Sistema de Informação Geográfica: uma arma estratégica para o Database Marketing

Os Sistemas de Informações Geográficas (SIG) tornaram-se disponíveis para uso em computadores de mesa, sendo extremamente adaptáveis para as atividades de marketing de relacionamento. Uma característica desses sistemas é que permitem uma análise de dados de forma praticamente inviável com outras ferramentas. A sua utilização depende da existência de mapas e dados possivelmente caros e difíceis de obter. No Brasil, seu uso vai popularizar-se nos próximos dois anos.

Chagas' disease and social security: a case-control study in an urban area, Goiás, Brazil

One hundred and twenty subjects with Chagas' cardiopathy and 120 non-infected subjects were randomly selected from first time claimants of sickness benefits in the National Institute of Social Security (INPS) in Goiás. Cases of Chagas' cardiopathy were defined based on serological test, history of residence in an endemic area and, clinical and/or electrocardiogram (ECG) alterations suggestive of Chagas' cardiomyopathy. Controls were defined as subjects with at least two negative serological tests. Case and controls were compared in the analysis for age, sex, place of birth, migration history, socio-economic level, occupation, physical exertion at work, age at affiliation and years of contribution to the social security scheme, clinical course of their disease and ECG abnormalities. Chagas' disease patients were younger than other subjects and predominantly of rural origin. Non-infected subjects presented a better socio-economic level, were performing more skilled activities and had less changes of job than cases. No important difference was observed in relation to age at affiliation to INPS. About 60% of cases have claimed for benefits within the first four years of contribution while among controls this proportion was 38.5%. Cases were involved, proportionally more than controls, in "heavy" activities. A risk of 2.3 (95%CL 1.5 - 4.6) and 1.8 (95%CL 1.2- 3.5) was obtained comparing respectively "heavy" and "moderate" physical activity against "light". A relative risk of 8.5 (95%CL 4.9 - 14.8) associated with the presence of cardiopathy was estimated comparing the initial sample of seropositive subjects and controls. A high relative risk was observed in relation to right bundle branch block (RR = 37.1 95%CL = 8.8 - 155.6) and left anterior hemiblock (RR = 4.4, 95%CL = 2.1 - 9.1).

Biblioteca para a realização de security token services

A família de especificações WS-* define um modelo de segurança para web services, baseado nos conceitos de claim, security token e Security Token Service (STS). Neste modelo, a informação de segurança dos originadores de mensagens (identidade, privilégios, etc.) é representada através de conjuntos de claims, contidos dentro de security tokens. A emissão e obtenção destes security tokens, por parte dos originadores de mensagens, são realizadas através de protocolos legados ou através de serviços especiais, designados de Security Token Services, usando as operações e os protocolos definidos na especificação WS-Trust. O conceito de Security Token Service não é usado apenas no contexto dos web services. Propostas como o modelo dos Information Cards, aplicável no contexto de aplicações web, também utilizam este conceito. Os Security Token Services desempenham vários papéis, dependendo da informação presente no token emitido. São exemplos o papel de Identity Provider, quando os tokens emitidos contêm informação de identidade, ou o papel de Policy Decision Point, quando os tokens emitidos definem autorizações. Este documento descreve o projecto duma biblioteca software para a realização de Security Token Services, tal como definidos na norma WS-Trust, destinada à plataforma .NET 3.5. Propõem-se uma arquitectura flexível e extensível, de forma a suportar novas versões das normas e as diversas variantes que os Security Token Services possuem, nomeadamente: o tipo dos security token emitidos e das claims neles contidas, a inferência das claims e os métodos de autenticação das entidades requerentes. Apresentam-se aspectos de implementação desta arquitectura, nomeadamente a integração com a plataforma WCF, a sua extensibilidade e o suporte a modelos e sistemas externos à norma. Finalmente, descrevem-se as plataformas de teste implementadas para a validação da biblioteca realizada e os módulos de extensão da biblioteca para: suporte do modelo associado aos Information Cards, do modelo OpenID e para a integração com o Authorization Manager.

Improving Remote Voting Security with Code Voting

One of the major problems that prevents the spread of elections with the possibility of remote voting over electronic networks, also called Internet Voting, is the use of unreliable client platforms, such as the voter's computer and the Internet infrastructure connecting it to the election server. A computer connected to the Internet is exposed to viruses, worms, Trojans, spyware, malware and other threats that can compromise the election's integrity. For instance, it is possible to write a virus that changes the voter's vote to a predetermined vote on election's day. Another possible attack is the creation of a fake election web site where the voter uses a malicious vote program on the web site that manipulates the voter's vote (phishing/pharming attack). Such attacks may not disturb the election protocol, therefore can remain undetected in the eyes of the election auditors. We propose the use of Code Voting to overcome insecurity of the client platform. Code Voting consists in creating a secure communication channel to communicate the voter's vote between the voter and a trusted component attached to the voter's computer. Consequently, no one controlling the voter's computer can change the his/her's vote. The trusted component can then process the vote according to a cryptographic voting protocol to enable cryptographic verification at the server's side.

