An Extended Account of Trace-relating Compiler Correctness and Secure Compilation

Compiler correctness, in its simplest form, is defined as the inclusion of the set of traces of the compiled program in the set of traces of the original program. This is equivalent to the preservation of all trace properties. Here, traces collect, for instance, the externally observable events of each execution. However, this definition requires the set of traces of the source and target languages to be the same, which is not the case when the languages are far apart or when observations are fine-grained. To overcome this issue, we study a generalized compiler correctness definition, which uses source and target traces drawn from potentially different sets and connected by an arbitrary relation. We set out to understand what guarantees this generalized compiler correctness definition gives us when instantiated with a non-trivial relation on traces. When this trace relation is not equality, it is no longer possible to preserve the trace properties of the source program unchanged. Instead, we provide a generic characterization of the target trace property ensured by correctly compiling a program that satisfies a given source property, and dually, of the source trace property one is required to show to obtain a certain target property for the compiled code. We show that this view on compiler correctness can naturally account for undefined behavior, resource exhaustion, different source and target values, side channels, and various abstraction mismatches. Finally, we show that the same generalization also applies to many definitions of secure compilation, which characterize the protection of a compiled program linked against adversarial code.

An Integrated View of Virus-Triggered Cellular Plasticity Using Boolean Networks

Virus-related mortality and morbidity are due to cell/tissue damage caused by replicative pressure and resource exhaustion, e.g., HBV or HIV; exaggerated immune responses, e.g., SARS-CoV-2; and cancer, e.g., EBV or HPV. In this context, oncogenic and other types of viruses drive genetic and epigenetic changes that expand the tumorigenic program, including modifications to the ability of cancer cells to migrate. The best-characterized group of changes is collectively known as the epithelial–mesenchymal transition, or EMT. This is a complex phenomenon classically described using biochemistry, cell biology and genetics. However, these methods require enormous, often slow, efforts to identify and validate novel therapeutic targets. Systems biology can complement and accelerate discoveries in this field. One example of such an approach is Boolean networks, which make complex biological problems tractable by modeling data (“nodes”) connected by logical operators. Here, we focus on virus-induced cellular plasticity and cell reprogramming in mammals, and how Boolean networks could provide novel insights into the ability of some viruses to trigger uncontrolled cell proliferation and EMT, two key hallmarks of cancer.

Scrutinizing the Vulnerability of Ephemeral Diffie–Hellman over COSE (EDHOC) for IoT Environment Using Formal Approaches

Most existing conventional security mechanisms are insufficient, mainly attributable to their requirements for heavy processing capacity, large protocol message size, and longer round trips, for resource-intensive devices operating in an Internet of Things (IoT) context. These devices necessitate efficient communication and security protocols that are cognizant of the severe resource restrictions regarding energy, computation, communication, and storage. To realize this, the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) is currently working towards standardizing an ephemeral key-based lightweight and authenticated key exchange protocol called EDHOC (Ephemeral Diffie–Hellman over COSE). The protocol’s primary purpose is to build an OSCORE (Object Security for Constrained RESTful Environments) security environment by supplying crucial security properties such as secure key exchange, mutual authentication, perfect forward secrecy, and identity protection. EDHOC will most likely dominate IoT security once it becomes a standard. It is, therefore, imperative to inspect the protocol for any security flaw. In this regard, two previous studies have shown different security vulnerabilities of the protocol using formal security verification methods. Yet, both missed the vital security flaws we found in this paper: resource exhaustion and privacy attacks. In finding these vulnerabilities, we leveraged BAN-Logic and AVISPA to formally verify both EDHOC protocol variants. Consequently, we described these security flaws together with the results of the related studies and put forward recommended solutions as part of our future work.

