Publications | CCS-NSUK

The Cyberspace: Redefining A New World

Author(s): U. M. Mbanaso, PhDand E.S. Dandaura, PhD. | Published date: May, 2015

Abstract: The cyberspace  driven  by information  systems  and the  Internet  is  transforming  our  environment  in extraordinary  ways  by  enabling  economic  growth  and  providing  new  means  by  which  people  connect,  interact and collaborate with one another. The continuous evolution of components of information and communications technology  (ICT);  advances  in the underlying digital  components  (core  electronics)and  the  corresponding reduction  in  costs suggest  that  the Internet is increasingly becoming more  readily  available  and  accessible worldwide.  The  outcome  is  that  more  and  more  people  around  the globe  will  ultimately  rely  on the effective functioning of  the  Internet to survive and  prosper. This  suggests  an  unremitting upsurge  of the population  of cyber citizens globally.Most countries no longer take these emerging trends in the virtual world casually. Aside the  evolution of  digital  economy  driven  by the extensive  use  of  information  space  or  digital  knowledge, most countries are working hard to dominate the information space. As the industrial revolution bifurcated the world, so also is the level of exploitation of the vast opportunities on cyberspace bifurcating nation states. This is simply due  to  the  fact that traditional  activities  of  all  sorts  are increasingly shifting  to  this  new domain.Certainly, cyberspace  has  become  a  new focal  point for  innovations,  enterprises,  social  networking,  criminality and warfare.These  factors  are  reshaping  and  redefining  a  new  world.  Most  countries  that  have  recognized cyberspace as the fifth domain, have,equally elevated their perception of the domain as an abstract virtual space to  a  more  concrete  space with‘physical boundaries’. This  paper  explores  the  different  levels  at  which cyberspace is bringing benefits and risks to mankind, and the factors responsible for the widening gap between ‘developed’ and ‘developing’ nations.

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The Cyberspace and Intensification of Privacy Invasion

Author(s): U. Mbanaso, PhD and E.S. Dandaura, PhD | Published date: Apr, 2015

Abstract: The widespread adoption of cyberspace for exceptional socio-economic activities, especially as it is connecting populations around the globe in ways never foreseen is raising fresh security issues.What is fueling this embracement, is the pervasiveness of social media and innovative mobile computing devices.  This has not only  changed  our  ways  of  life,  but  also  blurs  the  lines  that  define  the  way  governments  run,  business  are conducted  as  well  as  the  way  we  use  and  share information. Yet,  these new  ways  of  services  and  interactions, are  raising new threats  in terms  of privacy,  integrity,confidentiality  and  trust.  Cyberspace transactions cut across national boundaries, in many cases,without any form of existing trust relationships of any sort. Again, the  explosion  in  mobile  computing  is  extending  the influence of  social  web;  the  manner in which content  is shared and accessed is now defining a symbol of new global status,affecting and merging the realm of personal and  business  life. Besides  the  threats  from criminal  minded  people  or  group,  deliberate  efforts  by  states  to dominate (or show supremacy) with the potential to halt other states economically, politically or militarily, lies intensified privacy  invasion  that  is  unfamiliar to  the  unsuspecting  technology  user.This  paper explores  the different levels  at  which users  of cyberspace  are exposed to privacy invasion, the consequences and  manner in which some of the risks can be mitigated even as we continue to record steady upswing of mobile computing by cyberspace users.

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A Critical Assessment of Nigeria’s Presence on the Cyberspace

Author(s): U. M. Mbanaso, G. A. Chukwudebe & E. E. Atimati | Published date: Dec, 2015