Coordination between mid-term maintenance outage decisions and short-term security-constrained scheduling in smart distribution systems

Distribution systems are the first volunteers experiencing the benefits of smart grids. The smart grid concept impacts the internal legislation and standards in grid-connected and isolated distribution systems. Demand side management, the main feature of smart grids, acquires clear meaning in low voltage distribution systems. In these networks, various coordination procedures are required between domestic, commercial and industrial consumers, producers and the system operator. Obviously, the technical basis for bidirectional communication is the prerequisite of developing such a coordination procedure. The main coordination is required when the operator tries to dispatch the producers according to their own preferences without neglecting its inherent responsibility. Maintenance decisions are first determined by generating companies, and then the operator has to check and probably modify them for final approval. In this paper the generation scheduling from the viewpoint of a distribution system operator (DSO) is formulated. The traditional task of the DSO is securing network reliability and quality. The effectiveness of the proposed method is assessed by applying it to a 6-bus and 9-bus distribution system.

Contexts-management strategy in considering the security in urban computing based on urban design

Urban Computing (UrC) provides users with the situation-proper information by considering context of users, devices, and social and physical environment in urban life. With social network services, UrC makes it possible for people with common interests to organize a virtual-society through exchange of context information among them. In these cases, people and personal devices are vulnerable to fake and misleading context information which is transferred from unauthorized and unauthenticated servers by attackers. So called smart devices which run automatically on some context events are more vulnerable if they are not prepared for attacks. In this paper, we illustrate some UrC service scenarios, and show important context information, possible threats, protection method, and secure context management for people.

Gestão e monitorização de uma rede departamental: um caso de estudo

Mestrado em Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores

Embedded platform for ECG biometric recognition

Trabalho Final de Mestrado para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia de Electrónica e Telecomunicações

Dosimetria das exposições em imagiologia clínica

A importância da radiação ionizante na prática médica, nãoo só como diagnóstico mas também como terapia, ganhou, no último meio século, uma importância fulcral. Devido aos efeitos secundários da radiação ao ser humano, torna-se fundamental definir regras para aumentar a segurança de todos os seus utilizadores, surgindo assim a radioprotecção. Nesse sentido a Comunidade Europeia da Energia Atómica (EURATOM) define directrizes para os países membros da Comunidade Europeia de forma a poder orientá-los nesse processo. Torna-se assim importante registar e monitorizar os valores de dose de radiação num exame radiológico para o aumento de segurança dos pacientes e técnicos. O presente trabalho desenvolvido no âmbito da disciplina anual Dissertação/Projecto/ Estágio Profissional do Mestrado em Computação e Instrumentação Médica teve como objectivo registar esses valores através da comunicação com medidores de doses. A luz do dia-a-dia da Dr. Campos Costa - Consultório de Tomogra a Computarizada S.A, é apresentada nesta tese uma aplicação computacional capaz de obter os valores de dose de um estudo radiológico a um paciente e guardá-los numa base de dados projectada exclusivamente para esse fim. Os resultados obtidos são animadores uma vez que provam ser possível automatizar a monitorização desses valores através de aplicações com ferramentas capazes de auxiliar os responsáveis por essa monitorização em qualquer centro clínico.

A study on security grade assignment model for mobile users in urban computing

The relation between the information/knowledge expression and the physical expression can be involved as one of items for an ambient intelligent computing [2],[3]. Moreover, because there are so many contexts around user/spaces during a user movement, all appplcation which are using AmI for users are based on the relation between user devices and environments. In these situations, it is possible that the AmI may output the wrong result from unreliable contexts by attackers. Recently, establishing a server have been utilizes, so finding secure contexts and make contexts of higher security level for save communication have been given importance. Attackers try to put their devices on the expected path of all users in order to obtain users informationillegally or they may try to broadcast their SPAMS to users. This paper is an extensionof [11] which studies the Security Grade Assignment Model (SGAM) to set Cyber-Society Organization (CSO).

Demo: automatic personal identification system for security in critical services: a case study

The demonstration proposal moves from the capabilities of a wireless biometric badge [4], which integrates a localization and tracking service along with an automatic personal identification mechanism, to show how a full system architecture is devised to enable the control of physical accesses to restricted areas. The system leverages on the availability of a novel IEEE 802.15.4/Zigbee Cluster Tree network model, on enhanced security levels and on the respect of all the users' privacy issues.

Using a prioritized MAC protocol to execute the database operation join in networked embedded computer systems

Database query languages on relations (for example SQL) make it possible to join two relations. This operation is very common in desktop/server database systems but unfortunately query processing systems in networked embedded computer systems currently do not support this operation; specifically, the query processing systems TAG, TinyDB, Cougar do not support this. We show how a prioritized medium access control (MAC) protocol can be used to efficiently execute the database operation join for networked embedded computer systems where all computer nodes are in a single broadcast domain.

Efficient middleware for database replication

Dissertação de Mestrado em Engenharia Informática

A Logic and tool for local reasoning about security protocols

Trabalho apresentado no âmbito do Mestrado em Engenharia Informática, como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática