Muhammad Aasim Qureshi

Framework for Alternate Execution of Workflows Under Threat

The main objective of the research is to propose an execution framework for workflow systems under threat. When the threat (intrusion) is detected, the workflow system needs to be stopped immediately to avoid any possible loss of enterprise data. The system becomes active again, once it is completely recovered from the threat. This proposed framework overcomes the problem of discontinuity of services as a result of threat detection by enabling the execution of the workflow on an alternate path, keeping the security and integrity of the asset information intact. Hence the system remains available all the time in a secured fashion making it possible for the end user to access the services and data even in the vulnerable state. To achieve the specified goals, the special authentication mechanism has been adopted to authorize the users after threat is detected. Then the data is hibernated that is transferred to the designed dimensions and the connectivity and access to the hibernated data is provided by the chameleon agent. These three core components enable the workflow to execute in a secured and robust manner during system’s unsafe state.

Client's Perspective: Realization as a New Generation Process for Software Project Development and Management

IT industry despite the wide use of most modern tools and technologies has been unable to achieve targeted success. Awry situations in projects have become routine matter. Besides technical other factors influencing software development activities also need to be considered. Software development and consultancy organizations must realize the importance of such technical and non-technical factors like client’s perspective, organizational environment, company policies and social infrastructure. Identification and managing such issues are more cumbersome than routine practical tasks. This paper focuses on one of the most important and critical cum technical factor client’s perspective. Elements comprising client’s perspective are identified and the spider web model is proposed to practice it. Real projects based evaluation is made. The results elaborate the client based practices. Client based practices would be an advent of new generation of processes to overcome IT industry dilemma.

Two Phase Shortest Path Algorithm for Non-negative Weighted Undirected Graphs

Breadth First Search (BFS) can calculate the shortest path for un-weighted graphs very efficiently but when it comes to non-negative weighted graphs it fails at a point when a successor updates a predecessor. Such nodes are being referred as Culprit nodes in this research. These Culprit nodes are the ones that cause error in shortest path in an algorithm that traverses like BFS. This research targets on recognizing and marking Culprit nodes to disengage them until they are properly and completely updated. Processing through such nodes is postponed until all possible updates are made on these nodes nullifying all possible chances of errors. As nodes are being traversed in BFS fashion with few violations and additions promising a O(k(|V| + |E|)) time algorithm where 0

Formal specification languages for real-time systems

This paper presents a survey about the formal specification languages which are used to specify Real-time systems. Real time systems are critical systems such as nuclear missile system, auto pilot system etc. A minor fault in these systems can result into serious consequences. These consequences may comprise threat to human life. Therefore it is very vital to specify the system correctly. To achieve the correct and unambiguous specification, formal languages are used. Formal languages increase the confidence on the specification and hence the overall system. This paper compares formal languages which are used to specify real-time systems such as VDM++, RTSJ, ASTRAL. A comparison criterion is established to select the best suitable specification languages for Real-Time systems. In the end a small example is mapped in to three selected specification languages which conclude that which language provides the best constructs and tools for Real-Time systems.

Improvements over two phase shortest path algorithm

Shortest path is an old classical problem in the area of theoretical computer science. This work is the continuation of the work done previously by the authors and presents two possible improvements in the existing algorithm. The introduced improvements which are simple and fit in easily into the existing algorithm prove to improve the complexity level. The need of improvement is discussed in detail and the expected improvement in overall processing time is shown with the example.

An insight into real software industry paradigms and software engineering research

Since years software development industry is trying hard to show a remarkable performance in its project development work. Issues related to the software processes improvement, risk management, peoples factors and effective project management still exist. Though academic researchers have produced good quality work on software industry issues, but unluckily, software industry could not get benefit of it as was being expected. Software engineering research work also seems unable to identify and understand the real industry problems and providing hands on solutions. The gap between researchers and actual industry practitioners is the sole reason behind it. It is the foremost need to learn from the academic research work and experiences of real software development industry practitioners. The objective of this study is to bridge this gap by highlighting the root causes of differences between software engineering research works and actual industry practices. An analysis of real industry projects, academic projects, research publications, and industry people is made to complete this research work. The outcome of this research is twofold. First, the identification of factors behind the academic-industry gap; second, presenting a set of measures to bridge this gap to produce actual industry based research works.

Authentication model based on reformation mapping method

The main objective of the research is to propose an authentication model that exhibits the authentication in more secured fashion. The proposed authentication model is based on the reformation mapping method and works in two stages. Firstly, it reforms the user created password and stored it in the form other than its original form. Depending on the nature of the password i.e. linear or two dimensional, this reformation can be performed by rotation or shuffle techniques. Secondly, the reformation can be applied either to the user entered password or to the stored password at the time of authentication. This reformation ensures that the user entered password can be mapped appropriately with the stored password. The possible application of the proposed model is discussed using linear passwords and two dimensional nxn passwords. The proposed authentication model improves the security of the password by reforming its original form and hiding it from the hackers.

Shortest path algorithm with pre-calculated single link failure recovery for non-negative weighted undirected graphs

Shortest path and related problems have been a very hot topic for researchers since Dijekstra devised his first shortest path algorithm. In transportation and communication routing, during the execution of system, failure of any link needs robust and most effective recovery. In such problems we need some recovery mechanism and/or plan for the continuation of the process with minimum or no delay with least, additional, recovery cost. This paper presents initial finding and achievements to recover from a single link failure on the shortest path with optimal alternate path keeping the cost low.

Formalizing an abstract architecture for the alternative data source utilized during system availability under intrusion threat

The main objective of the research is to formalize an abstract architecture for the alternative data source that is meant to be used during system availability under intrusion threat. For this purpose, three possible designed semantics have been identify and considered. The security and performance parameters that are required to be exhibited by the alternative data source have been identified. Qualitative analysis is carried out in terms of the identified security and performance parameters, among the considered design semantics to select the potentially secure and suitable design semantic. The selected design semantic becomes the basis of formalizing an abstract architecture for the alternative data source during system availability under intrusion threat scenario. (6 pages)

A near linear shortest path algorithm for weighted undirected graphs

This paper presents an algorithm for Shortest Path Tree (SPT) problem. The presented algorithm is an improvement over a previously published work of the authors. The effort is put in to improve the running/execution time of the SPT problem. Introduced improvement is simple and easy to incorporate in to the existing algorithm. This algorithm uses Depth First Search (DFS) like graph traversal during a BFS like traversal i.e. combines and take advantage of the inherent properties of the two heuristic graph search techniques so that vertex weights can be kept balanced. The need of improvement is discussed in detail and the expected improvement in overall processing time is shown with the example.