Julius Dichter

Extracting and modeling the privacy requirements from HIPAA for healthcare applications

In the U.S. healthcare software applications, the patient privacy is protected under the public law 104-191, also known as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). To ensure compliance with the law, its crucial to extract and model the privacy requirements as early as possible in the software development life cycle, as the cost to implement in later stages will be higher. The main challenge for such a task is the ability to interpret the letter of the law in a format that can then be easily implemented due HIPAA rules being too complex and dense to be used as is by software developers. In this paper we propose a method to analyzes, extracts, and models the privacy requirements in HIPAA.

Toward a privacy preserving HIPAA-compliant access control model for web services

Most of the modern health-related information is collected, maintained, and accessed through computerized systems. However, the interaction with this information needs to comply with the U.S. federal regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Due to the complexity of healthcare regulations, its not easy to deploy a complaint system, especially for heterogeneous systems designed to allow data transfer and communication. Web services can be used to solve the problem of incompatible systems intercommunication; however, a generic model for HIPAA enforcement is required. In this paper we propose a generic HIPAA complaint privacy access control model for web services that can be easily applied to any existing covered entity web services.

Energy-efficient service-oriented architecture for mobile cloud handover

Mobile cloud computing uses features to deliver outsourcing data to remotely available mobile devices. However, the flexible nature of the mobile device is a critical challenge for the mobile cloud computing environment. The mobile phone significantly degrades the data transfer performance when initiating the handover process. Thus, an energy-efficient handover process could improve the quality of service (QoS). Here, we introduce a secure energy-efficient and quality-of-service architecture (EEQoSA) for the handover process in the mobile cloud computing environment. The proposed architecture involves four layers: application, the Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IPMS), communication, and media with connectivity layers.These four layers collectively handle the energy-efficiency, security and QoS parameters. Existing service-oriented architectures designed for mobile cloud computing are based on the symmetric encryption cryptography to support different media services. However, this approach easily allows an adversary to expose the symmetric key and gain access to private data. Thus, our proposed architecture uses the secure and strong authentication (SSA) process at the IPMS layer by protecting the media services from unauthorized users, as the IPMS is the central layer that could be the entry point for an adversary. Furthermore, to extend the mobile lifetime during the handover process, an energy detection (ED) model is deployed at the communication layer to detect the energy level of the mobile device prior to the handover initialization process. The media with the connectivity layer supports the secure handover process using a priority enforcement module that allows only legitimate users to complete the re-registration process after initiating the handover. Finally, the architecture is tested using the CloudSim simulation environment and validated by a comparison with other known service-oriented architectures.

Secure and quality-of-service-supported service-oriented architecture for mobile cloud handoff process

Mobile Cloud Computing (MCC) combines the features of mobile computing, cloud computing, and wireless networks to create the healthy computational resources to mobile cloud users. The aim of MCC is to execute the highly attractive mobile applications on a plethora of mobile cellular telephones, with highly rich user experience. From the perspective of mobile computing, Quality of Service (QoS) provisioning depends on the efficiency of the handoff process. Thus, it is highly important to introduce an energy efficient and secure handoff process to improve the performance. In this paper, we propose a Secure Seamless Fast Handoff (SSFH) scheme to improve the energy efficiency and the QoS in the MCC. The proposed scheme consists of four layers: application layer, service layer, infrastructure layer, and media layer. These four layers collectively handle the security, energy-efficiency, and the QoS. Existing service-oriented architectures designed for the MCC are based on the symmetric encryption protocols to support the application layer. However, it is much easier for an adversary to expose the symmetric key and gain access to the confidential data. The application layer is secured using a combination of both attribute-based encryption and an asymmetric encryption cryptography. To extend the mobile lifetime, energy detection (ED) model is deployed at the infrastructure layer to detect the energy level of the mobile devices prior to the pre-registration process. Furthermore, a dual authentication process is performed on the service and at the application layer to minimize the possibility of identity-high jacked or impersonation attack. The media layer supports the secure handoff process using policy enforcement module that allows only legitimate users to complete the re-registration process after initiating the handoff. Thus, a significant amount of the bandwidth and energy could be preserved. Finally, the secure service-oriented architecture is programmed using C++ platform and the results are compared with other well-known existing service-oriented architectures. The experimental results confirm the validity and the effectiveness of our proposed architecture.

A new selected points to enhance radio wave propagation strength outside the coverage area of the mobile towers in the dead spots of cellular mobile WiFi downloads

Mobile phone base station (tower) provides coverage for one or more geographical areas, known as cells. A mobile phone network is made up of a base station operating in conjunction with adjacent base stations. Base stations must be carefully located in relation to each other, so each cell in the network functions efficiently to ensure minimum interference between cells and good signal quality. One of the major problems for cellular wireless devices is calls being dropped and failure in downloading data. Our research uses a new recommendation in determining tower positions. Thus, providing an easy interface to replace traditional control methods and maintain signal levels. The weak WiFi wave propagation outside towers coverage areas is investigated at the University of Bridgeport (UB) campus. The campus serves as good experimental settings because it exemplifies typical signal dead spots, locations where little to no WiFi signal is available. In this paper, we investigate path loss propagation between the base stations and we identify and categorize these problems. We then apply our path loss propagation algorithmic models to show that signal strength is significantly improved when applying the proposed model. Finally, we show the efficiency of the proposed positions.

