title: Interactive system testing using interaction sequences

authors: Turner, Jessica Dawn

subjects: computer science

abstract: Interaction sequences (ISeqs) are an abstraction of interactive systems which allow us to inspect the interactive system behaviour. In this research, ISeqs are used to support interactive system testing. In interactive system testing the components of an interactive system, the functional and the interactive, are often tested separately. However, errors can still occur when these components overlap. Therefore, we must investigate ways to test this overlap as part of a more comprehensive testing approach. ISeqs provide a clear view of this overlap, which we use to inform a model-based testing approach. By testing not only the functional and interactive components of a system, but also this overlap, ISeqs provide us with a way to better cover the interactive system state space, improving system reliability and safety.

text: Interactive system testing using interaction sequences Interaction sequences (ISeqs) are an abstraction of interactive systems which allow us to inspect the interactive system behaviour. In this research, ISeqs are used to support interactive system testing. In interactive system testing the components of an interactive system, the functional and the interactive, are often tested separately. However, errors can still occur when these components overlap. Therefore, we must investigate ways to test this overlap as part of a more comprehensive testing approach. ISeqs provide a clear view of this overlap, which we use to inform a model-based testing approach. By testing not only the functional and interactive components of a system, but also this overlap, ISeqs provide us with a way to better cover the interactive system state space, improving system reliability and safety.

year: 2018

title: Key factors in building a Secure Web Gateway

authors: Yeh, Jeffrey

subjects: Web proxy security

abstract: A Secure Web Gateway, according to Gartner’s definition, is a solution that provides URL filtering, malicious code detection and blocking, and application controls for cloud applications to filter out objectionable software/malware in outbound Internet traffic generated by end-user devices and has the capability to enforce corporate policy and regulatory compliance [1]. Its predecessor – Web proxy - has been around since the beginning of the Web and evolved to meet the needs of a fast changing Web ecosystem. Traditionally, Web proxy servers have been used to fulfil the following requirements: 1) Enable several machines to share a single Internet connection; 2) Improve Web performance and save bandwidth by caching repeatedly-accessed content locally; 3) Provide a basic URL filtering capability. However, these capabilities are no longer sufficient to meet the requirements of today’s Web ecosystem. Firstly, with the development of Network Address Translation in the late 1990s, the needs to use proxy servers to share an Internet connection has been superseded. Secondly, caching does not improve performance much for mobile clients, and mobile traffic volume has already exceeded that of desktop’s [2, 3]. Thirdly, a Web content filter based on using a URL database cannot keep up with the growth of Internet traffic [4]. In addition, it has become difficult to detect and stop threats such as Botnet and Advanced Persistent Threat [5] because of: 1) The polymorphic characteristics of the threats; 2) The increasing use of encryption on the Web; 3) The increase in threats targeting end-users - the weakest link; 4) The increasing need to use a variety of end-user devices from multiple locations such as the BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE (BYOD) policy requirement. Hence, there is an imminent need to evolve from the current Web proxy solution to a Secure Web Gateway solution. This research provides a categorisation of the key factors in building a Secure Web Gateway, proposes a reference design and architecture, a practical implementation for a home vDSL connection and finally, a testing framework that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of a Secure Web Gateway deployment.

text: Key factors in building a Secure Web Gateway A Secure Web Gateway, according to Gartner’s definition, is a solution that provides URL filtering, malicious code detection and blocking, and application controls for cloud applications to filter out objectionable software/malware in outbound Internet traffic generated by end-user devices and has the capability to enforce corporate policy and regulatory compliance [1]. Its predecessor – Web proxy - has been around since the beginning of the Web and evolved to meet the needs of a fast changing Web ecosystem. Traditionally, Web proxy servers have been used to fulfil the following requirements: 1) Enable several machines to share a single Internet connection; 2) Improve Web performance and save bandwidth by caching repeatedly-accessed content locally; 3) Provide a basic URL filtering capability. However, these capabilities are no longer sufficient to meet the requirements of today’s Web ecosystem. Firstly, with the development of Network Address Translation in the late 1990s, the needs to use proxy servers to share an Internet connection has been superseded. Secondly, caching does not improve performance much for mobile clients, and mobile traffic volume has already exceeded that of desktop’s [2, 3]. Thirdly, a Web content filter based on using a URL database cannot keep up with the growth of Internet traffic [4]. In addition, it has become difficult to detect and stop threats such as Botnet and Advanced Persistent Threat [5] because of: 1) The polymorphic characteristics of the threats; 2) The increasing use of encryption on the Web; 3) The increase in threats targeting end-users - the weakest link; 4) The increasing need to use a variety of end-user devices from multiple locations such as the BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE (BYOD) policy requirement. Hence, there is an imminent need to evolve from the current Web proxy solution to a Secure Web Gateway solution. This research provides a categorisation of the key factors in building a Secure Web Gateway, proposes a reference design and architecture, a practical implementation for a home vDSL connection and finally, a testing framework that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of a Secure Web Gateway deployment.

year: 2017

title: The first accurate and precise calendar dating of New Zealand Māori Pā, using Otāhau Pā as a case study.

authors: Hogg, Alan G.

subjects: Māori pā

abstract: This research investigates the potential of radiocarbon wiggle-match dating of palisade posts to provide precise and accurate calendar ages for Māori pā (forts), using Otāhau Pā in the inland Waikato region, New Zealand, as a case study. Even though pā are a dominant element of the pre-European North Island archaeological landscape, they are poorly understood archaeologically, with systematic investigations hampered by the relative lack of precision in radiocarbon dating within the context of New Zealand’s comparatively short prehistory. Using the Southern Hemisphere calibration curve SHCal13, we determine wiggle-match calibrated ages for three palisade posts, using different sampling resolutions to determine the cost- effectiveness of the method. We also test the accuracy of the wiggle-match by obtaining new Southern Hemisphere calibration data from known calendar-age kauri.

text: The first accurate and precise calendar dating of New Zealand Māori Pā, using Otāhau Pā as a case study. This research investigates the potential of radiocarbon wiggle-match dating of palisade posts to provide precise and accurate calendar ages for Māori pā (forts), using Otāhau Pā in the inland Waikato region, New Zealand, as a case study. Even though pā are a dominant element of the pre-European North Island archaeological landscape, they are poorly understood archaeologically, with systematic investigations hampered by the relative lack of precision in radiocarbon dating within the context of New Zealand’s comparatively short prehistory. Using the Southern Hemisphere calibration curve SHCal13, we determine wiggle-match calibrated ages for three palisade posts, using different sampling resolutions to determine the cost- effectiveness of the method. We also test the accuracy of the wiggle-match by obtaining new Southern Hemisphere calibration data from known calendar-age kauri.

year: 2017