Application Threats to Exploit Northbound Interface Vulnerabilities in Software Defined Networks

Software Defined Networking (SDN) is an evolving technology that decouples the control functionality from the underlying hardware managed by the control plane. The application plane supports programmers to develop numerous applications (such as networking, management, security, etc.) that can even be executed from remote locations. Northbound interface (NBI) bridges the control and application planes to execute the third-party applications business logic. Due to the software bugs in applications and existing vulnerabilities such as illegal function calling, resource exhaustion, lack of trust, and so on, NBIs are susceptible to different attacks. Based on the extensive literature review, we have identified that the researchers and academia have mainly focused on the security of the control plane, data plane, and southbound interface (SBI). NBI, in comparison, has received far less attention. In this article, the security of the least explored, but a critical component of the SDN architecture, i.e., NBI, is analyzed. The article provides a brief overview of SDN, followed by a detailed discussion on the categories of NBI, vulnerabilities of NBI, and threats posed by malicious applications to NBI. Efforts of the researchers to counter malicious applications and NBI issues are then discussed in detail. The standardization efforts for the single acceptable NBI and security requirements of SDN by Open Networking Foundation (ONF) are also presented. The article concludes with the future research directions for the security of a single acceptable NBI.

Kalman filter based prediction and forecasting of cloud server KPIs

Cloud computing depends on the dynamic allocation and release of resources, on demand, to meet heterogeneous computing needs. This is challenging for cloud data centers, which process huge amounts of data characterised by its high volume, velocity, variety and veracity (4Vs model). Managing such a workload is increasingly difficult using state-of-the-art methods for monitoring and adaptation, which typically react to service failures after the fact. To address this, we seek to develop proactive methods for predicting future resource exhaustion and cloud service failures. Our work uses a realistic test bed in the cloud, which is instrumented to monitor and analyze resource usage. In this paper, we employed the optimal Kalman filtering technique to build a predictive and analytic framework for cloud server KPIs, based on historical data. Our k-step-ahead predictions on historical data yielded a prediction accuracy of 95.59%. The information generated from the framework can best be used for optimal resources provisioning, admission control and cloud SLA management.

Kalman filter based prediction and forecasting of cloud server KPIs

Cloud computing depends on the dynamic allocation and release of resources, on demand, to meet heterogeneous computing needs. This is challenging for cloud data centers, which process huge amounts of data characterised by its high volume, velocity, variety and veracity (4Vs model). Managing such a workload is increasingly difficult using state-of-the-art methods for monitoring and adaptation, which typically react to service failures after the fact. To address this, we seek to develop proactive methods for predicting future resource exhaustion and cloud service failures. Our work uses a realistic test bed in the cloud, which is instrumented to monitor and analyze resource usage. In this paper, we employed the optimal Kalman filtering technique to build a predictive and analytic framework for cloud server KPIs, based on historical data. Our k-step-ahead predictions on historical data yielded a prediction accuracy of 95.59%. The information generated from the framework can best be used for optimal resources provisioning, admission control and cloud SLA management.

Applying the Super-EBM Model and Spatial Durbin Model to Examining Total Factor Ecological Efficiency From a Multi-Dimensional Perspective: Evidence From China

Ecological efficiency mainly emphasizes the importance of balancing the relationship between natural resources,energy,ecological environment and economic growth, which has aroused widespread concern in the world.China's rapid economic development has inevitably accompanied by serious resource exhaustion,environmental pollution and ecological deterioration in the past several decades,which has brought huge challenges to China's sustainable development.Therefore, establishing the evaluation framework of total-factor ecological efficiency (TFEE) and identifying its driving force has great significance for improving China's sustainable development capabilities.Firstly, a ecological efficiency evaluation framework is established based on the theory of total factor analysis.Secondly,establishing the Super-efficient hybrid distance model consider undesirable output,and measuring the total-factor ecological efficiency of nationwide,30 provinces and four regions during the period 2003–2017.Finally, the spatial effect of total-factor ecological efficiency and its driving factor are examined by using a Spatial Durbin model. The empirical results show that: (1)The efficiency measurement results show that the TFEE of China overall and regional showed different degrees of decline during the study period.There are significant differences among 30 provinces and four regions.Beijing,Tianjin,Shanghai are efficient,and the other provinces has not been effective.The TFEE of four region's are not achieve effective,and shows the distribution pattern of the eastern > northeast > central > western .(2)Moran’s I index show that the TFEE in nationwide has a positive spatial autocorrelation,and showing a strong spatial agglomeration.However,the spatial distribution pattern of TFEE in China was unstable and easy to change;Moran scatter plot indicates that china's provincial TFEE has not only spatial dependence characteristics, but also spatial differences in spatial correlation.(3)Most factors are bound up with TFEE in various degree, in which, TP,JJ and HC play a positive in TFEE ,and IS,CITY, and EI play a negative role in TFEE. Furthermore,ER show U type of relationship with TFEE.GDP and FDI cannot have a significant impact on TFEE at this stage.(4)The spatial Durbin model results show that TFEE has significant spatial spillover effect, and the improvement of the TFEE of province will increase the this TFEE of neighboring provinces.And spatial spillover effects of TP,IS,JJ,CITY,and HC are confirmed can significant impact the improvement of TFEE in neighboring provinces.

