Behavioral Next Generation in Wireless Networks for Cyber Security
(BEiNG WISE – CA22104)
May, 2024 (https://beingwise.eu/?p=1328)
Welcome to the first newsletter from BEiNG-WISE.
What has been done so far?
Six months have passed since the first MC meeting in Brussels – August 2024. Through this period, we created our website (Deliverable 1), and we finalized our communication and dissemination plan (Deliverable 2).
Lille meeting (25-26 March). We held our first General Meeting (CORE Group, MC, and WG meeting) at Inria in Villeneuve d’Ascq, Lille, France in March. Over 50 participants representing more than 35 member countries came together to collaborate and innovate in cross-domain topics ranging from cyber-security, wireless communication technology, data science, artificial intelligence, sociology, psychology, and law.
Grants.
We have awarded 3 grants during our first cycle to provide support for research and collaboration within our Action. Specifically, we have awarded 1 Inclusiveness Target Country Conference Grant (ITCG) grant and 2 Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) grants. These grants aim to enable our members to undertake research collaborations with colleagues in different countries. We are excited to see the results of these STSMs and the valuable contributions they will make to our field. In what follows, we provide examples of such grants:
ITC Conference Grant 1
Participant name: Elissa Mollakuqe
- From: Bioethic Institute (Skopje, North Macedonia)
- Dates from 22/11/2023 to 26/11/2023
- Paper Title: BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE STRATEGIES FOR INCLUSIVE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH MACEDONIA
Description: In North Macedonia, the digital landscape is rapidly evolving, presenting both opportunities and challenges for the workforce. Our comprehensive country report sheds light on the current state of digitalization in the country. With 54% of workers using computers on the job and a skills match rate of 53%, North Macedonia is at a pivotal juncture in its economic growth journey. However, one of the most pressing challenges highlighted in the report is the need to bridge the digital divide for equitable economic growth. A staggering 45% of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face difficulties in accessing digital tools and training for their employees, with rural areas being particularly affected, where only 30% of businesses have reliable high-speed internet access.
This research also delves into how businesses and employers are responding to the challenges posed by an aging workforce. Strategies aimed at retaining, empowering, and integrating older employees are discussed, emphasizing the importance of capitalizing on the experience and knowledge of the senior workforce. Furthermore, the report explores the active role played by trade unions in advocating for the rights, well-being, and inclusion of older workers. Through negotiations and collaboration, these unions contribute to shaping policies that ensure a fair and equitable working environment for all generations of workers. A standout practice highlighted in the report is the emphasis on continuous learning and upskilling. We recommend the development of training programs tailored to the evolving needs of older workers, offering them opportunities to acquire new skills, especially in digital literacy, to remain relevant in a rapidly changing job market. This research provides valuable insights and recommendations for policymakers, businesses, and organizations seeking to navigate digital transformation while fostering inclusivity in North Macedonia’s workforce.
STSM Grant 1
Participant name: Marija Milosevic
- From: University Of Nis- Faculty Of Electronic Engineering (Nis, Serbia)
- Host Institution (STSM): School of Computer Science, University of Dublin (Dublin, Ireland)
- Dates from 15/05/2024 to 22/05/2024
- STSM Title: Artificial Intelligence in Intrusion Detection Systems supported by Federated Learning
Description: While there are various cybersecurity concerns, the key ones that will be discussed are how to use Federated Learning approaches to increase the effectiveness of intrusion detection systems, particularly with regard to detecting new types of Artificial Intelligence (AI) attacks. There is potential regarding generating solutions that will reduce the problems during intrusion detection, since the host institution’s team comprises specialists in Federated Learning (FL) and eXplainable AI (XAI), while the visiting researcher explores AI and Deep Learning (DL) based IDS solutions.
