many

Journal of Computer Science Integration

This paper describes the beginning of a design-based research project for integrating computing activities in preservice teacher programs throughout a middle and secondary education department. Computing integration activities use computing tools, like programming, to support learning in non-computing disciplines. The paper begins with the motivation for integrating computing that encouraged widespread buy-in, design goals, and design parameters. The primary motivating factor for this work was preparing teachers to use technology to support learning in their classrooms. Involving computing education faculty in the preparation enabled the activities to include computer science and spread computational literacy. The paper also describes the process …

An Analysis Of Android Malware Detection Using Tree Learning Techniques, Kyler D. Dickey

Student Theses and Dissertations

Android malware is a growing threat, coinciding with the increasing adoption of the Android platform. Malware detection methods used to maintain user privacy and system integrity are increasingly becoming the subject of research. Many new methods studied employ learning algorithms to detect malicious programs. This study investigates the use of byte and opcode frequency features as inputs for tree-based machine learning methods. The algorithm is optimized to reduce overfitting given input hyperparameter combinations and is tuned using cross-validation procedures. Lastly, the study deliberates on possible avenues for future research to gather more concrete evidence for the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of …

Machine Learning Approach For Classifying Power Outage In Secondary Electric Distribution Network, Stephan Mgaya, Hellen Maziku

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Power outage is the problem that hinders social and economic development especially for developing countries like Tanzania. Frequent power outages damage electric equipment, and negatively affect the industrial production process. Power outages cannot be completely eradicated due to uncontrolled cause like natural calamities but technical challenges can be managed and hence reducing power outages. The existing manual methods used to locate power outage like customer calls is inefficient and time consuming. On the other hand, modern method like the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) still faces a challenge in effectively classifying power line outage due to the nature of imbalanced datasets. …

Big Data Analytics Framework For Effective Higher Education Institutions, George Matto

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

There has been an increased dependency on Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in undertaking various activities in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) ecosystems. Because of that, huge volumes of data have increasingly been generated. There have been, for instance, considerable amounts of data generated through electronic platforms involved in students’ admission and registration process, students’ academic records management, teaching and learning data, curriculum related data, and several other administrative data. Analysis of data generated from these platforms stands to give students, lecturers, HEIs Management, policy makers and implementers, and other stakeholders useful insights that would help in improving HEIs’ effectiveness. Unfortunately, …

An Iot Based Worker Safety Helmet Using Cloud Computing Technology, Yuthriya Iddi Khamis, Mahmoud Alawi, Waheed Muhammad Sanya

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Miner safety and security is a major challenge around the world due to the exposure to toxic gases that are frequently released in underground mines. Miners' health is adversely affected primarily by toxic gases, which endanger the workers' lives. Furthermore, human sensory abilities do not detect these dangerous gases. As a result, this paper proposes a safety monitoring system that includes a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, and gas sensors to detect harmful gases and alert miners to those harmful gases using the smart helmet they wear. These gases are transmitted to the control station via the cloud using Internet of …

Real-Time Data Analytics For Monitoring Electricity Consumption Using Iot Technology, Waheed Muhammad Sanya, Gaurav Bajpai, Omar Haji Kombo, Evariste Twahirwa

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Rising electricity bills as a result of climate variability and new home electrical and electronic appliances are becoming a major source of concern for most end users. Consumers are typically unaware of their household electricity consumption patterns and the costs associated with them, making proper planning and budgeting difficult. Monitoring and controlling energy consumption on appliances can reduce energy costs for end-users. The Internet of Things (IoT) has the potential to provide remote monitoring and control of devices via automated monitoring and control. In this study, we propose an IoT-enabled system for monitoring and controlling energy consumption in homes to …

Digital Skills And Self-Employment Among Graduates Of Technical Higher Education Institutions In Tanzania, Charles Raphael