Pediatric emergency department; resource exhaustion and burden of work in a resource-constrained region.

Background: emergency care is well known as the care delivered in a hospital setting to any patient with unexpected, sudden, threatening reversible condition. In countries where health care is not optimum, this type of care represents the weakest element of the health system. Aims of the study: to figure out the main causes behind the admission in Pediatric Emergency Department (PED) of Children Welfare Teaching Hospital (CWTH) and the urgency of visits. Patients and methods: a cross sectional study retrospective analysis that was carried out in the PED of CWTH in Medical City, Baghdad. Five hundred visits for patients below the age of 14 years between August and November 2017 were enrolled in this study and their data were analyzed. Perceived urgency of the current visit was assessed and analyzed. Results: the mean age for the patients was 3 years. Males represent 239 patients (47.8%). Of the whole group, 110 patients with a range of hours (22.0%). The most common complaint recorded was fever in 175 patients (21.0%). The most common comorbidities recorded were chronic respiratory diseases in 10 patients. Complete blood count was ordered for 460 patients (92.0%). Strikingly, blood culture was recorded in 5 patients only (1.0%). Reviewing the patients’ files has shown that 381 patients (76.2%) were prescribed antibiotics during stay in PED. The diagnosis of the patients visiting the PED was documented in 252 (50.4%) patients’ files only. Lower respiratory tract infections were the most frequently recorded diagnosis in 41 patients (8.2%). 266 patients (53.2%) were shown to be urgent visits, while 234 of them (46.8%) were non-urgent visits. Most of the patients who have comorbidities were labeled as urgent patients (89.4%), with a significant statistical difference (P value 0.001). Most of the patients who presented with a duration of complaint of within hours (89.1%) were stratified as urgent cases. Noteworthy, the majority of the patients who did not receive antibiotic therapy were stratified to be urgent (74.7%), the p value was 0.0001. Considering the disposition of the patients, majority of the patient who were discharged home (61.2%) were stratified as non-urgent, while (38.8%) were urgent. Conclusions: The study identifies the critical pitfalls of improper documentation of the data in the PED. It also delineates the resource exhaustion from the non-urgent visits. This may call for the need of structured training of physicians in the PED to improve efficiency, and reduce the cost and expenses of each patients through reducing the investigations and this will improve the standards of service. Triage system should be implemented in CWTH PED.

The End of Reality

In this article, I argue that in the age of neoliberal (postindustrial) globalization human relations to the environment have been “enframed” by capitalist ideology leading to the end of reality and the rise of human worldviews and ethos based on overconsumption and resource exhaustion as the determinants of existence over and against the environment and nature. Identity politics, the reification and commodification of (serial) identity practices, cultures, and “all of the accoutrements of the economy of spectacle and the manufacturing of images and fetish desires,” on the one hand, and the continuous atomization of the human subject in (neo) liberalism on the other are mechanisms for creating surplus-value and continuing capitalism’s domination over the world in the era of climate change. These two dialectical practices represent two fascist attempts to perpetuate capitalist relations of production and accumulate surplus value amidst its deleterious effects on all life on earth due to climate change, resource exhaustion, and pollution. I conclude the work by calling for an antihumanist philosophy and psychology with emphasis on subsistence living and maintaining a balance between nature and the environment as keys to planetary and human survival in the age of climate change.