STSM Grant 2
Participant name: Sérgio Barbosa
- From: UNIVERSIDADE DE COIMBRA (Coimbra, Portugal)
- Host Institution (STSM): Institute of Interactive Systems and Data Science (ISDS) (Gratz, Austria)
- Dates from 08/03/2024 to 24/03/2024
- STSM Title: Tackling sophisticated emerging wireless technologies
Description: The arrival of generative AI technologies for text, images, and music, like ChatGPT, Dall-E, Midjourney and many others have raised a number of debates by Western scholars. However, little research revealed how AI concepts, governance and methods have already harmed vulnerable populations in the Global South countries. The AI-related risks for Southern populations include concerns of discrimination, bias, gender oppression, exclusion, and social inequalities. These can be exacerbated in the context of vulnerable populations, especially those without access to human and civil rights or institutional channels to access the state level. This STSM proposal argues that a South-to-South approach and context-driven are necessary. It investigates key issues and questions arising in the emerging sub-field of a comprehensive understanding of topics related to cybersecurity and Wireless technologies and the potential and risks associated with using AI technologies in the Global South.
What are we doing?
All WGs are currently working on our third Deliverable “Report of the state of the art and its gaps”.
The WG1 team is currently engaged in identifying the interests of WG1 members involved in Next Generation Wireless Technologies. This involves gathering topics and insights through presentations and online collaboration tools like Mural. Our immediate goal is to meet our deliverable by the end of September, while also laying the groundwork for a more extensive study that could yield publishable material for an SoK paper.
The WG2 team has conducted three online meetings since the beginning of the action. The online meetings were used to discuss the research focus of the three main tasks (1. identification of cybercrimes, 2. impact of cybercrime, 3. cybercrime prevention techniques). Currently, a first draft of a map of key topics has been generated. It includes the main relevant technology domains (e.g., cellular wireless technologies, wireless local area networks, 5G private networks, vehicular communications), key aspects of cyber threats (e.g., illegal and unethical acts, insider threats, attacker profiles and human vectors of attacks), main cyber attack impact domains (e.g., public/private organizations, end users, critical infrastructures) and first links to prevention techniques (e.g., threat intelligence and detection, risk assessment, training, calibrated defense based on attack and victim profiles). This map will guide the inputs for collecting the relevant state of the art of WG2.
The WG3 team is currently focusing on our contribution to Deliverable 3. We have defined a method for carrying out a structured state-of-the-art, which revolves around the central concepts of i) cyber-security, ii) novel wireless systems, and iii) responsibility. The state-of-the-art is performed by looking for existing studies tackling i) and ii), i) and iii), ii) and iii). The work done will serve as the foundation for writing a position paper where we will propose our idea of a responsible cyber-security system for novel wireless systems.
The WG4 team is focused on “human factors in wireless security”. Through a specific survey, we have identified participants’ backgrounds and interests to better organize the different tasks of our group. In total, we have planned three internal meetings. Currently, we are creating subgroups in order to prepare our deliverable by the end of September. Moreover, we have invited participants to propose specific research topics that they would like to discuss during our meetings or in webinars to be planned.
The WG5 team currently comprises a limited number of lawyers and is being gradually expanded. To date, the major focuses of interest that have been identified are the legal aspects of vulnerabilities in wireless communication, Cybersecurity and AI, Privacy issues, and interdisciplinary legality by design perspectives. Some common research fields with other WGs have also been outlined during our Lille meeting.
What we will do next?
Skopje meeting (24-25 June).
We planned our second meeting (CORE and WG meeting) to be held in Skopje, North Macedonia in June.
First Training School (26-27 June) (https://beingwise.eu/training-schools/)
The school is to be held also in Skopje, North Macedonia. The theme for this training school is “Cybersecurity and the Human Factor in the Era of Evolved Communication Technologies,” and it promises to delve into a wide array of crucial topics. The call is out, and applications can be received starting from the 1st of April until the 1st of May 2024.
Social Media: Follow us
The Action has active LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/being-wise-cost/), and X/Twitter (@BEINGWISE2023) accounts, please follow us and activate the “Notifications” to stay tuned to our updates.
Next Newsletter
Our next newsletter is due to be circulated in November 2024.