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Digital skills are the driving forces for innovative, inclusive and sustainable growth through innovations and digitalization which in turn stimulate job creation, alleviate poverty, reducing inequality, facilitating the delivery of goods and services. However, large number of graduates is shown to be weak in digital skills in the industry hence affect their employability including self-employment. Recently, the Technical Higher Education Institutions (THEIs) took some initiatives to instill the digital skills to their respective students. This study therefore assessed the level of competence of digital skills among graduates following the initiatives taken by the THEIs and their influence on self-employment. It …

Implementation Of Digital Transformation In The Technical Higher Education Institutions In Tanzania, Charles Raphael

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Digital transformation has been prioritized recently in this era of fourth industrial revolution by various organizations for maintaining strong competitive advantage, especially in the fourth industrial revolution. The higher education institutions must likewise adopt and implement digital transformation to enrich their students with the knowledge, experience and the skills they need for a very different future. Technical higher education institutions are inevitable in the given transformation. However, very little is known regarding adoption of digital transformation in the given institutions. This study therefore examined the level of adoption of digital services in the technical higher education institutions in Tanzania. It …

Cyber Security Challenges, Its Emerging Trends On Latest Information And Communication Technology And Cyber Crime In Mobile Money Transaction Services, Hakeem J. Pallangyo

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This paper investigates the challenges emerging trends on latest Information and Communication Technology and cybercrime in mobile money transaction services in Tanzania. The objective of this is to evaluate the challenges associated with this rapid growth in ICT and to determine factors influencing Cybersecurity readiness and Cybercrimes in mobile money transaction services. Cyber Security plays a significant role in the field of Information and Communication Technology especially on mobile money transaction services. The study recognizes the provision of mobile money services by both telecommunication companies and local banks, the fact is that whenever we think about the cyber security, the …

The Applications Of The Internet Of Things In The Medical Field, Cody Repass

Theses and Dissertations

The Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm promises to make “things” include a more generic set of entities such as smart devices, sensors, human beings, and any other IoT objects to be accessible at anytime and anywhere. IoT varies widely in its applications, and one of its most beneficial uses is in the medical field. However, the large attack surface and vulnerabilities of IoT systems needs to be secured and protected. Security is a requirement for IoT systems in the medical field where the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) applies.

This work investigates various applications of IoT in healthcare …

Retention Of Qualified Cybersecurity Professionals: A Qualitative Study, Andrew Ishmael, Leila Halawi

Publications

The current endeavors to retain cybersecurity professionals are not enough to sustain the needs of the U.S. workforce. The researchers aim to explore retention strategies for qualified cybersecurity professionals supporting U.S. government contracts at a leading global security company. The researchers interviewed a sample of qualified cybersecurity professionals supporting U.S. government contracts to get essential information on retention in the cybersecurity profession. The researchers proposed four distinct pillars to make up the strategic framework for retaining qualified cybersecurity professionals.

Real-Time Complex Hand Gestures Recognition Based On Multi- Dimensional Features, Isack Bulugu

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Gesture recognition is broadly utilized within the field of sensing. There are basically three gesture recognition methods based on computer vision, depth sensor and motion sensor. Motion sensor-based gesture recognition has few input data, fast speed, and direct access to three- dimensional information of the hand. The advantages of traditional motion sensor-based gesture recognition have gradually become a current research hotspot. The essence of traditional motion sensor-based gesture recognition is a pattern recognition problem, and its accuracy depends heavily on the feature dataset extracted from prior experience. Unlike traditional pattern recognition methods, deep learning can be used to a large …

Complete Neighbourhood Search Heuristic Algorithm For Portfolio Optimization, Collether John

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

In portfolio optimization, the fundamental goal of an investor is to optimally allocate investments between different assets. Mean-variance optimization methods make unrealistic assumptions to solve the problem of optimal allocation. On the other hand, when realistic constraints like holding size and cardinality are introduced it leads to optimal asset allocation which differ from the mean variance optimization. The resulting optimization problem become quite complex as it exhibits multiple local extrema and discontinuities. Heuristic algorithms work well for the complex problem. Therefore, a heuristic algorithm is developed which is based on hill climbing complete (HC-C). It is utilized to solve the …

Artificial Intelligence (Ai): The New Look Of Customer Service In A Cybersecurity World, Sharon L. Burton

Publications

Cybersecurity leaders are not adequately developed to guide the re-engineering of quality customer service (QCS) workflows, designed with automation and AI, that interrelate with people through customers’ perceptions. Realizing re-engineering processes should be a team effort with well-versed leadership and stakeholders guiding the successful design through a follow-up process. Leaders must shape compelling and straightforward needs to learn and teach employees and chat boxes indispensable customer service skills demonstrating patience, self-discipline, flexibility, and resourcefulness in communication with irritated customers or difficult circumstances. Whether the analysis, design, development, and implementation struggles are vacuums in cybersecurity knowledge, skill, and abilities or a …

Strategy: A Business And Cybersecurity Intertwined Necessity, Sharon L. Burton

Publications

Strategy development and application continue to shift. Evolving leadership with well-informed judgment relating to generating sound strategy within the realm of cybersecurity strengthening methods remains perplexing in this COVID-19 pandemic epoch. Investigated in this paper is the shaping of this context regarding the leadership position to study spats, procedures, and the way that this data clarifies the organization and outcomes of cybersecurity awareness, proficiency, know-how, practice, actions, purposes, harmonization, in addition to know-how immersion. This investigation’s documentation is geared toward the expansion of the context and semi-structured purposive sampling interview outcomes as this context is rationalized via the proper instrument …

Contexts For Children’S Digital Citizenship In India, Korea And Australia: A Literature Review, Kylie Stevenson, Emma Jayakumar, Viet Tho Le, Yeonghwi Ryu, Harrison See

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Children’s digital citizenship today: In an increasingly digitised and technically mediated world, an individual’s digital citizenship, or “ability to use digital technology and media in safe, responsible and ethical ways” (DQ Institute, 2019) has never been more relevant, particularly when it concerns our youngest digital citizens. Navigating online spaces safely and confidently are skills fundamental to a modern individual’s social and emotional development, education, work and play. A digital citizen’s abilities, however, are greatly impacted by notions of access; not just physical access, but also access mediated culturally and socio-economically. Less is known about very young children’s experiences of digital …

The Negative Effects Of Cyberbullying Among Secondary School Adolescents In Tanzania, Hezron Zacharia Onditi, Jennifer Shapka

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Cyberbullying and its associated consequences on children and adolescents has recently become a problem of global concern. Using phenomenological research design, this study explores the negative effects of cyberbullying on Tanzanian secondary school female and male adolescents. A total of 20 adolescents (50% female) in secondary schools (Form I to Form IV) who identified themselves as victims of cyberbullying were involved in the interview to share their lived experiences on the negative effects of cyberbullying. From thematic analysis, results indicated that, similar to their counterpart adolescents in the developed countries, Tanzanian female and male adolescents have experienced emotional, social, cognitive, …

Preparing School Leaders To Advance Equity In Computer Science Education, Julie Flapan, Jean J. Ryoo, Roxana Hadad, Joel Knudson

Journal of Computer Science Integration

Background and Context: Most large-scale statewide initiatives of the Computer Science for All (CS for All) movement have focused on the classroom level. Critical questions remain about building school and district leadership capacity to support teachers while implementing equitable computer science education that is scalable and sustainable.

Objective: This statewide research-practice partnership, involving university researchers and school leaders from 14 local education agencies (LEA) from district and county offices, addresses the following research question: What do administrators identify as most helpful for understanding issues related to equitable computer science implementation when engaging with a guide and workshop we …

Teachers’ Engagement And Self-Efficacy In A Pk–12 Computer Science Teacher Virtual Community Of Practice, Robert Schwarzhaupt, Feng Liu, Joseph Wilson, Fanny Lee, Melissa Rasberry

Journal of Computer Science Integration

Prekindergarten to 12th-grade teachers of computer science (CS) face many challenges, including isolation, limited CS professional development resources, and low levels of CS teaching self-efficacy that could be mitigated through communities of practice (CoPs). This study used survey data from 420 PK–12 CS teacher members of a virtual CoP, CS for All Teachers, to examine the needs of these teachers and how CS teaching self-efficacy, community engagement, and sharing behaviors vary by teachers’ instructional experiences and school levels taught. Results show that CS teachers primarily join the CoP to gain high-quality pedagogical, assessment, and instructional resources. The study also found …

Sharcs: Secure Hierarchical Adaptive Reliable Cloud Storage Systems, Chaoyu Zhang

Student Theses and Dissertations

The recent development of cloud technology provides an on-demand availability of storage and computing resource without purchasing expensive hardware. However, traditional cloud storage services encountered challenges in data security, network communications, and system performance to emerging applications. Furthermore, these challenges have a significant influence when the massive IoT devices access cloud and the outsourcing data loss of physical control. Therefore, we design the SHARCS (Secure Hierarchical Adaptive Reliable Cloud Storage) systems to implement the multi-layer cloud storage that outsources parallelized ABE (Attribute-Based Encryption) to fog servers and equip IoT devices with TrustZone. This study aims to provide a general-purpose solution …

A Sgx-Based And Quantum-Resitant Secure Cloud Storage System, Hexuan Yu

Student Theses and Dissertations

Data outsourcing is a promising approach in the cloud era for efficiently providing a large amount of storage to many remote clients. However, storing data on untrusted servers raise security concerns and data privacy is one of the most fundamental dilemmas in those data outsourcing infrastructures. Applying encryption to data may provide data confidentiality, but it is not sufficient to address such concerns. Recent cyberattacks targeting cloud applications (e.g., Apple iCloud, LinkedIn, Verizon), in which the privacy of millions of customers was compromised, have demonstrated the importance of preserving data secrecy in the untrusted execution environment. The the main research …

Socio-Technical Perspective For Electronic Tax Information System In Tanzania, Lucas Ngowi, Ellen Kalinga

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Socio-technical systems theory has rarely been used by system architects in setting up computing systems. However, the role of socio-technical concepts in computing, which is becoming social in nature, has made the concepts more relevant and commercial. Tax information systems are examples of such systems because they are influenced by external variables such as the political environment, technological trends, and social environment, introducing complexity in their deployment and determining the type of e-services and their delivery to a diverse group of people. It was observed that in Tanzania there is resistance, reluctance and minimal use of electronic tax system because …

Artificial Intelligence (Ai) And Augmented Reality (Ar): Disambiguated In The Telemedicine / Telehealth Sphere, Sharon L. Burton

Publications

The world is navigating through unfamiliar and incomprehensible times – COVID-19, international economic crisis, and crumbling healthcare systems. The United States (US) healthcare industry is grappling with an increased workload and advancing digitization technological concerns. The failure of organizations to offer suitable cybersecurity controls within the critical infrastructure leads to advanced persistent threat (APT) that could have incapacitating effects on organizations. A keen understanding of cybersecurity is vital for leaders and the need is referenced in US policy that advances a national unity of effort to strengthen and maintain secure, functioning, and resilient critical infrastructure. Akin to the Presidential Policy …

Cybersecurity Leaders: Knowledge Driving Human Capital Development, Sharon L. Burton

Publications

Cybersecurity leaders must be able to use critical reading and thinking skills, exercise judgment when policies are not distinct and precise, and have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to tailor technical and planning data to diverse customers’ levels of understanding. Ninety-three percent of cybersecurity leaders do not report directly to the chief operating officer. While status differences influence interactions amid groups, attackers are smarter. With the aim of protecting organizations and reducing risk, knowledge about security must increase. Understanding voids are costly and increased breach chances are imminent. Burning questions exist. What are needed technological learnings for cybersecurity leaders to …