Lifeboat Foundation: Safeguarding Humanity
Toggle light / dark theme

Blog

Category: security

Circa 2017

The future Internet is very likely the mixture of all-optical Internet with low power consumption and quantum Internet with absolute security. The optical regular Internet would be used by default, but switched over to quantum Internet when sensitive data need to be transmitted. PT and and its counterpart in the quantum limit SPT would be the core components for both OIP and QIP in future Internet. Compared with electronic transistors, PTs/SPTs potentially have higher speed, lower power consumption and compatibility with fibre-optic communication systems.

Several schemes for PT6,7,8,9,10 and SPT11,12,13,14,15,16,17 have been proposed or even proof-of-principle demonstrated. All these prototypes exploit optical nonlinearities, i.e., photon-photon interactions18. However, photons do not interact with each other intrinsically, so indirect photon-photon interactions via electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT)19, photon blockade20 and Rydberg blockade21 were intensively investigated in this context over last two decades in either natural atoms22,23 or artificial atoms including superconducting boxes24,25 and semiconductor quantum dots (QDs)12,13. PT can seldom work in the quantum limit as SPT with the gain greater than 1 because of two big challenges, i.e., the difficulty to achieve the optical nonlinearities at single-photon levels and the distortion of single-photon pulse shape and inevitable noise produced by these nonlinearities26. The QD-cavity QED system is a promising solid-state platform for information and communication technology (ICT) due to their inherent scalability and matured semiconductor technology. But the photon blockade resulting from the anharmonicity of Jaynes-Cummings energy ladder27 is hard to achieve due to the small ratio of the QD-cavity coupling strength to the system dissipation rates12,13,28,29,30,31,32 and the strong QD saturation33. Moreover, the gain of this type of SPT based on the photon blockade is quite limited and only 2.2 is expected for In(Ga)As QDs12,13.

In this work, a different PT and SPT scheme exploiting photon-spin interactions rather than photon-photon interactions is proposed based on a linear quantum-optical effect — giant optical Faraday rotation (GFR) induced by a single QD-confined spin in a single-sided optical microcavity34. This spin-cavity transistor is genuinely a quantum transistor in three aspects: it is based on a quantum effect, i.e., the linear GFR; it has the duality as a quantum gate for QIP and a classical transistor for OIP; it can work in the quantum limit as a SPT to amplify a single-photon state to Schrödinger cat state. Therefore this new-concept transistor can be more powerful than the traditional electronic transistors. Theoretically the maximum gain can reach ~105 in the state-of-the-art pillar microcavity, several orders of magnitude greater than previous PT/SPT schemes6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17. The large gain is attributed to the linear GFR that is robust against classical and quantum fluctuations and the long spin coherence time compared with the cavity lifetime. The maximal speed which is determined by the cavity lifetime has the potential to break the terahertz (THz) barrier for electronic transistors35,36. Based on this versatile spin-cavity transistor, optical Internet1, quantum computers (QCs)37,38 (either spin-cavity hybrid QCs or all-optical QCs), and quantum Internet4 could become reality even with current semiconductor technology.

Read more | >

About five years ago, Areg Danagoulian, associate professor in the MIT Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering (NSE), became intrigued by a technique developed by researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory that uses a neutron beam to identify unknown materials.

“They could look into a black box containing uranium and say what kind and how much,” says Danagoulian, who directs MIT’s Laboratory of Applied Nuclear Physics (LANPh). “I was thinking about the problem of verifying in warheads, and it just dawned on me, this amazing technology could be applied to what we’re working on.”

But there was a problem: This method, called resonance transmission analysis (NRTA), requires an enormous, expensive apparatus, limiting its utility for the kind of on-site nuclear material applications Danagoulian and his research colleagues focus on. To leapfrog this obstacle, they determined to make NRTA technology portable.

Read more | >

Quantum computing began in the early 1980s. It operates on principles of quantum physics rather than the limitations of circuits and electricity which is why it is capable of processing highly complex mathematical problems so efficiently. Quantum computing could one day achieve things that classical computing simply cannot. The evolution of quantum computers has been slow, but things are accelerating, thanks to the efforts of academic institutions such as Oxford, MIT, and the University of Waterloo, as well as companies like IBM, Microsoft, Google, and Honeywell.

IBM has held a leadership role in this innovation push and has named optimization as the most likely application for consumers and organizations alike.

Honeywell expects to release what it calls the “world’s most powerful quantum computer” for applications like fraud detection, optimization for trading strategies, security, machine learning, and chemistry and materials science.

Read more | >

Typically abbreviated as TLS, Transport Layer Security uses strong encryption to prove that an end user is connected to an authentic server belonging to a specific service (such as Google or Bank of America) and not an impostor masquerading as that service. TLS also encrypts data as it travels between an end user and a server to ensure that people who can monitor the connection can’t read or tamper with the contents. With millions of servers relying on it, TLS is a cornerstone of online security.

