Academic Contributions by Andreas Vassilakos
ITNG 2021 18th International Conference on Information Technology-New Generations. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, 2021
In this paper, the researchers provide a background of human trafficking, review the use and impl... more In this paper, the researchers provide a background of human trafficking, review the use and implications of digital currency, and apply machine learning techniques to analyze publicly available trafficking datasets. The study also provides recommendations related to data collection, management, and analysis to aid the vital fight against individuals' exploitation. The researchers conducted an exploratory data analysis using Python, RapidMiner, and Microsoft Excel towards an iterative review and interpretation of the dataset from the Counter Trafficking Data Collaborative (CTDC). The researchers found that there are more female victims of human trafficking in most age groups than male victims. However, for the age group between 39-47, there was a higher male victim count. Additionally, researchers found that the top five countries affected by human trafficking were the Philippines, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, USA, and Cambodia. However, it must be noted that there are limitations to the overall data because they are provided voluntarily by organizations, and therefore, there is no equitable distribution of actual results from all countries and players. After mapping the country of origin and country of exploitation, it was made clear that there is a movement of victims from the country of origin to the country of exploitation. Lastly, researchers found that a complex combination of different variables is needed to provide accurate predictions for law enforcement and anti-trafficking organizations to aid them in fighting human trafficking, including country
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EDUCON - IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference, 2021
The Saint Louis Metropolitan Area has been one of the top American cities for tech startups while... more The Saint Louis Metropolitan Area has been one of the top American cities for tech startups while hosting a substantial number of fortune 500 companies. Usually, this translates into job opportunities for those living and working within the area. However, the immediate challenge is the lack of women within the workforce that is currently there. While one of the top 50 largest metropolitan areas, Saint Louis has a deficit of women in computer engineering related fields. This paper aims to address those issues while displaying what this city has done to increase the workforce in the metropolitan area. The authors review current initiatives while providing recommendations for enhancing those already present.
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2019 International Criminology Conference, 2019
In the wake of recent acts of domestic terrorism in Texas, New Zealand, and California authoritie... more In the wake of recent acts of domestic terrorism in Texas, New Zealand, and California authorities have begun investigating social media presence that premeditated harmful acts. In all three instances, the shooters posted their manifesto on the Internet and had an online presence on 8chan. The common thread among all shooters is their identification as a white nationalist and their social media site affiliation with Infinitechan. Similarities in the profiles of the shooters include their perceived viewpoints of population groups in regards to their political, ethnic, and social identities. The extreme ideas of the domestic terrorists were hidden behind the anonymity of web forums like 8chan. This paper will provide insight into the forums where domestic terrorists spread their agendas. Also, it will set the foundation for further research on developing a strategic algorithm that compiles and analyzes profiles of relevant users by using OSINT and data analytics techniques.
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HOLISTICA–Journal of Business and Public Administration, 2021
At the beginning of 2021, the Internet was used to spread words to incite insurrection and violen... more At the beginning of 2021, the Internet was used to spread words to incite insurrection and violence through social media, incited a pro-Trump mob riot into a U.S. Capitol building. Furthermore, due to recent acts of domestic terrorism in Texas, New Zealand, and California, police authorities have begun investigating social media presence that premeditated harmful acts. In all three instances, the shooters posted their manifesto online and had a presence on 8chan. The common thread among all shooters is their identification as a white nationalist and their social media site affiliation with Infinitechan, where they hid their radical ideas. Similarities in the shooters' profiles include their perceived viewpoints of population groups regarding their political, ethnic, and social identities. This paper will provide insight into the forums where domestic terrorists spread their agendas. It will also set the foundation for further research towards a strategic algorithm that compiles and analyses relevant users' profiles by using OSINT and data analytics techniques.
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Land Forces Academy Review, 2021
The cybersecurity of critical infrastructures is an essential topic within national and internati... more The cybersecurity of critical infrastructures is an essential topic within national and international security as 16 critical infrastructure sectors touch various aspects of American society. Because the failure to provide adequate cybersecurity controls within the critical infrastructure sectors renders the country open to an attack that could have a debilitating effect on security, national public health, safety, and economic security, this matter is so vital that there is the Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) 21 Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience advances a national policy to strengthen and maintain secure, functioning and resilient critical infrastructure. An organization identified as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has the mission to be the risk advisor for the United States (US). Other organizations, such as the National Security Agency (NSA), have approved a specific Knowledge Unit (KU) to address cybersecurity for critical infrastructures associated with doctoral-level granting programs. To address this challenge, it is necessary to identify threats better and defend against them while mitigating risks to an acceptable level. Only then can a nation build a more secure and resilient infrastructure for the future while defending against present-day bad actors as cyberwarfare, cyber espionage, and cybersecurity attacks are the modern-day threats that need to be addressed in planning, designing, implementation, and maintenance. Therefore, the researchers developed a case study reviewing threats against different sectors defined in the PPD.
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Papers by Andreas Vassilakos
Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, 2021
In this paper, the researchers provide a background of human trafficking, review the use and impl... more In this paper, the researchers provide a background of human trafficking, review the use and implications of digital currency, and apply machine learning techniques to analyze publicly available trafficking datasets. The study also provides recommendations related to data collection, management, and analysis to aid the vital fight against individuals' exploitation. The researchers conducted an exploratory data analysis using Python, RapidMiner, and Microsoft Excel towards an iterative review and interpretation of the dataset from the Counter Trafficking Data Collaborative (CTDC). The researchers found that there are more female victims of human trafficking in most age groups than male victims. However, for the age group between 39-47, there was a higher male victim count. Additionally, researchers found that the top five countries affected by human trafficking were the Philippines, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, USA, and Cambodia. However, it must be noted that there are limitations to the overall data because they are provided voluntarily by organizations, and therefore, there is no equitable distribution of actual results from all countries and players. After mapping the country of origin and country of exploitation, it was made clear that there is a movement of victims from the country of origin to the country of exploitation. Lastly, researchers found that a complex combination of different variables is needed to provide accurate predictions for law enforcement and anti-trafficking organizations to aid them in fighting human trafficking, including country
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HOLISTICA – Journal of Business and Public Administration
The continuous shift towards a world relying on computing leads to an increase of the potential r... more The continuous shift towards a world relying on computing leads to an increase of the potential risk factors that users face while roaming the digital world. The constant technological innovation we are witnessing creates the necessity of developing reliable systems, strategies, and frameworks against nefarious users threatening the security of information and data. Emerging countries begin to face issues related to cyber warfare and security. This study provides insight into the technological risk factors that could potentially delay further development in the technological growth of developing nations, focusing on selected countries in the African continent. The threats against confidentiality, integrity, and availability do not have an impact exclusively on information systems but, to a larger scale, on a region’s efforts for innovation. This paper intends to provide the readers a holistic review of the status of cyber security in the context of developing countries, specifically...
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The importance of mesh networking in the evolution of telecommunication efficiency has been prove... more The importance of mesh networking in the evolution of telecommunication efficiency has been proven through numerous projects and researchers\u27 literature contributions. All industries and fields rely on reliable communication mediums. In this paper we present the foundation for future research by creating a telecommunication solution using modified Raspberry Pi devices. This project aims to provide solutions for two problems. First, it seeks to instill a viable network alternative in a major catastrophe that is compliant with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations. Second, it aims to create an affordable entertainment platform for impoverished or elderly communities. We additionally provide further discussion points for future research purposes
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2021 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON), 2021
The Saint Louis Metropolitan Area has been one of the top American cities for tech startups while... more The Saint Louis Metropolitan Area has been one of the top American cities for tech startups while hosting a substantial number of fortune 500 companies. Usually, this translates into job opportunities for those living and working within the area. However, the immediate challenge is the lack of women within the workforce that is currently there. While one of the top 50 largest metropolitan areas, Saint Louis has a deficit of women in computer engineering related fields. This paper aims to address those issues while displaying what this city has done to increase the workforce in the metropolitan area. The authors review current initiatives while providing recommendations for enhancing those already present.
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2021 World Engineering Education Forum/Global Engineering Deans Council (WEEF/GEDC), 2021
In the wake of a pandemic, it has been essential that programs move online quickly while remainin... more In the wake of a pandemic, it has been essential that programs move online quickly while remaining the same academic rigor as being on the ground. Therefore the cybersecurity coursework and labs were taught entirely online while representing real-world scenarios. The College of Computing at Illinois Institute of Technology has recently been actively creating new partnerships, strengthening their cybersecurity, Information Technology, and other computing programs to meet national security needs. These activities have allowed partnerships with the United States Armed Services, Department of Defense, and numerous industry partners. The newly found focus on national security has provided a different perspective on cybersecurity-related to global events and how it can shape those currently, such as political events.
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Cybersecurity Capabilities in Developing Nations and Its Impact on Global Security
ICT has become an essential factor in Ethiopia and other East African countries to transform thei... more ICT has become an essential factor in Ethiopia and other East African countries to transform their economies. Meanwhile, the agriculture sector is still the primary driver of economic development. The difference between the past and present years is the injection of technology to further drive this business. For Ethiopia, this means using a database to support countrywide micro-financing to farmers in seeking capital for leasing land, purchasing needed materials, and hiring workers. The objectives of this chapter were to redesign and harden the database architecture of the researched micro-financing organization. The researchers performed an assessment of the organization's information systems. After identifying weaknesses, they followed controls identified in the NIST SP 800-53. This chapter describes the security faults within the database, showing the lack of baseline cybersecurity controls to ensure a hardened system. The authors proposed a security-centered database archite...
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2021 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON), 2021
The Saint Louis Metropolitan Area has been one of the top American cities for tech startups while... more The Saint Louis Metropolitan Area has been one of the top American cities for tech startups while hosting a substantial number of fortune 500 companies. Usually, this translates into job opportunities for those living and working within the area. However, the immediate challenge is the lack of women within the workforce that is currently there. While one of the top 50 largest metropolitan areas, Saint Louis has a deficit of women in computer engineering related fields. This paper aims to address those issues while displaying what this city has done to increase the workforce in the metropolitan area. The authors review current initiatives while providing recommendations for enhancing those already present.
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In this paper, the researchers provide a background of human trafficking, review the use and impl... more In this paper, the researchers provide a background of human trafficking, review the use and implications of digital currency, and apply machine learning techniques to analyze publicly available trafficking datasets. The study also provides recommendations related to data collection, management, and analysis to aid the vital fight against individuals' exploitation. The researchers conducted an exploratory data analysis using Python, RapidMiner, and Microsoft Excel towards an iterative review and interpretation of the dataset from the Counter Trafficking Data Collaborative (CTDC). The researchers found that there are more female victims of human trafficking in most age groups than male victims. However, for the age group between 39-47, there was a higher male victim count. Additionally, researchers found that the top five countries affected by human trafficking were the Philippines, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, USA, and Cambodia. However, it must be noted that there are limitations to the overall data because they are provided voluntarily by organizations, and therefore, there is no equitable distribution of actual results from all countries and players. After mapping the country of origin and country of exploitation, it was made clear that there is a movement of victims from the country of origin to the country of exploitation. Lastly, researchers found that a complex combination of different variables is needed to provide accurate predictions for law enforcement and anti-trafficking organizations to aid them in fighting human trafficking, including country
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Land Forces Academy Review
The cybersecurity of critical infrastructures is an essential topic within national and internati... more The cybersecurity of critical infrastructures is an essential topic within national and international security as 16 critical infrastructure sectors touch various aspects of American society. Because the failure to provide adequate cybersecurity controls within the critical infrastructure sectors renders the country open to an attack that could have a debilitating effect on security, national public health, safety, and economic security, this matter is so vital that there is the Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) 21 Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience advances a national policy to strengthen and maintain secure, functioning and resilient critical infrastructure. An organization identified as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has the mission to be the risk advisor for the United States (US). Other organizations, such as the National Security Agency (NSA), have approved a specific Knowledge Unit (KU) t...
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HOLISTICA – Journal of Business and Public Administration
At the beginning of 2021, the Internet was used to spread words to incite insurrection and violen... more At the beginning of 2021, the Internet was used to spread words to incite insurrection and violence through social media, incited a pro-Trump mob riot into a U.S. Capitol building. Furthermore, due to recent acts of domestic terrorism in Texas, New Zealand, and California, police authorities have begun investigating social media presence that premeditated harmful acts. In all three instances, the shooters posted their manifesto online and had a presence on 8chan. The common thread among all shooters is their identification as a white nationalist and their social media site affiliation with Infinitechan, where they hid their radical ideas. Similarities in the shooters’ profiles include their perceived viewpoints of population groups regarding their political, ethnic, and social identities. This paper will provide insight into the forums where domestic terrorists spread their agendas. It will also set the foundation for further research towards a strategic algorithm that compiles and ...
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In this paper, the researchers provide a background of human trafficking, review the use and impl... more In this paper, the researchers provide a background of human trafficking, review the use and implications of digital currency, and apply machine learning techniques to analyze publicly available trafficking datasets. The study also provides recommendations related to data collection, management, and analysis to aid the vital fight against individuals' exploitation. The researchers conducted an exploratory data analysis using Python, RapidMiner, and Microsoft Excel towards an iterative review and interpretation of the dataset from the Counter Trafficking Data Collaborative (CTDC). The researchers found that there are more female victims of human trafficking in most age groups than male victims. However, for the age group between 39-47, there was a higher male victim count. Additionally, researchers found that the top five countries affected by human trafficking were the Philippines, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, USA, and Cambodia. However, it must be noted that there are limitations to the overall data because they are provided voluntarily by organizations, and therefore, there is no equitable distribution of actual results from all countries and players. After mapping the country of origin and country of exploitation, it was made clear that there is a movement of victims from the country of origin to the country of exploitation. Lastly, researchers found that a complex combination of different variables is needed to provide accurate predictions for law enforcement and anti-trafficking organizations to aid them in fighting human trafficking, including country
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This paper provides insights on performance and usability from an assignment funded by the Cathol... more This paper provides insights on performance and usability from an assignment funded by the Catholic Relief Service Farmer-to-Farmer Program, which provides technical assistance with volunteers from the United States to farmers, agricultural institutions, and government organizations involved in the agricultural sector. The assignment required an affordable mobile data collection solution and IT training in Benin. The researchers developed a platform and provided technical training on-site. This investigation looks at conclusions based on the interpretation of the system usability scale (SUS) results from a representation of 13 cooperators. The research demonstrated the efficiency of the mobile data collection platform, and the training proved to be helpful for the participants. Before the contributions of the researchers, 46.2% of the participants scored at the D level or below. Once training was complete, 76.9% of the participants scored in the range of the B or higher.
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Since the popularization of the big data concept, it has been implemented in various areas. Conte... more Since the popularization of the big data concept, it has been implemented in various areas. Contemporary literature has proved the potential of using big data in crime prevention. In this research paper, we examine research on big data being used in Crime Prevention while implementing an author-centric to a concept-centric research approach. We also present the foundation for future research by analyzing data derived from the City of Chicago. We identified the neighborhoods in Chicago that are statistically more prone to crimes and used data of the last 10 years to make our observations. We additionally provide further discussion points for future research purpose.
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Books by Andreas Vassilakos
Cybersecurity Capabilities in Developing Nations and Its Impact on Global Security, 2022
ICT has become an essential factor in Ethiopia and other East African countries to transform thei... more ICT has become an essential factor in Ethiopia and other East African countries to transform their economies. Meanwhile, the agriculture sector is still the primary driver of economic development. The difference between the past and present years is the injection of technology to further drive this business. For Ethiopia, this means using a database to support countrywide micro-financing to farmers in seeking capital for leasing land, purchasing needed materials, and hiring workers. The objectives of this chapter were to redesign and harden the database architecture of the researched micro-financing organization. The researchers performed an assessment of the organization's information systems. After identifying weaknesses, they followed controls identified in the NIST SP 800-53. This chapter describes the security faults within the database, showing the lack of baseline cybersecurity controls to ensure a hardened system. The authors proposed a security-centered database architecture after auditing the researched organization's IT infrastructure and information systems.
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Academic Contributions by Andreas Vassilakos
Papers by Andreas Vassilakos
Books by Andreas Vassilakos