History and Importance of the Geneva Motor Show

History and Importance of the Geneva Motor Show   Introduction The International Geneva Motor Show, commonly known as the Geneva Motor Show, is an exposition of the most trendy, important, and relevant brands on the automobile industry (Auto Express, 2017). Widely believed Europes most important cars exposition, this event is holding some of the most high-priced and high-value car launches in record. It is one of the most important dates on the car lovers calendar. (Auto Express, 2017). The first time the Geneva Motor Show was held, was in the year 1905. It is almost as old as the invention of the motor vehicle. Since then, it has been holding the debuts from some of the most iconic cars in history. For example: The Jaguar E-Type, the Aston Martin DB7, and the Range Rover. All of these, were presented to the public on Geneva press conferences (Auto Express, 2017). The 87th Geneva Motor Show was celebrated on Thursday, 9th of March, 2017 for ten days. Car brands, such as Ferrari, McLaren and Lamborghini, introduced to the public faster, more advance and more luxurious versions of their sports cars. Not just that, extravagant SUVs were showcased by Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz this year event (Wiener-Bronner, D. 2017). Methodology This report is going to be a documentary recompilation of online articles from reputable newspapers and automobile magazines, such as Bloomberg CNN; Auto Express; Car Magazine and Top Gear. All relevant about the history and importance of the Geneva International Motor Show. The Exposition The 2017 Geneva International Motor Show was hosted at the Palexpo Arena, in the city of Geneva in Switzerland. This years event has been open to the public from 9 of March for 10 days (Pollard, 2017). The worlds biggest car companies were converging at this exposition to show off their best innovations to the market. Electric technology, autonomous driving, and lots of horsepower were the dominant topics of the event (Elliott et al., 2017). As it was mentioned before, two examples of the high-priced and luxurious cars presented on the event this year are: The Lamborghini Huracà ¡n and the Ferrari which is priced at ‎à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬292,000 or $308,000 (Elliott et al., 2017). Despite the fact that Tesla (the biggest electric car company at the moment) did not appear this year at the show, other automakers promised to reveal new electric vehicles. That is the case of Renault, that said they would unveil an EV surprise, and Toyota, declared that would show off a new electric car concept named the i-TRIL Concept. (Wiener-Bronner, D. 2017). Iconic Showcases It has been a long period between the beginning of the automobile industry begun to debut at 1903 to the present. Along the years had been numerous presentations and introductions of new models that can be said, shocked the public and the market. According to Jamieson (2017), from Top Gear, the following are some of the most iconic vehicles ever presented on Geneva, since the first days of this exposition: 1929, Mercedes SSK. The car was created before the great depression. Drivers like Rudolf Caracciola, and thanks to this machine, who was attracted to the first time he saw it, won races in Argentina, Northern Ireland and a series of Grand Prix races across Europe. 1935, Citroen Traction Avant. This vehicle was the pioneer introducing the monocoque chassis, full independent suspension and front wheel drive. 1952, Fiat 8V. This model came with a two-litre V8 engine, that produced 125 horsepower, an aluminium sump, forged crankshaft, polished heads and four-into-one headers made from stainless steel. It is said that the 8V was probably the most advance European car of that era. 1961, Jaguar E-type. When this car was unveiled in Geneva, it caused such an uproar that a second vehicle had to be bought, from Coventry, to satisfy the demand for test drives at the event. The very same, Enzo Ferrari, said that the E-Type was the most beautiful car he had ever seen. 1963, Mercedes 230SL. Aluminium panels reduced the car weight. A short wheel base and double wishbone suspension given a superior handling. All these elements, I addition of a fuel-injected engine, makes this machine a serious competitor to Ferraris models. 1971, Lamborghini Countach. The road-going version of the vehicle had a five-litre V12 engine. Although, the 25th Anniversary model came with the 5.2-litre version of the engine and 425 horsepower. 1995, Ferrari F50. Thanks to the 4.7-litre V12 engine with 510 horsepower, in addition a Pininfarina design, this car got the major attention of that years event. Conclusion As a conclusion, the Geneva International Motor Show, not only has become as an industrial exposition for companies to sell their products, but also has become a space to display technological innovations to the public. Similarly, the exposition is an opportunity to have the chance to look in a close perspective, and even touch and experience the feeling of a luxurious and high performance car for the majority of enthusiast of sport and classic automobiles. References Auto Express (2017). Geneva Motor Show. Retrieved from http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/geneva-motor-show Pollard, T. (2017). Dont miss a single Geneva motor show story with our handy guide. Retrieved from http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-news/motor-shows-events/geneva/2017/geneva-motor-show-2017-preview-a-z-of-all-the-new-cars/ Elliott H., Behrmann E., Rauwald C. (eds.). (2017). The Most Breathtaking Cars at the Geneva Motor Show. Retrieved from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/photo-essays/2017-03-08/the-most-breathtaking-cars-at-the-geneva-motor-show Wiener-Bronner D. (2017). Jobs report; Geneva Motor Show. Retrieved from http://money.cnn.com/2017/03/05/investing/stocks-week-ahead/ Jamieson, C. (2017). The ten biggest debuts from the Geneva Motor Show. Retrieved from https://www.topgear.com/car-news/geneva-motor-show/ten-biggest-debuts-geneva-motor-show#1

Security Issues Associated With Mobile Commerce Information Technology Essay

Security Issues Associated With Mobile Commerce Information Technology Essay The report investigates the current state of the Mobile-commerce based on its security and examines the predicted future developments of the system. A brief background of the M-commerce and its applications is initially outlined. The discussion will then focus on the security issues and solutions based on the five security objectives (standards): Confidentiality, Authentication, Authorisation, Integrity and Non-repudiation. The applications of these security standards will then be applied on two M-commerce applications, both involving mobile transaction: Mobile-Payment and Mobile-Banking. It is concluded that further technological development in M-commerce system will be required, in order to improve the quality of service and ensure the user that such a system is safe to use. Nestor Mfuamba Introduction The term M-commerce (mobile-commerce) derives from E-commerce (e-commerce) which denotes business transactions over the internet. The transactions could be buying and selling goods/services by accessing the internet. Both M-commerce and