Testing Platform Invoke as a Tool for Shellcode Injection in Windows Applications

This paper investigates software attacks based on shellcode injection in Windows applications. The attack uses platform invoke to inject binary code by means of system calls. This creates a separate threat that carries the payload. The paper overviews protections against shellcode injection and thus analyzes the injection methods as well. Analysis models the injection of malicious code in a Windows app process. As a result, the paper proposes a step-by-step injection method. Experimental injection of user code in PowerShell is performed to test the method. The paper further shows the assembly code of the system call as an example of finding their IDs in the global system call table; it also shows part of the source code for the injection of binary executable code. Various counterattacks are proposed in the form of software control modules based on architecture drivers. The paper analyzes the feasibility of using dynamic invoke, which the authors plan to do later on.

A Suitable Model for Assessing the Integrity of Subsea Control Modules SCMs for Re-Use after Decommissioning

This paper proposes a model for assessing Subsea Control Module (SCM) integrity for re-use after decommissioning. The SCM is one of the most failure-prone components in subsea oil and gas developments, and although a relatively inexpensive component in a Subsea Production System (SPS), the failure of an SCM can require production to be ceased, significantly impacting project economics. The re-use of decommissioned SCMs could improve the economics of subsea oil and gas projects by reducing design and manufacturing lead times, improving production availability, and enabling the economic exploitation of both marginal and mature fields. Insights gained through relevant literature, industry standards, and subsea industry experts led to the development of the Integrity Assessment Model for Decommissioned Subsea Control Modules proposed in this paper. The model is based on an Integrity Assessment process as well as a Risk-Based Compatibility Assessment. Discussions include a background of the SCM and common failures, the economics of SCM re-use, and Applications for the re-use of SCMs. The Integrity Assessment Model is described in detail, as well as the benefits and limitations. Areas of future research in support of subsea equipment re-use are identified, including improvements to reliability databases for subsea equipment, and the creation of a quantitative metric describing subsea equipment integrity.

Cognitive Mechatronic Devices for Reconfigurable Production of Complex Parts

This paper discusses a robotic cell that handles geometrically complex products, exploiting cognitive control and actuation systems for the manipulation, assembly and packaging. The individual mechatronic components, namely a 6-DoF gripper and a flexible assembly mechanism, have been designed via functional decomposition of the actual assembly and handling tasks. The flexibility of these mechanisms is exploited through control modules, performing different cognition functions at cell, resource and device level. The design approach can be generalized for tasks requiring dexterity and adaptation to products. A case study from the consumer goods sector, showcases the system’s reconfigurability and efficiency.

State primary special standard of units of mass and volume of liquid in a stream, mass and volumetric flow rates of liquid GET 63-2019

The article describes aspects of improving metrological support for measuring units of mass and volume of liquid in the flow, mass and volume flow of liquid in the Russian Federation. We consider fundamentally new design solutions for key modules of the reference unit EU-3 of the state primary special standard for units of mass and volume of liquid in the flow, mass and volume flow of liquid GET 63-2019, based on numerical and physical modeling of hydrodynamic processes under forced pressure flow of the working medium (water) in pipelines with different flow geometry. The principles of operation of water flow stabilization and control modules are substantiated. Innovative solutions are presented for the design of sensitive elements of the flow switch, the principle of constructing a time diagram, and determining the measurement time interval. Metrological characteristics of the state primary special standard of units of mass and volume of liquid in the flow, mass and volume flow of liquid GET 63-2019 are presented.

Control modules in the “Intelligent building” system

The relevance of the article consists on the use of telemetry control modules to organize the uninterrupted operation for dispatching service, including remote work. Thanks to telemetric means of dispatching control and management of the conditions of water supply facilities, the process is reaching a new qualitative level. The functionality of the water intake unit has been significantly improved as a result of the introduction of a telemetry and telecontrol system in the form of separate technological modules. The developed modules provide additional functions for water quality control, including residual chlorine, accounting for a number of random pollution factors in addition to the route technology of the dispatching system; remote control of executive mechanisms with the possibility of automatic control; self- diagnostics of the software and hardware complex, as well as planning of preventive and repair work of engineering systems. The results of water quality on-line monitoring by using a telemetry module in the chlorination room automatically providing the optimal ratio of chlorine added to the water are presented.

Combining the strength of centralized control and distributed autonomy for crowdsourcing design: An integrated model of Blackboard and Bayesian network

Socialized product design (SPD) mode, enabled by advanced internet technologies and sharing economic trends, has the capability of utilizing the design resources from large numbers of socialized designers (SDs) to carry out the design tasks that used to be participated by only the internal R&D staffs of companies. During SPD projects, different kinds of mechanisms can be applied to organize the SDs. Some of them tend to be centralized control (e.g. crowdsourcing design) and some are more of distributed autonomy (e.g. opensourcing design). Both centralized control and distributed autonomy have their strengths and limitations for SPD. Centralized control enables more organized, focused, and efficient project execution, but it limits the emergence of collective intelligence among the SDs. Distributed autonomy helps to explore the innovation potential of SDs by granting them the freedom of communication and mutual inspiration, but it may cause the problem of unreliable and unpredictable design process. To complement the advantages of centralized control and distributed autonomy in SPD, an integrated model of Blackboard and Bayesian network is established in this paper. The Blackboard, whose Control modules are specially customized for human Knowledge sources, is for guaranteeing overall control of the distributed design process and at the same time permitting certain level of autonomy to the SDs. The Bayesian network, built with an improved Bayesian causal map method, is an embedded Control module of the Blackboard which evaluates design solutions according to the incomplete collective judgments from SDs. The operability of the integrated model has been verified through a case study of 3D printer conceptual design project.