Abstract—This   paper   presents   a   study   of   the   Nigeria’s   presence   in   Cyberspace.   The   Cyberspace   (Internet)   is   now   critical  to  every  nation’s  socio-economic,  cultural  and  political  activities.  When  it  is  disrupted  or  fails,  can  grind  a  nation  to  a  standstill.  On  the  contrary,  its  correct  functioning  and  pliability  is  transforming  modern  society  with  exceptional  pecuniary  and  social  benefits.  With  nearly  all  traditional  activities  increasingly  moving  to  the  Internet,  Cyberspace  has  become  a  new  stage  for  innovations,  enterprises,  social  networking,  criminality  and  war.  For this study, the United Nations (UN) e-governance framework was  used,  the  highlights  of  the  United  Nations  E-Government  Survey  report  of  2014  was  analyzed  to  show  the  ranking  of  the  world leaders, West African countries and where Nigeria stands.  The    Internet    penetration    growth    and    evolving    Internet    infrastructure   provisioning   in   Nigeria   were   reviewed   and   a   critical  assessment  of  Nigeria’s  presence  on  the  Cyberspace  was  carried  out  using  the  UN  online  presence  index  methodology  between  the  months  of  August  and  September  2015.  The  web  content, interactivity, the currency of information, downloadable documents,  etc.  were  used  to  compare  various  sectors  of  the  Nigerian  economy;  all  tiers  of  government,  academia,  and  the  organized  private  sector.  The  study  revealed  that  the  organized  private  sector  and  private  educational  institutions  are  doing  better  than  government  educational  institutions  and  ministries.  Based  on  international  best  practices,  a  list  of  recommended  actions   for   increasing   cyberspace   presence   and   achieving   e-governance  for  improved  services  and  productivity  in  Nigeria  and similar developing countries is proffered.

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The Use of Social Networking Service among Nigerian Youths between Ages16 and 25 Years

Author(s): U. M. Mbanaso, PhD; E. S. Dandaura PhD; G. N. Ezeh PhD; U. C. Iwuchukwu | Published date: Dec, 2015

Abstract- This  paper  presents  an  investigation  of  the  use  of  social  networking  service  among  youths  aged  16  through  25  years,  in  Nigeria.The  convergence  of  information  systems  and  networks,  the  Internet  and  mobility  has  brought  about  a  fundamental shift on how people generate and share information. Specifically,  social  media  has  emerged  as  a  powerful  tool  in  a  digitally   connected   world,   touching   every   aspect   of   human   existence.  This  paradigm  swing  cuts  across  people  of  diverse  age  albeit  affects  each  age  category  differently.  This  work  presents  the  outcome  of  a  study  conducted  in  select  towns  in  central  part  of  Nigeria  between  January  and  June  2015.  The  focus  was  to  determine  how  youths  (age  16  through  25)  use  social  media  platforms  in  terms  of  the  frequency,  and  purposes  of  social  networking  site  usage.  The  survey  revealed  that,  99%  of  the  respondents  have  social  media  accounts  out  of  which  95.2%  use  smartphones  to  access  various  social  media  platforms.  46.4%  from the respondents fall under the category of those very likely to  use  social  platforms  in  a  week,  while  26.8%  account  for  those  who  are  extremely  likely  to  use  the  social  networking  service  within  same  time  frame.  Only  0.7%  of  the  respondents  were  not  likely to use social networking service within a week. Among the twelve social media platforms surveyed, Facebook ranked top as the  most  commonly  used  social  networking  channel  with  91%,  followed  by  WhatsApp  (87%)  and  Tango  ranked  last  at  1%.  Based  on  the  analysis  of  the  result,  it  is  highly  likely  that  social  media  may  have  severe  impact  on  young  people  who  have  no  form  of  restrains  with  consequences  of  huge  distractions  and  privacy  intrusions.  Conversely,  the  fact  that  social  media  is  rapidly   building   social   and   communications   habits   into   the   youths  point  to  its  potential  to  enhance  their  learning  habits  if  properly harnessed and formalized to aid pedagogy at secondary and tertiary levels.

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Privacy Preserving Trust Authorization Framework Using XACML

Author(s): U.M. Mbanaso, G.S. Cooper, D.W.Chadwick and Seth Proctor | Published date: Mar, 2015

Abstract: Nowadays many organisations share sensitive services through open network systems and this raises the need for an authorization framework that can interoperate even when the parties have no pre-existing relationships. Trust Negotiation is the process used to establish these first relationships, through the transfer of attributes, embedded in digital credentials, between the two parties. However, these attributes may themselves be considered sensitive and so may need protection from disclosure. In some environments, the policies that govern the protected services may also be considered sensitive and their release to arbitrary strangers may leak confidential business information. Thus, the electronic services, the policies that control access to them, and the digital credentials used to gain access may all be sensitive and require access protections. This paper describes how to unify the protection of services, sensitive credentials and policies in a synchronised trustworthy manner. We propose a trust authorization framework (TAF) that builds on the capabilities of XACML to support the bilateral exchange of policies and credentials through trust negotiation. Our framework addresses privacy and trust issues, and considers services, credentials, and authorization policies protected resources whose access is subject to credential proof and trust level validation

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