IJCIRISSN 1996-1065 [Online]
ISSN 1818-1139 [PRINT]

In networks and entity groupings that have sensitive resources, user identification is a crucial requirement for secure access, communication and transactions involving those resources. However, there are networks and entity groupings that require entity authentication while preserving the privacy of the entity being authenticated. There are several zero-knowledge protocols (ZKP) including the Fiege-Fiat-Shamir that authenticate an entity anonymously. We present a revised Feige-Fiat-Shamir ZKP scheme for the Airborne Networks (ANs) that reduces the ping-pong effect in the scheme and speeds up the growth of the Verifier trust of the Prover, thus making the authentication process faster and more efficient.
Key Words: Mission critical, time, authenticity, anonymity, zero knowledge, authentication.

As the number of queries grows over time it becomes necessary that Information Retrieval (IR) system provides high query processing rate i.e. high query throughput. In IR systems, there are three types of data partitioning, namely term-based, document-based, and hybrid partitioning. In document-based and hybrid partitioning, query is sent to all nodes and thus high level of parallelism is achieved but low query throughput. In term-based partitioning, a given query is divided into sub-queries and each sub-query is directed to the relevant node. This provides high query throughput and concurrency but poor parallelism and load balance. In this paper, the Moderate Distributed IR System (MDIRS) is proposed to improve the query throughput and load balance of hybrid partitioning. MDIRS inherits the advantage of documentbased partitioning i.e. it provides moderate level of parallelism and the advantage of term-based partitioning. In other words, it provides moderate level of query throughput and load balance. Results from this paper showed that the MDIRS improved the query throughput and the total query response time of hybrid partitioning by 64% over the baseline system.
Categories and Subject Descriptors: H.1.1 [Systems and Information Theory] Information Theory - Value Information, H.3.3 [Information Search and Retrieval] Information Filtering - Retrieval Model – Search Process C.2.4 [Distributed Systems] Distributed Applications, Network Operating Systems
General Terms: Algorithm, Performance, Verification
Additional Keywords: Term Partitioning, Hybrid Partitioning, Hybrid Queries, Throughput, Load balance

This paper presents hardware solutions for accelerating IEEE 802.11i. Several experiments were applied on the low-cost Cyclone II FPGA by using various architectures with different number of threads. The FPGA offloads the process of AES encryption from the master CPU. In addition, it offers the possibility of using several threads to run the AES encryption. Different optimizations have been applied on the hardware architecture of AES and on the basic unit of AES, in order to satisfy different constraints in terms of latency, area occupation and speed. Their performances are compared to AES software implemented on a NIOS II processor. A strong focus is devoted for the achievement of high throughput, which is required to support security requirements for the high bandwidth applications.
Categories and Subject Descriptors: B.2.4 [Algorithms], B.6.1 [Memory Used as Logic], B.7.1 [Algorithms Implemented in Hardware], C.1.4 [Parallel Architectures].
General Terms: IEEE 802.11i, AES, Cipher, WEP, FPGA. CYCLONE II

The paper discusses the influence of propagation environment in a GSM mobile network. It considers the measurement and prediction results for a special case of propagation, that is, the harmattan, in a live network. The harmattan precipitation intensity may be so great that visibility at ground level is reduced to less than a hundred meters by dust clusters. In this paper, the path loss during harmattan in N’djamena (Chad) is computed from the received signal strength at various distances for three major roads. The Hata and Free-space models were applied, and compared with received signal measurement data. The results indicate that measurement data and the Hata prediction model agree closely while the free space model generally underestimates the path loss phenomena. The significance here is that various forms of precipitation such as rain, snow, cloud and fog absorb and scatter electromagnetic energy leading to attenuation in its signal strength. The study indicates that harmattan precipitates do inflict attenuation significantly.
Categories and Subject Descriptors: C.4 [Performance of Systems]: Modeling Techniques; D4.8 [Performance]: Measurements; Modeling and Prediction; I6.4[Simulation and Modeling]:Model Validation and Analysis
General Terms: Harmattan, Propagation, Signal Strength, Pathloss
Additional Key Words: Global System for Mobile –Telephony (GSM),

This paper looks at the utilization of the Internet among teachers and students in connected rural and urban secondary schools in Kenya. A conceptual framework composed of variables which can explain Internet utilization in Kenyan secondary schools is established and measured. Instruments based on this framework were used in the survey and covered 11 schools with school principals, teachers and students as respondents. Findings show that use of the Internet and its integration in teaching and learning in secondary education is increasing with its use more pervasive among students and teachers as a means of communication and for information searching. Internet access rates for teachers and students have been observed to be much higher in educational institutions that have made effective ICT investments in education, translating into better utilization of ICT related technologies. Strategies are suggested on how to utilize the Internet to improve educational outcomes, and recommendations given on issues that touch on ICT access and infrastructure; human resources and training; policy environment; financing and ICT investment; curriculum development and locally relevant content.
Categories and Subject Descriptors: K.3.0 [Computing Milieux]: Computers and Education Keywords: Internet utilization, access, secondary schools