DESIGNING DISTRIBUTED AUTOMATIC SOFTWARE UPDATE SYSTEM

This article offers the reader a practical guide to the design and development of a distributed client-server system designed to perform automatic software updates using the example of non-trivial functionality. For comparison, examples of existing systems and solutions used to perform software updates are given and justifications for their functional unsuitability in the given circumstances are provided.

I Would be More at a Loss Without It: Technology as a Tool for Resilience for Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 associated shelter-in-place orders led to concerns about worsening social isolation and inadequate access to technology among older adults, yet little is known about technology use in this population during the pandemic. We examined older adults’ experiences with technology during shelter-in-place in order to identify lessons learned for a post-pandemic world. We conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of 20 community-dwelling older adults in San Francisco. Two independent coders conducted concurrent data analysis using inductive and deductive approaches to identify salient themes. Participants were 78 years on average (range 64-99), 55% female, 25% Black, 75% lived alone, and 60% reported at least one ADL impairment. Technology emerged as core aspect of resilience, indicating whether older adults could navigate pandemic restrictions, with two primary themes identified. First, many participants reported discovery of new technologies to maintain or develop new connections, including Zoom-based community groups and telehealth services (“there’s all kinds of virtual programs where you can exercise”). Second, older adults were resourceful in identifying community resources and enlisting family members to learn (“I had to ask one of my granddaughters how to make the chat thing work”). Despite difficulty navigating passwords, software updates and other common obstacles, most participants expressed gratitude for technology and the connectivity made possible. Many indicated an intention to integrate new technology-based social interactions into everyday life even after restrictions ended. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the role technology can play in fostering resilience among older adults in adapting to external stressors.

Predicting of cyber attacks on critical information infrastructure

According to modern statistics and analytical reviews, targeted computer attacks (cyber attacks) are becoming more and more numerous. Attackers began to use non-standard schemes for implementing attacks, using employees of organizations as intermediaries, which reduces the efficiency of detecting violations. At the same time, the targets of attackers are increasingly critical information infrastructure (CII) objects. The number of cyberattacks on the critical infrastructure of the Russian Federation increased by 150%. Successful attacks on CII are associated with a lack of software updates for industrial equipment, personnel errors, incorrect configuration of protection tools and can potentially lead to disasters. Prediction of computer attacks on CII based on a comprehensive analysis of the characteristics of incidents and system users can significantly increase the efficiency of incident detection, since it is obvious that technical and anthropogenic characteristics in this case should be taken into account together. It is difficult to classify computer incidents due to the volume and heterogeneity of the data about them. The paper proposes approaches that provide for the initial systematization of system log data and user characteristics, an assessment of their informativeness. This will reduce the complexity of further data processing and increase the performance of the computer attack forecasting system by excluding some uninformative data from a single secure storage. The second important task is to create test systems based on available platforms for analyzing and detecting computer incidents in order to train future information security specialists in big data analysis technologies.