Saadiah Yahya

Mutual Attestation Using TPM for Trusted RFID Protocol

The massive deployment of RFID tag to various systems raises some issues regarding security and privacy. RFID system without trust enhancement poses security threat because secret data can be easily revealed to adversary system by due to unverified platform. Numerous works revealed that the unverified RFID platform can be compromised either by malicious codes or man in the middle attack. For such an open, unverified RFID platform, system integrity verification for RFID reader, back-end server and tag has to be implemented in order to enhance system trust. The proposed back-end server and RFID reader with the embedded trusted computing technology will enhance the system integrity measurements and verifications. In this paper we propose a mutual attestation for trusted RFID protocol by using trusted platform module (TPM) and AES encryption for encrypting data transfers within the trusted RFID system. We also highlight the importance of trusted computing technology towards solving the privacy and security issues.

A novel hybrid fuzzy-SVM image steganographic model

This paper reviews the current soft computing (SC) techniques employed in image steganography as well as proposes a new hybrid approach of these SC techniques to exploit their complementary strengths. Four main SC techniques in image steganography — neural network (NN), genetic algorithm (GA), support vector machines (SVM) and fuzzy logic (FL) are assessed based on the three main measurements of steganography — imperceptibility, payload capacity and robustness. Most NN usage focuses on robustness, as well as the imperceptibility of the coverimage by exploiting its learning capability to produce a higher quality stego-image. GA is mostly employed to increase the payload capacity to be embedded as well as to find the best bit positions for embedding position in image steganography. SVM is normally used to increase the imperceptibility of the stego image via its strength to classify the image blocks by learning the relationship between the secret-message and cover-image to be used in the embedding and extracting procedures. A few works have been done in FL especially in preserving the imperceptibility and the number is increasing. Based on this review and leveraging the complementary strengths of FCM in clustering and SVM in classification, we propose a novel hybrid fuzzy c-means (FCM) and SVM (F-SVM) model in image steganography. The model uses the F-SVM as its main engine that is capable of embedding the secret-message imperceptible to human eyes while increasing the payload capacity. Currently, work is being done to develop and test this model.

A critical review on RFID system towards security, trust, and privacy (STP)

Widespread deployment of RFID system across many applications creates a very good impact on users and it also simplifies a lot of business transactions. However, this situation may potentially impose security and privacy threats. We noted that previous RFID protocols provide solutions for security and privacy in silo and they usually focus more on security components as compared to privacy. We vide that the existing situation is not balanced and hence our approach in tackling it is unique because we propose an overall approach that considers security, trust and privacy (STP) together. We propose to use lightweight based encryption subsystem to handle security, trusted computing based subsystem to provide trust and integrity verifications and privacy enhanced system (anonymizer) to solve privacy issues for RFID system. This paper reviews previous works on RFID protocols and highlights the importance of RFID system with STP subsystems.

E-cost estimation using expert judgment and COCOMO II

The accuracy and efficiency of cost estimation methodology for web-based application is very important for software development as it would be able to assist the management team to estimate the cost. Furthermore, it will ensure that the development of cost is within the planned budget and provides a fundamental motivation towards the development of web-based application project. The literature review reveals that COCOMO II provides accurate result because more variables are considered including reuse parameter. The parameter is one of the essential variables in estimating the cost in web-based application development. This research investigates the feasibility to combine and implement COCOMO II and expert judgment technique in a tool called WebCost. In estimating a cost, the tool considers all variables in COCOMO II and requires expert judgment to key-in the input of the variables such as project size, project type, cost adjustment factor and cost driven factor. Developed in JAVA, WebCost is proven able to estimate cost and generate its estimation result. The usability evaluation conducted had shown that WebCost is usable when compared with other tools, it has its own advantages. WebCost is evidence suitable for everyone especially the project managers, software practitioners or software engineering student in handling the cost estimation tasks.