In a research paper published on Wednesday, Brinkmann and seven other researchers investigated the feasibility of using what they call cross-protocol attacks to bypass TLS protections. The technique involves an MitM attacker redirecting cross-origin HTTP requests to servers that communicate over SMTP, IMAP, POP3, or FTP, or another communication protocol.

The main components of the attack are the client application used by the targeted end user, denoted as C; the server the target intended to visit, denoted as Sint; and the substitute server, a machine that connects using SMTP, FTP, or another protocol that’s different from the one serverint uses but with the same domain listed in its TLS certificate.

Read more | >

With the rise of the lithium-based battery, demand for this soft, silvery-white metal – the lightest solid element in the periodic table – has exploded. With the race to zero carbon by 2050 gathering steam, forcing the electrification of transport, lithium will be an even more valuable asset in the next 30 years.

The supply of raw materials for batteries could even end up being a national security issue, too; China’s global leadership on high-volume EV production has put it ahead of the game, and while the majority of ground-based lithium reserves are in the “lithium triangle” of Chile, Bolivia and Argentina, China controls more than half’s the world’s supply simply through investments and ownership. It has shown in the past that it’s not afraid to wield commodity supplies as a weapon.

But as with other metals like uranium, land-based lithium reserves pale in comparison to what’s out there in the sea. According to researchers at Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), there’s about 5000 times as much lithium in the oceans as there is in land deposits, and a newly developed technology could start extracting it cheaply enough to make the big time – while producing hydrogen gas, chorine gas and desalinated water as a bonus.

Read more | >

With 2700 locations across 10000 U.S. communities, YMCA is becoming a major hub for healthy living — From vaccinations and diabetes prevention programs, to healthy aging and wellness — Siva Balu, VP/Chief Information Officer — The Y of the U.S.A.

Mr. Siva Balu is Vice President and Chief Information Officer of YMCA of the U.S. (Y-USA), where he is working to rethink and reorganize the work of the organization’s information technology strategy to meet the changing needs of Y-USA and Ys throughout the country.

The YMCA is a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community by connecting all people to their potential, purpose and each other, with a focus on empowering young people, improving health and well-being and inspiring action in and across communities, and with presence in 10000 neighborhoods across the nation, they have real ability to deliver positive change.

Mr. Balu has 20 years of healthcare technology experience in leadership roles for Blue Cross Blue Shield, the nation’s largest health insurer, which provides healthcare to over 107 million members—1 in 3 Americans. He most recently led the Enterprise Information Technology team at the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), a national federation of Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies.

Mr. Balu was responsible for leading all aspects of IT, including architecture, application and product development, big data, business intelligence and data analytics, information security, project management, digital, infrastructure and operations. He has created several highly scalable innovative solutions that cater to the needs of members and patients throughout the country in all communities. He provided leadership in creating innovative solutions and adopting new technologies for national and international users.

Mr. Balu earned a bachelor’s degree in electronics and communication engineering from Bharathiar University in India, a master’s in business administration from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management and executive master’s degree from MIT-Sloan School of Management in Innovation, Strategy and Artificial Intelligence as well as additional certifications in Disruptive Strategy and Negotiation Mastery from Harvard Business School Online.

In his free time, Mr. Balu volunteers and contributes to several charities, including The Soondra Foundation (delivering healthcare to the working poor in India), Special Olympics, Chicago Food Depository, Sarah’s Inn, Challenged Athletes Foundation, Beyond Hunger, The Pack Shack, Cradles to Crayons and Gardeneers.

Mr. Balu has also developed a passion for long-distance running a few years ago starting with a 5k, and then to marathons and to running multiple ultra-marathons. He has run multiple 100-mile races. He recently ran what is referred to as ‘the worlds toughest foot race,’ Badwater 135-miler in Death Valley, and one of the coldest races, Tuscobia 160-miler.

Read more | >

## MATHEMATICS • MAY 24, 2021

# *Noise is commonly discarded, but identifying patterns in noise can be very useful.*

*Generalize the Hearst exponent by adding more coefficients in order to get a more complete description of the changing data. This makes it possible to find patterns in the data that are usually considered noise and were previously impossible to analyze.*

*The development of this mathematical apparatus can solve the issue of parameterisation and analysis of processes for which there is no exact mathematical description. This opens up enormous prospects in describing, analyzing and forecasting complex systems.*

*by moscow institute of physics and technology*

One of the metrics used in economics and natural sciences in time series analysis is the Hurst exponent. It suggests whether the trend present in the data will persist: for example, whether values will continue to increase, or whether growth will turn to decline. This assumption holds for many natural processes and is explained by the inertia of natural systems. For example, lake level change, which is consistent with predictions derived from analysis of the Hurst exponent value, is determined not only by the current amount of water, but also by evaporation rates, precipitation, snowmelt, etc. All of the above is a time-consuming process.

