Botnet cluster identification

Botnets are a group of computers infected with a specific sub-set of a malware family and controlled by one individual, called botmaster. This kind of networks are used not only, but also for virtual extorsion, spam campaigns and identity theft. They implement different types of evasion techniques that make it harder for one to group and detect botnet traffic. This thesis introduces one methodology, called CONDENSER, that outputs clusters through a self-organizing map and that identify domain names generated by an unknown pseudo-random seed that is known by the botnet herder(s). Aditionally DNS Crawler is proposed, this system saves historic DNS data for fast-flux and double fastflux detection, and is used to identify live C&Cs IPs used by real botnets. A program, called CHEWER, was developed to automate the calculation of the SVM parameters and features that better perform against the available domain names associated with DGAs. CONDENSER and DNS Crawler were developed with scalability in mind so the detection of fast-flux and double fast-flux networks become faster. We used a SVM for the DGA classififer, selecting a total of 11 attributes and achieving a Precision of 77,9% and a F-Measure of 83,2%. The feature selection method identified the 3 most significant attributes of the total set of attributes. For clustering, a Self-Organizing Map was used on a total of 81 attributes. The conclusions of this thesis were accepted in Botconf through a submited article. Botconf is known conferênce for research, mitigation and discovery of botnets tailled for the industry, where is presented current work and research. This conference is known for having security and anti-virus companies, law enforcement agencies and researchers.

PCR-RFLP of 16S ribosomal DNA to confirm the identification of Enterococcus gallinarum and Enterococcus casseliflavus isolated from clinical and food samples

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to confirm the identification of Enterococcus gallinarum and Enterococcus casseliflavus isolated from clinical and food samples by PCR-RFLP. METHODS: Fifty-two strains identified by conventional biochemical exams were submitted to PCR amplification and digested with HinfI. Only 20 (38.5%) of the 52 strains showed a DNA pattern expected for E. gallinarum and E. casseliflavus. RESULTS: Analysis of the results of this study showed that E. gallinarum and E. casseliflavus are occasionally erroneously identified and confirmed the potential application of 16S rDNA analysis for accurate identification of these species. CONCLUSIONS: A correct identification is important to distinguish between intrinsic and acquired vancomycin resistance.

Injuries and envenoming by aquatic animals in fishermen of Coxim and Corumbá municipalities, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil: identification of the causative agents, clinical aspects and first aid measures

INTRODUCTION: The fishes of continental Brazil have socioeconomic importance due to their potential for sport fishing and commercial and subsistence uses, as seen in the Upper Paraguay River Basin, particularly in the municipalities of the Pantanal region, where it is the second largest economic activity. Injuries caused in professional fishermen are common and poorly studied, as in other regions of the country. METHODS: Data were obtained from questionnaires and interviews with 100 professional fishermen, 50 in each municipality, between December 2008 and October 2009. RESULTS: All the fishermen reported some kind of injury caused by fish stings (78% of injuries) and fish, alligator and snake bites (22%) on the hands (46% of cases) and feet (35% of cases). Most of the patients had mild symptoms. The most severe cases were associated with secondary bacterial infections and required specific treatment and prolonged recovery associated with social and economic losses. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that the stressful work conditions, inattention to basic preventive measures and carelessness were factors that contributed to accidents and that the toxicity and ability to inflict mechanical trauma of some aquatic species, plus the ineffective use of first aid and hospital treatment, contributed to the high morbidity and complications in many cases. Data from this study are relevant to the fishing communities of the Pantanal region, since they reveal high rates of accidents, lack of knowledge concerning first aid, initial treatment, injury prevention and lack of medical follow-up of the population.

Online consumer behavior: The tablet shopper – A new kind of customer?

Tablet computers are on the rise and are increasingly superseding stationary computers in terms of modern online shopping. This paper therefore aims on understanding how tablet and website characteristics might impact online consumer behavior. The collected data resulted from focus groups and in-depth interviews conducted with a technology affine audience. It has shown that tablets indeed may have shifted shopping behavior from utilitarian towards rather recreational attributes. Discussions also revealed high customer expectations towards visited shopping websites and prevailing deficits. Thus, harnessing the concept of experiential flow is crucial. Compelling experiences are required to increase the duration of stay and consequently the likelihood of increased purchases.

Being ahead of its time the consumer resistance phenomenon: A comparative case study research

Double Degree.

Consumer perception of CSR in Portugal: The aftermath of the financial crisis

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) literature has largely neglected consumers’ perceptions in the debate regarding the role of CSR in the aftermath of the financial crisis. In that context, this study aims to test the possibility that consumers’ perceptions of CSR level, firm reputation and brand trust, might depend on the type of industry sector of a firm, the level of fit of an initiative or both. By conducting a survey on Portuguese consumers and running a two-way analysis of variance, it suggests that solely the type of industry sector has an effect on consumer perception and that consumers are less tolerable of controversial industries.

How to monitor and improve Unilever JM Supply Chain processes to become the best of Portugal’s sector in 2015?

Unilever Jerónimo Martins is a Portuguese joint-venture leading firm in what concerns the supply chain industry of fast-moving consumer goods in Portugal. The scope of analysis of this Work Project is focusing on Unilever-JM operations and services in the Portuguese market regarding quality, efficiency and effectiveness over B2B customers. It will be analysed the possibility of development and implementation of a performance measurement system, Tableau de Bord, which will be crucial for the identification of potential opportunities of improvement with impact in the supply chain processes. This will be completed through the establishment of KPI’s to monitor and manage periodically logistics, planning and customer service processes’ performance, which are the ones where the bottlenecks are impacting more in the supply chain. In this work project the nexus causality for the problems will also be discussed and some recommendations will be prepared to tackle the inefficiencies found through the monitoring of the previous core processes, in order to improve efficacy and quality service of the supply chain.

White piedra: molecular identification of Trichosporon inkin in members of the same family

INTRODUCTION: White piedra is a superficial mycosis caused by the genus Trichosporon and characterized by nodules on hair shaft. METHODS: The authors report a family referred to as pediculosis. Mycological culture on Mycosel® plus molecular identification was performed to precisely identify the etiology. RESULTS: A Trichosporon spp. infection was revealed. The molecular procedure identified the agent as Trichosporon inkin. CONCLUSIONS: White piedra and infection caused by T. inkin are rarely reported in Southern Brazil. The molecular tools are essentials on identifying the Trichosporon species.

PV systems linked to the grid: parameter identification with a heuristic procedure

This paper focuses on a PV system linked to the electric grid by power electronic converters, identification of the five parameters modeling for photovoltaic systems and the assessment of the shading effect. Normally, the technical information for photovoltaic panels is too restricted to identify the five parameters. An undemanding heuristic method is used to find the five parameters for photovoltaic systems, requiring only the open circuit, maximum power, and short circuit data. The I–V and the P–V curves for a monocrystalline, polycrystalline and amorphous photovoltaic systems are computed from the parameters identification and validated by comparison with experimental ones. Also, the I–V and the P–V curves under the effect of partial shading are obtained from those parameters. The modeling for the converters emulates the association of a DC–DC boost with a two-level power inverter in order to follow the performance of a testing commercial inverter employed on an experimental system.