Data leakage preventation using homomorphic encryptionin cloud computing

The cloud computing environment enables cloud users to outsource their data into the cloud environment because of its cost efficiency and ease of management. However, by out sourcing the data to the cloud, cloud users lose their control over the data. This situation becomes more critical when using a cell phone and initiating the handoff process. There is a problem when cloud users invalidate some of the data access rights. An existing solution to this problem is symmetric key encryption method. However, this is not secure when a rejected cloud user rejoins the system to capture the confidential data of handoff mobile devices that is much easier to intercept for adversary. In this paper, an efficient and secure data sharing framework has been introduced using homomorphic encryption and proxy re-encryption methods, which prevent data leakage of mobile cloud users when initiating the handoff process. Our proposed method is validated using a JAVA platform and obtained results confirm the suitability of our proposed method.

A new mathematical model for wireless signal path loss under varying conditions

The Measurement of radio wave propagation into and within buildings at 900 and 1800 MHz frequencies have been undertaken using the library building at the University of Bridgeport campus in CT, USA. Furthermore, the signal propagation for the cases into and within elevator has also been investigated. Signal loss is a major problem for cellular wireless devices, resulting in dropped calls and failure in downloading data. In this research explores the radio transmission model of buildings that depend on the measured penetration loss values. Furthermore, this study will focus on and bring to light a better understanding of the modeling of radio transmission within and outside buildings. The lossy WiFi wave propagation around and within buildings is studied utilizing college buildings at the University of Bridgeport (UB) campus in Bridgeport CT. These buildings serve as good experimental settings because they exemplify typical signal dead spots, locations where little to no WiFi signal is available. In this paper, we investigate path loss propagation inside and outside buildings and we identify and categorize these problems. We then apply our path loss propagation algorithmic models to show that signal strength is significantly improved when compared to existing algorithms. Finally, we show the efficiency of our model and explain the specifics of our algorithm.

Energy detection analytical model for handoff process to support mobile cloud computing environment

Mobile devices play an integral role in our day lives and have brought the revolutionary change in business, education, and entertainment. Moreover, the emergence of cloud computing technology greatly extended the significance of smart device. On the other hand, the smart devices experience the problem when obtaining the multiple cloud services during the handoff process. In this paper, we propose an energy detection (ED) analytical model for handoff process that calculates the energy consumption for each handoff process in the cloud computing environment. Our ED analytic model is developed to examine the consumed energy for different handoff processes in cloud computing. The model helps the mobile users to get prior information for the status of the mobile when executing the handoff process. To reconfirm the validity of ED analytical model, we have test programmed in NS2. The results demonstrate that the ED analytical model efficiently detects the energy consumption of mobile devices during the handoff process in cloud computing environment.

Secure and strong mobile cloud authentication

Mobile cloud computing has dual benefits that includes cloud computing and mobile computing. In mobile cloud computing data storage and data processing take place outside the mobile device. As a result, there is a high chance of security attack. The security even becomes more critical when mobile phone is initiating the handoff during handover management process. Thus, the attacker may easily get access to our sensitive data. Due to this the malicious user may see or modify our data. In order to overcome this problem, we need to store our data in clouds in a secured manner. In this paper, we propose a secure and strong authentication (SSA) process that stores the key at different cloud servers. This process provides strong authentication. Greencloud is used to validate the process. The results confirm that our proposed SSL protects the mobile cloud computing from malicious activities.

New Mathematical Model for Wireless Signal Path Loss inside Buildings

Mobile communications have evolved in a very rapid manner along with other fast-growing communication technologies. The widespread use of this technology has turned mobile communications into a life style. Thus the necessity for high quality and high capacity networks with thorough coverage has become one of the major demands. Many models have been proposed to cover the signal strength measurements and estimations, which make it easy to provide an efficient and reliable coverage area. One such model is the Okumura model, an accepted standard. In this paper we propose a new mathematical model for calculating the path loss inside buildings especially in elevators which are considered a very critical metropolitan feature where signal drops occur. In our work, radio wave propagation and frequency measurements were taken inside various buildings at the University of Bridgeport campus in Bridgeport CT, USA. These measurements were incorporated into the Okumura model to derive a new path loss model utilizing power measurements inside buildings. The experimental work shows very accurate and improved results for our model with respect to path loss detection inside elevators as compared to the Okumura model.