E-commerce are part of two districts business markets: B2B (Business to Business) and B2C (Business to Consumer), the two distinct from dealing with business for the first and dealing end consumer for the last. From these business concepts, we can see that a B2B market, is more like E-commerce, where a business / user, accessing the internet for business transactions from an unstated devices. The technology used for this system could either be wireline (home PC, end user devices) or wireless (via mobile phones, PDAs, end user devices). In fact the term M-commerce, is all about a wireless E-commerce that is where a mobile device is used to access the internet for business transactions either in B2B or B2C markets. With the ubiquitous availability of mobile phones (other end user devices), M-commerce services have a promising future, especially in the B2C market. Future development applications include buying over the phone, purchase and redemption of tickets and reward schemes, travel and weather information, and writing contracts on the move. However, the success of M-commerce today, very much depends on the security of the underlying technologies. For example, credit card charges for transactions on the internet are 15%, versus 1% for POS (Point-of-Sales) credit card transactions. The chargeback rates grow to 30% digital product are sold. For M-commerce to take off, fraud rates have to be reduced to an acceptable level. As much security can be regarded as an enabling factor for the success of M-commerce applications. In this report, I discuss the security issues associated with M-commerce and their solutions based on two existing M-commerce applications, namely: Mobile Payment Systems: business transactions on the internet require the payments of either goods or services. M-payment systems have different requirements and characteristics than E-payment systems (electronic-payment). Mobile-Banking Systems: types of execution of financial services in the course of which within an electronic procedure the consumer uses mobile communication techniques in conjunction with mobile devices for banking transactions. M-commerce Definition The term m-commerce can be defined in many ways. From own experience and research, m-commerce is just an electronic commerce system that is accessed from mobile phones. Both e-commerce and m-commerce are B2C (Business to Consumer) systems. According to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation Development), e-commerce follows two criteria that are: Automation of transaction Spatial separation of transactions and delivery By definition m-commerce is a business commerce system using mobile device for business transactions performed over a mobile telecommunication network, possibly involving the transfer of money. Based on research done by Kalkota Ravi and Robinson Maria, they have actually divided m-commerce into five descriptive phases: Messaging m-commerce (SMS)-based m-commerce) Info connectivity m-commerce (web based m-commerce) Transactions m-commerce (strategy for organisations in order to evolve revenue generating mcommerce) Transformation m-commerce (m-commerce is interconnected and implemented into business processes within and between organisations) Infusion -m-commerce (and m-commerce is a normal way to do business this means a culture change from one, in which technology is occasionally handed over to the other one where technology is an accepted part) Technology and Applications The technology of M-commerce is built on several key technologies. They distinguish by their common uses. Mobile phones have developed gradually, making significant changes to their standards, starting from the first generation (analogue phones) to the third generation (3G): first-generation or analogue phones good for voice calls second-generation phones use digital technology and are typical of the average phone in use today 2.5G digital phones support the transmission of data using general packet radio service (GPRS) third generation (3G) digital phones support voice and data transmission at greatly increased speeds 3G supports services that were not possible with earlier technologies: video calls can be made and received from other 3G users video and other types of media can be downloaded to play on your phone 3G phones often have cameras, so you can take and transmit digital pictures location-based services can be accessed in order to see a map of where you are, or find out the nearest garage, restaurant, bank, etc M-commerce developments are focused very strongly on the use of 3G phone technology. Wireless application protocol (WAP) enables mobile devices to browse the internet because the web browsers built into these devices support hypertext markup language (HTML) and extensible markup language (XML) the key languages used for internet content. WAP-enabled devices run microbrowsers. These are applications that suit the: small screen and small memory size of handheld devices low bandwidths that are a feature of wireless networks for handheld devices Another important m-commerce technology is short message service (SMS), also known as texting. This popular service allows short text messages of up to 160 characters to be sent from and to mobile devices at a low cost. This has a wide application in m-commerce technology. Improvements to the service, such as T9 predictive text to help you type faster, have helped to improve the service, and a number of enhancements such as enhanced messaging (EMS) led to multimedia messaging service (MMS) messaging. With an MMS-enabled phone, you can: take digital photographs and store photographs on the internet send and receive full color pictures add a text message to your picture send and receive voice clips purchase pictures and sounds from the internet have enhanced polyphonic ringtones Mobile Application Types Communications: E-mail Clients IM Clients Mobile Web and Internet Browsers News/Information Clients On-Device Portals (Java Portals) Social Network Clients Games: Puzzle/Strategy (e.g., Tetris, Sudoku, Mah-jong, Chess, Board Games) Cards/Casino (e.g., Solitaire, Blackjack, Roulette, Poker) Action/Adventure (e.g., Doom, Pirates of the Caribbean, Role-Playing Games) Sports (e.g., Football, Soccer, Tennis, Basketball, Racing, Boxing, Skiing) Leisure Sports (e.g., Bowling, Pool, Darts, Fishing, Air Hockey) Multimedia: Graphics/Image Viewers Presentation Viewers Video Players Audio Players Streaming Players (Audio/Video) Productivity: Calendars Calculators Diary Notepad/Memo/Word Processors Spreadsheets Directory Services (e.g., yellow pages) Banking/Finance Travel: City Guides Currency Converters Translators GPS/Maps Itineraries/Schedules Weather Mobile System Architecture The figure bellow shows the architecture of an m-commerce system: from the design, we can clearly see that a user/client access the web via an xml server connected to a database. Figure1. Proposed M-commerce system architecture Mobile devices The applications of M-commerce can be implemented on different kinds of end user devices other than only mobile phones: Mobile phones PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) Smart phone the smart phone combines mobile phone and PDA technology into one device Laptop Earpiece device such as Bluetooth (as part of a Personal Area Network) The choice of devices in M-commerce is mainly based on the device features, and network technology used for transmission, the last allows the bandwidth capacity to vary and influence the kind of services the end user is able to receive. In mobile phones, the technology differs from other end user devices by their ability to have internal smart cards that determine their memory capacities. Nowadays, three solutions exist: Single SIM widely used around the world and confidential user information is stored one smart card. Dual Chip, means two smart cards in one mobile phone, as one used for user authentication to the network operator as the other, is used for value-added services such as m-payment or digital signature. Dual Slot, this type of mobile phones, has a SIM card and card slot for fully-sized external smart card. This solutions consists on using different cards one after the other. e.g. POS and ATM terminals. M-commerce vs. E-commerce This part of the report doesnt compare the two business systems. However, present advantages and disadvantages of M-commerce system over and E-commerce system. As defined in part 1.1., M-commerce is subset of the E-commerce but using end user devices as transaction platforms. The following list summarises, the advantages: Accessibility accessibility is related to ubiquity and means that the end user is accessible anywhere at any time. Accessibility is probably the major advantage by comparison with E-commerce applications involving a wired end user device. Ubiquity the end user device is mobile, that is, the user can access M-commerce applications in real time at any place. Security depending on the specific end user device, the device offers a certain level of inherent security. For example, the SIM card commonly employed in mobile phones is a smart card that stores confidential user information, such as the users secret authentication key. As such, the mobile phone can be regarded as a smart card reader with smart card. Localisation a network operator can localise registered users by using a positioning systems, such as GPS, or via GSM or UMTS network technology, and offer location- dependent services. Those services include local information services about hotels, restaurants, and amenities, travel information, emergency calls, and mobile office facilities. Personalisation mobile devices are usually not shared between users. This makes it possible to adjust a mobile device to the users needs and wishes (starting with the mobile phone housing and ringtones). On the other hand, a mobile operator can offer personalised services to its users, depending on specified user characteristics (e.g. a user may prefer Italian food) and the users location (see above). Convenience the size and weight of mobile devices and their ubiquity and accessibility makes them an ideal tool for performing personal tasks. Along with these advantages, we also have disadvantages, the following list summarises, the facts: Mobile devices offer limited capabilities between mobile devices these capabilities vary so much that end user services will need to be customised accordingly. The heterogeneity of devices, operating systems, and network technologies is a challenge for a uniform end user platform. For this reason, standardisation bodies consisting of telecommunication companies, device manufacturers, and value-added service providers integrate their work (see Section 4.5). For example, many current mobile devices implement an IP stack to provide standard network connectivity. At the application level, the Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME) offers a standardized application platform for heterogeneous devices. Mobile devices are more prone to theft and destruction. According to a government report, more than 700000 mobile phones are stolen in the UK each year [12]. Since mobile phones are highly personalised and contain confidential user information, they need to be protected according to the highest security standards. The communication over the air interface between mobile device and network introduces additional security threats (e.g. eavesdropping, winds etc †¦). Security Concept and Challenges The concept of security in M-commerce is the most important aspect of a business that a mobile-system should respond to. There is no need to implement, such system without securing its environment, especially where transactions involve monetary value. Different views from participants in an M-commerce scenario, percept, security and privacy as major factors for markets breakthrough of the according system. Moving from participants point of views, I have defined five security objectives / standards that a system should respond to: Confidentiality: ensure privacy, the content of the transaction cannot be viewed by unauthorised persons and enables encryption. Authentication: ensure that the content of the transaction originates from the presumed sender/partner. Integrity: ensure that the content of transaction is not modified during the delivery and cannot be altered at any time. The technique used is called digital signatures. Authorisation: ensure that anyone involved in the transaction must be recognize and verified in order to authorize/allow the transaction to take place. It is more like digital certificates. Non-repudiation: no-one should be able to claim that any transaction on his/her behalf was made without their knowledge. The concept of digital signatures is applied. This standards dont just apply to end user devices, but to the whole systems involving device users, network (e.g. WAP, WEP), financial and administrative institutions (e.g. banks, governments etc.). I have identified, few security challenges related to the system: The mobile device confidential user data on the mobile device as well as the device itself should be protected from unauthorised use. The security mechanisms employed here include user authentication (e.g. PIN or password authentication), secure storage of confidential data (e.g. SIM card in mobile phones) and security of the operating system. The radio interface access to a telecommunication network requires the protection of transmitted data in terms of confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity. In particular, the users personal data should be protected from eavesdropping. Different security mechanisms for different mobile network technologies (i.e. in 2G, 3G, and other systems) were explained in part 2.2 The network operator infrastructure security mechanisms for the end user often terminate in the access network. This raises questions regarding the security of the users data within and beyond the access network. Moreover, the user receives certain services for which he/she has to pay. This often involves the network operator and he/she will want to be assured about correct charging and billing. The kind of M-commerce application m-commerce applications, especially those involving payment, need to be secured to assure customers, merchants, and network operators. For example, in a payment scenario both sides will want to authenticate each other before committing to a payment. Also, the customer will want assurance about the delivery of goods or services. In addition to the authenticity, confidentiality and integrity of sent payment information, non-repudiation is important. Threats scenarios In this part, I am going to present major threats to security based on the M-commerce security standards and address ideal scenarios, observed during each methods. The following list shows the threats: Money thefts: as long as, m-commerce involves transaction, driven by monetary values. The system will always attract hackers, crackers and anyone with the knowledge of exploiting and abusing the system. They often set fake websites, in order to extract customers personal data, credit card details etc. Threats to the system: mobile devices are not spared from those deceptive methods of stealing information. Viruses, Trojans, Worms are often planted by individuals for reasons known best to them alone, in order to compromise the credibility of all m-commerce system. Threats observed during authentication: Observation: An adversary can download the client on a laptop/desktop and use its insecurities for malicious purposes. An adversary can obtain the user credentials stored on the mobile phone by transferring the contents to pc/laptop from the phone or memory card. An adversary can register with valid details of a valid bank account holder and access his/her account details or make transactions. An adversary can access user credentials directly from the phones folders or from phones memory card. An adversary can obtain the new PIN for transacting using the weak forgot password feature or an adversary can change the password/PIN of a valid user without authentication/authorization. An adversary can use the auto-complete feature to access a valid users account. An adversary can guess weak passwords/PIN to retrieve customer information. Ideal scenario: An adversary can download the client on laptop/desktop and use its insecurities for malicious purposes. An adversary can use the auto-complete feature to access a valid users account. The customer has to first register with the bank. Customer details like full name, postal address, e-mail address, bank account details and mobile phone number should be provided. The bank would inform the vendor to push the mobile client application to the mobile number provided by the customer. This can be done through a system which communicates between the server at vendor end and bank end. The vendor enters the mobile number of the customer and the client application is pushed to it. This ensures that the client is not downloaded to a pc or laptop and misused. In case the push is not possible, the customer has to be informed and the client application installed by the vendor. The application has to ensure that during installation a few checks are done Transfer the banks and vendors public key for encryption purposes. There can be two keys generated for the vendor; one for storage and one for data transmission. The client files/folders are installed on the phone and not in the memory card. The files and folders should be restricted from being transferred to a memory card or pc/laptop. The access to these files should only be through the executable and not directly. The installer should be removed after installation. Application should not allow auto-complete feature. Threats observed during transactions Observation: Based on the services provided to the customer the following threats can be observed: An adversary can sniff the contents of transaction and obtain confidential information. An adversary can bypass authentication controls. An adversary can make bogus shopping or purchase transactions for another valid customer. An adversary can view the account details of another user. An adversary can modify the from account and amount field during a fund transfer process. An adversary can predict the session id and perform transactions as a valid user. An adversary can access a valid account using an active session which has not been terminated after a long time of inactivity. An adversary can login using his credentials and view/modify the details of another valid customer. Illegal/Invalid transactions can be performed without continuous authentication process for each transaction. Ideal scenario An adversary can sniff the contents of transaction and obtain confidential information. All transactions should be through a secured connection. Data transmitted between the client application and the vendor server should be through HTTPS or another secured channel and also encrypted through the vendors transport public key. The data flowing back from vendor sever to the client should be through HTTPS or a secured channel. The data flowing between the vendor server and bank server should be through HTTPS. Also the customer details, which are not required by the vendor, should be encrypted using the banks public key. The return should be through HTTPS. Any data flowing between bank/vendor to other third parties or merchants like for mobile shopping should be through a secured payment gateway. An adversary can bypass authentication controls, Illegal/Invalid transactions can be performed without continuous authentication process for each transaction and view the account details of another user. Each transaction or operation should be authenticated either using a single layer or a dual layer. The vendor side application should authenticate the customer using the PIN for non-critical operations. Validation checks should be in place to ensure that this authentication control is not bypassed. For critical transactions, there can be dual authentication mechanism, one using the PIN at the vendor and other using the Internet banking ID at the bank side. Validation checks should be in place to ensure that this authentication control is not bypassed. An adversary can make bogus shopping or purchase transactions for another valid customer. An adversary can modify the from account and amount field during a fund transfer process. For example, in a fund transfer operation the bank should ask for the Internet banking credentials from the customer for authentication and verification. Also checks need to be in place to ensure that the from account field cannot be modified or the amount field is not negative. An adversary can predict the session id and perform transactions as a valid user. For example, an adversary can access a valid account using an active session which has not been terminated after a long time of inactivity and login using his credentials and view/modify the details of another valid customer.In mobile shopping operation, the payment should be through a secured payment gateway. Ideally, the vendor should not store the details of the shopping done by the customer. In case the vendor performs the payment for the customer for his/her purchases, then only the details need to be stored at the vendor. Then the customer authorizes the bank to transfer the amount to the vendors account for making the payment to the merchant for his/her item. Having a good session management mechanism ensures that attackers dont use a valid session id for login purposes. Also the application should ensure that users are not able to change the data and view another customers details. Other possible threats: An adversary can upload malicious files to the server/application. Ideally, a mobile banking scenario would not require a customer to upload files to the server. Hence the same can be disabled for customers. An adversary can obtain the confidential customer data and source code from the server. All customer data and application source code at the vendor server should be protected not only from the outside attackers, but from internal users/developers also. Malicious activities are undetected. Audit trails and logging need to be maintained for the application which mentions the customer name, bank details and transaction performed with time and date for future reference. An adversary can obtain the details of the server or error messages provide information for the adversary to perform specific attacks. The application should ensure no messages are provided to the outside world which would reveal information about the system. An adversary can obtain the vendor private key from the server to perform man-in-the-middle attacks. The private keys should be stored securely and access should only be given to the application to use the keys during any kind of operations. Security Technology This part of my report focuses on the network technologies, which are relevant to a secure M-commerce system. The security itself focuses on three aspects, studied in the IST SHAMAN project: M-commerce network security, Transport layer security and Service security. The IST SHAMAN has studied the security architecture of current and potential future mobile systems. Here, they are discussed: M-commerce Network Security GSM (General System for Mobile Communication): established in the early 1990s, the GSM is the first generation mobile phones and major device for M-commerce. The devices presented strong limitations with respect to their capabilities other than telephony. In term of data service, the dial-in data sessions over circuit switched connections were possible but relatively slow, at 9, 6 Kbits/s and required a separate device such a computer, which reduced its mobility. As the GSM core network extended, a number of data services where established such as: The Short Message Service (SMS) The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) allowing internet access The High Speed Circuit Switched Data (HSCSD) providing higher data rates The General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) extends GSM with packet oriented services The figure, below shows an architecture of GSM, including GPRS, IN (Intelligent Network) and SMS. Figure 2: GSM Architecture What is the scenario in this architecture and what does the GSM provides as security features? The mobile station communicates over the wireless interface with a base transceiver station (BTS) which is part of a base station subsystem (BSS). The base station controller (BSC) is connected with a MSC (Mobile Switching Centre) and a SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node). The latter two are the central switching components for circuit and packet switched data. When a customer subscribes, the GSM home network assigns the mobile station a unique identifier, the international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), and an authentication key Ki. The IMSI and the secret authentication key Ki of the mobile station (MS) are stored in the SIM (subscriber identity module), which is assumed to be tamper proof. On the network side, the IMSI, Ki and other information are stored in the HLR (Home Location Register) and AuC (Authentication Centre). GSM provides the following security features for the link between the mobile station and the network: †¢ IMSI confidentiality †¢ IMSI authentication †¢ User data confidentiality on physical connections †¢ Connectionless user data confidentiality †¢ Signaling information element confidentiality In general, the security architecture of GSM, presents basic security mechanisms for M-commerce systems. The authentication towards the network, from a mobile customer is based on a secret ki that will derive to a symmetric key, used to encrypt the link between the mobile station and the BTS. The secret key ki is never sent over the network. From there, we can say that GSM presents two weaknesses, Authentication and Encryption as it is optional. UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System): the security architecture of UMTS is designed to fix the security weaknesses of GMS. In UMTS, authentication is mutual, and encryption is mandatory unless the mobile station and the network agree on an unciphered connection. In addition, integrity protection is always mandatory and protects against replay or modification of signaling messages. UMTS introduces new cipher algorithms and longer encryption keys. Thus, UMTS doesnt seem to have any security weaknesses. The architecture of this technology is depicted below: Figure 3  : UTRAN system WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network): The IEEE standard 802.11 specifies families of WLANs which operate in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz band. The standards specify the physical layer (PHY) and the medium access control layer (MAC). When operated in the infrastructure mode, the mobile station attaches to an AP which provides connectivity to fixed net IP networks (e.g. the internet) or to other mobile stations. While, in the default mode, WLAN is not secured, this means: there is a possibility of an eavesdrop attack. In order to provide a measure of security, the IEEE and IETF, have defined the WEP (Wireless Equivalent Privacy) and the VPN (Virtual Privacy Network). WEP was designed to provide: Authentication to protect the association to an AP Integrity protection on MAC frames Confidentiality on MAC frames In comparison to other network technologies, the WEP is insecure. Based on its secret key, that serves as input for the RC4 stream cipher, the authentication and integrity protection is completely insecure and encryption at least partly insecure. There is a possibility for an attacker to intercept a single successful authentication transaction between a mobile station and the AP and be able to authenticate without knowing the secret keys. Furthermore, since a CRC checksum is used for integrity protection, an attacker can modify the data and adapt the checksum accordingly. For example, if the position of commercially sensitive information (e.g. an amount) within a datagram is known, the corresponding bits can be ex-ored with any value. With a large number of intercepted frames, the WEP keys can even be recovered, breaking the encryption. Furthermore, since the WEP keys are network keys, preserving their secrecy is difficult for private networks and impossible for public WLAN hotspots. In recent work of the IEEE Task group on security (TgI), the new security standard IEEE 802.1X has been adopted. 802.1X is a framework for authentication and key management which employs the Extensible Authentication Protocol for a variety of authentication mechanisms, e.g. certificate based TLS. But the weaknesses of WEP cannot be remedied by the new authentication and key management schemes in 802.1X. The IEEE is currently working towards a new standard (WEP2), and a number of proposals are in circulation. VPN: the technology is employ to particular IPsec, in order to establish network layer security. The IPsec protocol (or more specifically the ESP Tunnel protocol) is an internet s

Philosophy of Education :: Philosophy of Teaching Statement