Empowering health behaviour intervention through computational approach for intrinsic incentives in participatory sensing application

With the advances in smart mobile devices technology, participatory sensing is particularly useful in personalizing behavioral interventions that focused on the individual needs of overweight user. The behavioral intervention to weight monitoring attempted to induce weight loss using motivational theory. Therefore, the objective of this paper is two-fold: First, to map the interpretation of motivation and incentives from computer science view into psychology literature. Second, to conceptualize intrinsic incentive using computational approach in a participatory sensing application. For the first objective, we specify the theoretical basis for health behavioral change which is used in the mobile weight-loss, diet, or physical activity intervention developed by researchers in participatory sensing application. To address the second objective, this paper proposed a conceptual framework for intrinsic incentives that integrate Self-determination theory model of health behavior change into our participatory sensing application, w8L0ss. The proposed framework provides an integrated architecture for health and pervasive domain for the present study which focuses solely on intrinsic incentives.

MAP: The new clustering algorithm based on multitier network topology to prolong the lifetime of wireless sensor network

Wireless sensor network and its applications are interesting research that have been focused recently. Battery consumption of sensor nodes is the main problem in the family of wireless sensor that should be solved. So, to increase the scalability of the network, and to reduce the energy usage for overall sensor operations, clustering techniques and data aggregation are the main focus in this paper. The multi tier techniques has been designed precisely and the selection of the cluster head using Fuzzy Logic based on the three selected parameters are well used along with its limited resources of wireless sensor network. In this study, the main primary and secondary cluster head are the important entities of the algorithm for receiving and transmitting data to the base station. The contribution of this paper is mainly on the selection of a secondary cluster head and the routing protocol which the data transmission will involved the nearest cluster head for both tier one and tier two. Due to multi tier clustering in sensor network, the operations of the sensor network will eventually increase the lifetime of the network compared to LEACH and SEP protocols.

Ranking Table for Cluster Head Selection of Wireless Sensor Network

Power consumption is always an important element for Wireless Sensor Network (WSN). The energy is the main constraint should be considered when designing the algorithm, protocol or the methods. Clustering is one of the effective methods to use in designing low energy usage in WSN. In the clustering, the appropriate cluster head selection can drastically reduce the energy consumption and prolong the lifetime of the network. This paper proposes the use of ranking table to select cluster head based on the Fuzzy Logic approach. The multi-tier clustering will be used to improve the energy consumption of WSN. Thus, this approach will increase the network lifetime and reduce the energy consumption of nodes while selecting the cluster head.

Success Factors in Cost Estimation for Software Development Project

Cost estimation process becomes a crucial factor in any software development project. There are many previous researches discussed the success factors that influence in software development project. This paper aimed to discuss factors that influences to the successful of cost estimation process in software development project. Literature survey is carried out from the past researches. Then, this paper presents the success factors that bring to the effectiveness of cost estimation in software development project. From the review, a conceptual model was developed to show the influence factors in cost estimation process. Realisation these factors will help software development communities contribute positively to the success of cost estimation process in software development project.

The deployment of end-to-end available bandwidth estimation mechanism in web-based application

Bandwidth is one of the most common terms in digital communication as it represents the supported amount of data that a link or network path can send per unit of time. Multimedia applications performance is directly impacted by available bandwidth because these applications have diverse Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. Internet is now a necessary technology in our daily life, and because of mobile communication systems people can access the network anytime and anywhere, resulting in an increase in the number of users. Such evolution brings new services that will require more data rates. As a result of this load, some services and users in the network will demand for certain data rate which cannot be guaranteed. In the past, there have been several proposals that provide some mechanism for bandwidth estimation based on the size of web message and TCP/IP stack. However, these solutions tend to provide unreliable bandwidth estimation due to TCP/IP buffering. This paper proposes a bandwidth estimation mechanism (BEM) that is capable of providing reliable estimation of the available bandwidth to users or applications. The experimental results validate the intrusiveness and the ability of the proposed BEM to provide accurate bandwidth estimates.

The Combinations of Selected Parameters to Prolong the Network Lifetime for Cluster Head Selection in Wireless Sensor Network

In Wireless Sensor Network, parameter selection is one of the important considerations to help the usage of the energy while selecting the cluster head in clustering scheme. This paper proposed the right combination of the parameter to select the cluster head in order to minimize the total energy consumption required for data collection and aggregation. We proposed three parameters which are residual energy, centrality and communication cost and blended all together using Fuzzy Logic method. By using these proposed parameters, we will able to compare the energy usage for each of the nodes with LEACH and SEP algorithm. Simulation results show that, the right combination of parameters may produce good results and tends to prolong the lifetime of the sensor network.