Thanks to folkstone design inc. & zoomers of the sunshine coast BC

**Relevant Stories**

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpEBFr960dwZqR-9HtCWIcQ

## ORIGINAL PAPER

Raoul Nigmatullin et al, **Generalized Hurst Hypothesis: Description of Time-Series in Communication Systems**, Mathematics (2021). DOI: 10.3390/math9040381

https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7390/9/4/381

#ComplexSystems #forecasting #Noise #GeneralizedHurstHypothesis.

A team of scientists from MIPT and Kazan National Research Technical University is developing a mathematical apparatus that could lead to a breakthrough in network security. The results of the work have been published in the journal Mathematics.

Complex systems, such as or living organisms, do not have deterministic physical laws to accurately describe them and predict future behavior. In this case, an important role is played by , which describes the behavior of the system in terms of sets of statistical parameters.

Such complex systems are described by trendless sequences, often defined as long-term time series or “noise”. They are fluctuations produced by a combination of different sources and are among the most difficult data to analyze and extract reliable, stable information.

Read more | >

Senior director, milken institute center for the future of aging, milken institute; executive director, alliance to improve dementia care.

Nora Super is the Senior Director of the Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging (CFA) (https://milkeninstitute.org/centers/center-for-the-future-of-aging) and the Executive Director of the Milken Institute Alliance to Improve Dementia Care (https://milkeninstitute.org/centers/center-for-the-future-of-aging/alliance-to-improve-dementia-care).

Mr. Super provides strategic direction for the two primary focus areas of CFA: Financial Wellness and Healthy Longevity, and oversees data-driven research, meaningful policy initiatives, and impactful convenings around the world.

Launched in 2020, the Alliance to Improve Dementia Care seeks to transform and improve the complex health and long-term care systems that people at risk for and living with dementia must navigate.

Ms. Super studied political science at Tulane University and completed her master’s degree in public administration, with a concentration in health policy, at George Washington University, and is a respected thought leader, frequent speaker, and prolific writer on healthy longevity and the economic and social impact of global population aging. In 2019, she authored two major reports: “Reducing the Cost and Risk of Dementia: Recommendations to Improve Brain Health and Decrease Disparities” and “Age-Forward Cities for 2030.”

Before joining the Milken Institute, Ms. Super held several key leadership roles in the public and private sectors. In 2014, President Barack Obama appointed Ms. Super Executive Director of the White House Conference on Aging, where she received wide recognition for her nationwide efforts to improve the lives of older Americans. In 2015, Ms. Super was recognized as one of America’s top 50 “Influencers in Aging” by PBS Next Avenue and was the Honoree for Outstanding Service to Medicare Beneficiaries by the Medicare Rights Center.

Ms. Super has also held leadership roles at the US Department of Health and Human Services, AARP, Kaiser Permanente, and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging.

Ms. Super serves on several boards, including the Long-Term Quality Alliance, the Brain Health Partnership Advisory Board, the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Advisory Committee on Improving Care Delivery for Individuals with Serious Illness, the Better Medicare Alliance Beneficiary Education Technical Advisory Council, the Brookings Institution and Kellogg School of Management Retirement Security Advisory Board, Columbia University Medical Center’s Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program Steering Committee, Retirement Income Institute’s Scholars Advisory Group, and Gerontological Society of America’s Policy and Aging Report Editorial Board and Reframing Aging Initiative Advisory Board.

Read more | >

Interest in such plush panic rooms is skyrocketing, he said. His firm started offering high-end shelters and the like a decade ago — of the 232 it’s built so far, 200 were commissioned in the last five years.

One $14 million panic-room project built in the San Jose Valley includes a bowling alley and indoor pool.

Read more | >

Despite the obvious benefits of contemporary cloud-based, mobile application development solutions—such as cloud storage, notification management, real-time databases, and analytics—many developers of these solutions fail to properly take into account the potential security risks involved when these apps are misconfigured.

Most recently, Check Point Research has discovered misconfigurations and implementation issues that have exposed the data of 100 million mobile application users. This kind of exposure places both the users as well as the at risk of reputation threats and security damage. In this instance, the developers left open notification managers, storage locations and real-time databases to access by attackers, thus leaving 100 million users vulnerable.

In terms of real-time databases, can help mobile app users sync their data to the cloud in real time. However, when developers do not correctly implement this service with authentication, any user can theoretically access that database, including all mobile customer data. In fact, researchers expressed surprise at facing no obstacles to accessing these open databases for certain apps on Google Play. Some of the aspects obtainable in this case were device locations, email addresses, passwords, private chats and user identifiers, among other attack vectors. Such vulnerabilities leave all of these users at risk for fraud and identity theft.

Read more | >