Philosophy of Education I fell in love with learning when I was only a small child. With the support and encouragement of my parents, I have come to know the value of education and have a desire to instill this same sense of structure in students I will come in contact with. For this reason, and a few others, I decided to become a teacher. Ever since I was a younger I loved the idea of school and was eager to get started. All throughout my life I have had a passion for learning and always knew that I was meant to teach. The first time I truly realized that I was born to teach was when I taught my smaller cousins before they started kindergarten. I was ten years old and my cousins would soon start school. I started working with them four months before they enrolled. By the time school started they knew how to count to ten, write their names, and say their ABC’s. When I think back I realize I was proud of myself. However, I can remember at the time only being proud of them. I think one of the most important concepts of teaching is letting the children know they are the ones that have accomplished a goal. I feel that the purpose of education is to instill a basic sense of knowledge in those who want it. I do not think education is something that should be forced, but I would highly recommend the entire education process. However, I do not feel that education is meant for everyone. I feel that people are born with an inner desire to learn. Gradually, those people turn that desire into a lifelong career. I hope to encourage my students to try their best and be content with their abilities. I do not believe that all children are able to reach the same academic level but I do feel that each individual child has his/her own way of understanding things that will make sense to him/her. I hope to emphasize the variation of the ways to learn in my classroom. Different ways of learning include, but are not limited to, the following: visually, verbally, and kinesthetically.

A Comparison of On the Road and Crying of Lot 49 Essay -- comparison c

In both Jack Kerouac’s, On the Road, and Thomas Pynchon’s Crying of Lot 49 the characters act in a deviant manner outside of social norms. This in turn leads to a deviant sub-cultural group which competes with the institutionalized authorities for power. Deviance in both novels is usually defined as a certain type of behaviour, such as an inebriated professor babbling on in a lecture hall filled with students or a group of teenagers frolicking naked in a city park on a hot and sunny afternoon. However, deviance can also encompass both ideas and attributes (Sagarin, 1975). The primary understanding of deviance rests in the reactions of observers, something becomes deviant because an individual, group or society takes offense and reacts negatively (Cohen, 1966, Lofland, 1969). These negative reactions occur because onlookers interpret what they see and hear as being bad, insane, strange, immoral, non-conforming, or wrong. Negative responses do more than define deviance; t hey serve as mechanisms of social control and power. In examining these novels from a sociological perspective, both Kerouac and Pynchon examine conflicts between mainstream society and sub-cultural groups. The deviant behaviour, thoughts, and attributes observed from the characters within the novels provide a strong argument for Austin Turk’s conflict theory of deviance, which examines power and cultural conflict as a basis for deviant behaviour. To begin, Austin Turk’s conflict theory of crime divides society into two groups: those with power "the authorities" and those without power "the subjects". In Pynchon’s novel The Crying Of Lot 49, this is realized by contrasting Pierce Inverarity, a California real estate mogul to those of low social economic class... ...sh-Catholic background, and his resemblance to a Fitzgerald hero, with a tragic death and foul dust floating in the wake of his dreams (153).    However, both of the novels express those subjects living by values beyond the social norms as having some power to change societal norms. By examining Turk’s theory of conflict between authorities and subjects, it becomes apparent the deviant behaviour observed from the characters in both novels is an influencing method of power to alter cultural and societal norms.      WORKS CITED Dugdale, John. Thomas Pynchon: Allusive Parables of Power. New York: St.Martin, 1990 Gomme, Ian McDermid. The Shadow Line: Deviance and Crime in Canada. Toronto: HBJ 1993. Kerouac, Jack. On The Road. New York: Penguin books, 1955 Pynchon, Thomas. The Crying Of Lot 49. New York: Harper & Row, 1966   

Explain the way in which Duffy presents the strengths and limitations E

Explain the way in which Duffy presents the strengths and limitations of language in two poems. When drawing from both 'Warming Her Pearls' and 'Selling Manhattan' , it is evident that Carol Anne Duffy maintains a certain avant-garde approach to the vast array of possibilities that language presents. She acutely exposes the ambiguity that language holds in its meanings, presenting the reader with endless connotations to consider. Duffy also draws attention to its inability to fully express the extent of human emotions. Both of the above stated poems focus on societal and cultural stratification, with Duffy's use of language carefully designed to emphasise the distance between different social groups. 'Selling Manhattan' being a dramatic monologue, articulates the thoughts of the Dutch settler, Peter Minuit, who is reputed to have bought Manhattan from the North American Indians, for twenty-four dollars worth of glass beads, in 1626. A strong division and contrast exists when this is compared to the feelings of an indigenous North American Indian. Duffy uses language to demonstrate this contrast. In Minuit's glee, he states 'I got myself a bargain'. This heavily exhibits his rapacious attitude and his inability to consider the cost to others that his actions create. The value that he places on money is also shown. This is a key theme to the entire section, also entitled 'Selling Manhattan', with Duffy fiercely criticising the capitalist attitude to economics. Duffy's use of language with the words 'I ' and 'myself' in Minuit's stanza draws attention to just how self absorbed the Dutchman really is. When the reader is first introduced to the Indian a comparison is automatically made. The first line i... ...uses on intimate detail. It could also however be interpreted as being the result of an obscene and abnormal obsession. When considering that this poem is not based upon a modern society, holding modern values that are now far more accepting towards homosexuality, the ambiguity in the depth of this line creates a hindrance to any sympathy that a reader may feel. A reader may take on a similar attitude to that which is evident in the society that 'Warming Her Pearls' describes, perceiving an iniquitous abnormality. Additionally, as this possibility exists that her seeming love is in fact an obsession, the reader has no choice but to question their belief in her affections. The influence and energy of this poem is therefore abridged by this ambiguity, due to the lack of absolute meaning in language, as illustrated by the French philosopher, Jacques Derrida.

A successful family life prepares one for lasting friendships Essay

The family is the basic unit in a society. It is vital in shaping the future of an individual because it is the support system that holds the individual on to. The family is the first teachers in the life of a child. This is where the child is honed with its character, values and beliefs in life. They are the inspiration to any endeavour of an individual (buzzle. com). On the other hand, friends too are as important as the family. They are the support which most hold dear onto. They can be included as part of the family because they are regarded as close to everyone. Creating or making friends with anyone is a fruit of the family values which was incurred over time. This was not an inborn character of anyone but was learned through the teachings of the family and the character that is shown by the parents to their children. Making friends is not also an easy task. You have the option to choose whom do you want to make friends with. Friends do things together. They are friends because they saw in each other the values they look for in a person. This is not an easy task though. But more than friends it will entail a lot. Friendship requires trust, loyalty, having common interest and believing that no matter what happens they will be there for each other for the rest of their lives. This is difficult, yes, but it is true also that this should be taken into account by anyone who is serious with keeping friends for life (Ellison, C. 1990, p 298). A lot has been written about the issue on family and friendships but never delve deeper into it. In one of the topics that should be taken is that a successful family life prepares one for lasting friendships. I will be listing the reasons why still the family is vital factor in changing someone’s values, character and beliefs, their interaction with other people Family, as what I have mentioned earlier, is the shaper of the future of a child. Parents in particular teach their child to be more interactive. From the time they are born into this world they are taught how to make friends with other kids. One of the activities that are done is activities that require get-together of the neighbourhood kids. Even before they are born they are friends already because their moms or their dads are friends. This is how they start the friendship of the kids (Ellison, C. 1990, 299-300). In a happy family life, friendship is started among the siblings. They show to the kids that they are treated the same. They are treated fairly whatever happens because the parents want to show to their kids that they are unique and possess unique characters. They are taught how to share with their other siblings. They always inculcate in the minds of the children that they need people; they need friends in the long run. It is often said that it is okay to be alone sometimes but it is not okay to be lonely that is why maybe friends are created (Ellison, C. 1990, 302). The family prepares an individual how to deal life’s challenges in the long run. In the family, they are taught with chores where their patience, trust and loyalty will be tested. This may not be known to the kids but their parents are shaping them to be a better person as they go out to the world where there are many challenges they will encounter (Ellison, C. 1990, p 305-306). The family builds the self-esteem of a child. Making them unique in any way is very important in boosting the self-esteem and confidence of a child. Weighing things whenever they make mistake is very important in building their self-esteem especially when they are asked to explain things why they did those things. Through this they will be given the chance to explain and discuss what they want their parents know. This will build also the confidence to any child to open up to their parents not thinking of getting scolded by the parents (Franco, N. Levitt, MJ. 1998 p. 315). For a friendship to lasts, trust and loyalty are important factors in making friendship work. These also are shaped in the family as well. The family builds trust to a child when they also trust their kids that they can do anything. It is the conviction of the parents to build this character because it is very important to any interaction outside the family (Franco, N. Levitt, MJ. 1998 p. 315). Friendship is also defined as the â€Å"habitual way of relating to a person. † Being friends and making friends is a mutual feeling between two people or among people. It is said that friends do not come as a surprise but they are chosen as friends (Franco, N. Levitt, MJ. 1998 p. 316). Although it is has been said that the family shapes the character of a person and how they interact with their peers but it is argued that it is the kids or the people who chooses whom they be friends at. According to C. S. Lewis building friendships is not about mutual interests but being interested with one another. This is difficult though but can be a learning experience to anyone who wants to build long lasting friendships (Franco, N. Levitt, MJ. 1998, p. 317). In a family children are taught with responsibility. In friendships it requires responsibility and expectation. This is common to any friendship but it is difficult to build. If the child or the teenager is taught within the family they will bring it as soon as they get out of their homes and especially their comfort zones (Franco, N. Levitt, MJ. 1998, p. 317). Friendship also requires a lot of expectations. It may not be as difficult as entering into a marriage but it is like entering into a relationship for the first time. People have been talking about friendship since time immemorial but a lot of writers such as Aristotle, Cicero, and Augustine tried to debunk the issue that to have a successful friendship should also entail a successful family life. According to these writers, character and virtue is as important as what is developed inside the homes where families teach to their kids. They argue that you don’t have to be a good man or good woman to be a good cook which means that the character is shaped because of what they are in the society. As much as the same with friendship you don’t have to be a good man to be a good friend (Franco, N. Levitt, MJ. 1998, p. 317). People like Aristotle, Cicero, and Augustine believed that character strength was essential to friendship – so much so that, as they saw it, one cannot truly be a friend without it. C. S. Lewis, on the other hand, thought virtue was irrelevant to friendship. As he saw it, friendship â€Å"makes good men better – and bad men worse. † (Franco, N. Levitt, MJ. 1998, p. 318) A lot of things can happen when someone commits to be a friend to someone. Making friends is a responsibility to one another such as longer interactions compared to just friends they just met in a club or a meeting. Naturally, closer friends leading to a closer friendship assume more responsibility for one another than do those who are merely casual friends. Besides assuming responsibility for one another, we also begin to have expectations of one another. If I tell my friend something in confidence, I have the expectation that he or she won’t reveal my secrets to others. That’s just one example of the expectations we have of friends. One can easily think of others (Franco, N. Levitt, MJ. 1998, p. 319-321). In addition to that, as to what have been said by C. S Lewis, making friends is not about carrying the character that should be in a person and sharing it but sharing the common interest they have and giving out what they can to other person. Activities where they share the same interest can build a deeper relationship thus creating a long lasting friendship. This is what they want to teach that friendships are gained not learned (Halfacre, F. P. D. 1997). This is true to some but still I want to emphasise that characters and virtues that are honed within the family is still the best in building friendships outside the world. Children cannot teach their children to choose their friends but they teach them how to interact with their playmates. They teach the kids how to enjoy life without hurting their playmates rather helping their playmates understand the value of life and later as they age they will pass it to their children and grandchildren. Parents do not let the kids choose their friends but they teach them to understand that having friends should be mutual. Mutual interests, activities and works can lead to better relationships which in a way building relationship within one’s self (Halfacre, F. P. D. 1997). Conclusion Friends can be anyone. They can be the neighbours around. They can be the co-workers, playmates, common friends and acquaintances but building a long lasting friendship is difficult. It requires time and understanding. Through time, building a long lasting friendship is also a process because it entails passion with the person. Passion means knowing the person fully and wholly and knowing the interests, likes, dislikes and among other things that can lead to better relationship. Friendships are better when it is shared with someone who has the same passion as what you wanted it to be. References Ellison, C. 1990. Family Ties, Friendships, and Subjective Well-Being among Black Americans Journal of Marriage and the Family, Vol. 52, No. 2 pp. 298-310. Franco, N. Levitt, MJ. 1998. The Social Ecology of Middle Childhood: Family Support, Friendship Quality, and Self-Esteem. Family Relations, vol. 47 number 4, pp315-321 Buzzle. com. Intelligent life on the web. Available at http://www. buzzle. com/chapters/home-and-lifestyle_friendships-and-familial-relationships. asp Halfacre, F. P. D. 1997. Genuine Friendship. Available at http://www. genuinefriendship. com/

Genetically Modified Food: Pros and Cons Essay

A few years ago, I was invited to give a talk at the English Salon, a weekly seminar series sponsored by the YWCA Language School in Nagoya, Japan. My topic was genetically modified (GM) food and my stance was distinctly supportive. (Don’t start throwing the rotten tomatoes now! ) Despite my hour-and-a-half long presentation, I was unable to convince most of the audience that GM foods were safe to eat and had many environmental benefits as well. GM food seems relatively benign if it’s the result of cross-breeding two organisms of the same species, such as crossing strawberry plants with a deeper red color with those that have larger fruit. The type of genetic modification that causes the greatest ire amongst consumers and activists, however, is when genes from two totally unrelated organisms are combined. For example, â€Å"Roundup Ready† soybean crops have been genetically engineered to carry a gene from a bacteria that is resistant to Roundup, a weed killer. When Roundup is sprayed on these crops, every plant in the vicinity dies except the soybeans. Sounds frightening and unnatural, but consider the positive effects genetically modified crops would have on health, farming methods, and the environment. Current and future GM products include: †¢Food that can deliver vaccines – bananas that produce hepatitis B vaccine †¢More nutritious foods – rice with increased iron and vitamins †¢Faster growing fish, fruit and nut trees †¢Plants producing new plastics Jonathan Rauch wrote in The Atlantic Monthly, Recall that world food output will need to at least double and possibly triple over the next several decades. Even if production could be increased that much using conventional technology, which is doubtful, the required amounts of pesticide and fertilizer and other polluting chemicals would be immense. If properly developed, disseminated, and used, genetically modified crops might well be the best hope the planet has got. The Human Genome Project summarizes the controversies surrounding GM foods: †¢Potential human health impact: allergens, transfer of antibiotic resistance markers, unknown effects †¢Potential environmental impact: unintended transfer of transgenes through cross-pollination, unknown effects on other organisms (e.g. , soil microbes), and loss of flora and fauna biodiversity. †¢Domination of world food production by a few companies †¢Increasing dependence on Industralized nations by developing countries †¢Biopiracy – foreign exploitation of natural resources †¢Violation of natural organisms’ intrinsic values †¢Tampering with nature by mixing genes among species †¢Objections to consuming animal genes in plants and vice versa †¢Stress for animal †¢Labeling not mandatory in some countries (e. g., United States). †¢Mixing GM crops with non-GM confounds labeling attempts †¢New advances may be skewed to interests of rich countries There’s no doubt that the GM food supply should be closely monitored and regulated, but that doesn’t mean it should all be banned. I believe that genetic engineering of plants, animals, and humans has much to offer as long as we are aware of potential benefits and side effects. And that’s true even for more traditional methods of farming, animal husbandry, and medicine.