Other Computer Sciences Commons^™

A Review Of Cyber-Attacks On Web Applications And Their Countermeasures, Salaheddin Beskri, Kok Why Ng

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

Leaders have always wondered where and how precisely Information Technology (IT) can be of value in their organizations. However, the pacing rate of technology development and cutting-edge features that technologies can provide can cause the decision-maker of an organization to rush to invest in technology upgrades without taking risks into account. The risks that may cost the existence of organizations can be caused by an adversary who commits a cyberattack against the IT assets of an organization, seizing leaders' underestimations of the risks of IT upgrades. Inevitably, there will always be new vulnerabilities in IT assets, especially in information systems. …

Ai-Driven Malware Analysis And Detection: A Comprehensive Survey Of Techniques, Trends And Challenges, Salman Khan, Hasnat Raza, Mansoor Alam

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

Malware represents the most critical threat in cybersecurity, meant to compromise the security for any individual or any organization. These are covert software, designed to perform malicious act like data theft, data alteration, and to interrupt a normal operation of the services. The persistent evolution of malware has called for more sophisticated techniques in its detection and prevention, resulted into direct need of Artificial Intelligence in cybersecurity. Artificial intelligence, using machine learning techniques and rising concepts like neural networks has greatly improved the traditional static and dynamic ways of detecting malware. Advances in AI-driven solutions have made them much more …

Editorial Preview For October 2025 Issue, Su-Cheng Haw, Hui-Ngo Goh

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

The October 2025 issue of the Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering (JIWE) concludes the journal’s triannual publication cycle and precedes its transition to a quarterly schedule commencing in 2026. This issue presents 21 research papers within its regular section, covering a wide range of areas including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Software Engineering, Recommender Systems, Cybersecurity, and Web Technologies. The collection reflects JIWE’s ongoing effort to advance research in the informatics and web engineering domain. A special thematic section, guest-edited by Prof. Ts. Dr. Hairulnizam Bin Mahdin, centers on “AI-Enhanced Computing and Digital Transformation”. The featured studies examine …

Editorial Preview For February 2025 Issue, Su-Cheng Haw

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

Effective from Volume 3, JIWE has transitioned to a triannual publication release effort. Specifically, releases occur each February, June, and October. This change would thus ensure steady and timely publication of research articles in the fast-changing domains of informatics and web engineering. This issue contains a diverse collection of 24 papers that demonstrate the recent developments and innovative applications in various fields such as Information Systems (IS), Web Technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Data Mining (DM), Blockchain, IoT, Cybersecurity, Healthcare and Software Engineering that persist in moulding the digital landscape.

Cyber-Securing Medical Devices Using Machine Learning: A Case Study Of Pacemaker, Suliat Toyosi Jimoh, Shaymaa S Al-Juboori

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

This study aims to enhance the cybersecurity framework of pacemaker devices by identifying vulnerabilities and recommending effective strategies. The objectives are to pinpoint cybersecurity weaknesses, utilize machine learning to predict security breaches, and propose countermeasures based on analytical trends. The literature review highlights the transformation of pacemaker technology from basic, fixed-rate devices to sophisticated systems with wireless capabilities, which, while improving patient care, also introduce significant cybersecurity risks. These risks include unauthorized entry, data breaches, and life-threatening device malfunctions. The methodology in this study utilizes a quantitative research approach using the WUSTL-EHMS-2020 dataset, which includes network traffic features, patients' biometric …

Editorial Preview, Su-Cheng Haw

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

Effective from Volume 3, JIWE has transitioned to a triannual publication release effort. Specifically, releases occur each February, June, and October. This particular October 2024 release contains 12 papers within the regular section that covers a broad range of application concerning Machine Learning (ML), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Mining (DM), Software Engineering, Recommender Systems, Cybersecurity, Healthcare, and other key areas in web engineering. Additionally, this edition presents a captivating collection of 7 papers curated by our Thematic Editor, Dr. Ji-Jian Chin, under the theme "Pervasive Computing." In his editorial, Dr. Ji-Jian Chin highlights cutting-edge research on the integration of computing …

Editorial: Artificial Intelligence And Cybersecurity In Pervasive Computing, Ji-Jian Chin

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

Pervasive computing, or ubiquitous computing, is rapidly increasing in capacity and capabilities. With the Internet of Things (IoT) becoming an integral part of daily life and the growing availability of edge computing resources, automation guided by data is advancing applications in healthcare, manufacturing, automotive, and other areas. It's natural that pervasive computing will intersect with artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity. AI can improve detection, prediction, and anticipative responses to human needs, while cybersecurity addresses topics like misuse prevention, ethics, policies, and governance. This issue features seven articles on these intersections, including four AI articles exploring natural language processing and computer …

An Analysis And Ontology Of Teaching Methods In Cybersecurity Education, Sarah Buckley

LSU Master's Theses

The growing cybersecurity workforce gap underscores the urgent need to address deficiencies in cybersecurity education: the current education system is not producing competent cybersecurity professionals, and current efforts are not informing the non-technical general public of basic cybersecurity practices. We argue that this gap is compounded by a fundamental disconnect between cybersecurity education literature and established education theory. Our research addresses this issue by examining the alignment of cybersecurity education literature concerning educational methods and tools with education literature.

In our research, we endeavor to bridge this gap by critically analyzing the alignment of cybersecurity education literature with education theory. …

Docker Technology For Small Scenario-Based Excercises In Cybersecurity, Zeinab Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to better prepare students for cybersecurity roles by providing practical tools that bridge the gap between theory and real-world applications. We investigate the role of small scenario-based exercises for students’ understanding of cybersecurity concepts. In particular, we assess the use of Docker technology to deliver training that includes a simple small scenario on html code injection. The effectiveness of scenario-based learning has long been defined and by using SBL, we are going to create hands-on activity that involves the fundamental topics in cybersecurity using Docker technology, allowing students to see the exploitation of the vulnerabilities and defense …

An Analysis And Examination Of Consensus Attacks In Blockchain Networks, Thomas R. Clark

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

This paper examines consensus attacks as they relate to blockchain networks. Consensus attacks are a significant threat to the security and integrity of blockchain networks, and understanding these attacks is crucial for developers and stakeholders. The primary contribution of the paper is to present blockchain and consensus attacks in a clear and accessible manner, with the aim of making these complex concepts easily understandable for a general audience. Using literature review, the paper identifies various methods to prevent consensus attacks, including multi-chain networks, proof-of-work consensus algorithms, and network auditing and monitoring. An analysis revealed that these methods for preventing consensus …

Predicting The Pebcak: A Quantitative Analysis Of How Cybersecurity Education, Literacy, And Awareness Affect Individual Preparedness., Annie Goodman

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This essay explores the relationship between individuals' cybersecurity education, literacy, awareness, and preparedness. While cybersecurity is often associated with complex hacking scenarios, the majority of data breaches and cyber-attacks result from individuals inadvertently falling prey to phishing emails and malware. The lack of standardized education and training in cybersecurity, coupled with the rapid expansion of technology diversity, raises concerns about individuals' cybersecurity preparedness. As individuals are the first line of defense and the weakest link in cybersecurity, understanding the influence of education, literacy, and awareness on their adherence to best practices is crucial. This work aims to survey a diverse …

Defense Of A Small Network, Isabella Adkins

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

A sample network will be virtually created consisting of three routers, one switch, and three hosts. The network will be secured using various methods such as enabling passwords and encryption. After the network has been properly secured, various attacks will be attempted with the goal of breaking into the network. These attacks include reconnaissance (gathering information), penetrating the network using the tool Metasploit, and attempting to get a credential phishing email to end users. If successful in the attacks, the network will be revisited and analyzed for any weaknesses or oversights.

Small Business Office Network, Michael Gerome

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project will emulate a small office network environment. The project will demonstrate the process of building and configuring the network to meet the requirements laid out in the project plan. This network includes four subnets with Windows 10 end devices and a Kali Linux device, it also includes five Cisco layer 2 switches and three Cisco routers. There are also three subnets connecting the routers to each other to enable routing between the subnets. After the network environment is set up, various penetration tests are performed from the Kali Linux device to gather information. The Nmap reconnaissance tool is …

Malware And Memory Forensics On M1 Macs, Charles E. Glass

LSU Master's Theses

As malware continues to evolve, infection mechanisms that can only be seen in memory are increasingly commonplace. These techniques evade traditional forensic analysis, requiring the use of memory forensics. Memory forensics allows for the recovery of historical data created by running malware, including information that it tries to hide. Memory analysis capabilities have lagged behind on Apple's new M1 architecture while the number of malicious programs only grows. To make matters worse, Apple has developed Rosetta 2, the translation layer for running x86_64 binaries on an M1 Mac. As a result, all malware compiled for Intel Macs is theoretically functional …

A Framework To Detect The Susceptibility Of Employees To Social Engineering Attacks, Hashim H. Alneami

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Social engineering attacks (SE-attacks) in enterprises are hastily growing and are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Generally, SE-attacks involve the psychological manipulation of employees into revealing confidential and valuable company data to cybercriminals. The ramifications could bring devastating financial and irreparable reputation loss to the companies. Because SE-attacks involve a human element, preventing these attacks can be tricky and challenging and has become a topic of interest for many researchers and security experts. While methods exist for detecting SE-attacks, our literature review of existing methods identified many crucial factors such as the national cultural, organizational, and personality traits of employees that enable …

Faculty Perceptions Of Open Educational Resources In Cyber Curriculum: A Pilot Study, Alan Stines

Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations

The cyber landscape is growing and evolving at a fast pace. Public and private industries need qualified applicants to protect and defend information systems that drive the digital economy. Currently, there are not enough candidates in the pipeline to fill this need in the workforce. The digital economy is still growing, thus presenting an even greater need for skilled workers in the future. The lack of a strong workforce in cybersecurity presents many challenges to safeguarding U.S. national security and citizens across the world. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation defines Open Educational Resources (OER) as teaching, learning, and research …

Building Test Anonymity Networks In A Cybersecurity Lab Environment, John Schriner

Student Theses

This paper explores current methods for creating test anonymity networks in a laboratory environment for the purpose of improving these networks while protecting user privacy. We first consider how each of these networks is research-driven and interested in helping researchers to conduct their research ethically. We then look to the software currently available for researchers to set up in their labs. Lastly we explore ways in which digital forensics and cybersecurity students could get involved with these projects and look at several class exercises that help students to understand particular attacks on these networks and ways they can help to …

A Knowledge Discovery Approach For The Detection Of Power Grid State Variable Attacks, Nathan Wallace

Doctoral Dissertations

As the level of sophistication in power system technologies increases, the amount of system state parameters being recorded also increases. This data not only provides an opportunity for monitoring and diagnostics of a power system, but it also creates an environment wherein security can be maintained. Being able to extract relevant information from this pool of data is one of the key challenges still yet to be obtained in the smart grid. The potential exists for the creation of innovative power grid cybersecurity applications, which harness the information gained from advanced analytics. Such analytics can be based on the extraction …