We develop a comprehensive threat model for the automotive domain. It is accomplished by means of a novel, multilevel research methodology that leverages Human-Artificial Intelligence (HAI). Given the inherent complexity of threat modelling and the challenges in ensuring its completeness, the methodology combines the complementary strengths of human analysis with large language models over four phases. Each phase is structured as a sequence of two or three refinement levels so that each level iteratively enhances prior results through either human or artificial intelligence. The first phase focuses on modelling the system under analysis to establish a clear and structured baseline. The second phase addresses the elicitation of assets and associated threats, followed by a third phase in which mitigation strategies are designed. The fourth and final phase ensures that mitigation is augmented to explicitly incorporate Zero Trust, Pseudonymisation, and Data Minimisation within the context of the automotive domain. The methodology maintains its multilevel HAI structure across all phases, thereby fostering a dynamic validation loop between expert knowledge and machine-driven inference, ultimately enhancing both accuracy and coverage of the resulting threat model.

As the demand for computational power continues to grow, traditional data processing approaches face limitations, primarily related to physical constraints in materials and processing units. In order to deal with such limitations, the computing industry has turned to multi-core and Symmetric multiprocessing technology, harnessing the combined processing capabilities of multiple processors to spread workloads to improve performance. One of the key strategies in providing computational power for parallel processing is represented by the "multi-tenant approach" of Cloud Computing, where multiple tenants can share a huge amount of computational power for the execution of services. Private Cloud is a slightly different approach which ensures more security and control. At the same time, it can provide service continuity and reliability at the system level rather than relying on individual components. In this paper, we discuss the key aspects of cloud computing w.r.t. the existing different service models, particularly focusing on the private Cloud model. To this end, we discuss established technologies for Cloud Computing, particularly the well-known OpenStack. We discuss the key aspects related to the deployment of OpenStack using PuppetStack, which is a software solution we employed for our research. PuppetStack can support the deployment of high-availability private cloud infrastructure.

The use of small portables and mobile devices has made MANETs (mobile ad hoc networks) very popular. A MANET is a network composed by a group of mobile nodes without any fixed device or a central coordination. They work in an open net and their collaboration is the sole means to allow communications and the survival of the MANET itself. A critical issue is to assess the behaviour of the nodes that participate in the network, possibly identifying selfish conduct that can compromise the functioning of the system. This paper shows a method to evaluate the behaviour of all nodes by establishing a reputation value that represents the trustworthiness of each node. A protocol is presented to calculate the reputation of a node by locally observing the node from another one, and then tuning this intermediate value with additional observations from other participants. When the reputation value of a node is available, it is circulated and distributed uniformly over the network. This reputation protocol is viable. Each node can efficiently calculate the reputation values of its neighbours and then of all network nodes. A variety of simulations conducted using the network simulator NS-2 strongly support these claims.

A recent privacy protocol for secure e-polls aims at ensuring the submitting individuals that the pollster will preserve the privacy of their submitted preferences. Otherwise the individuals can indict the pollster, provided that the pollster participates actively in this phase. The analysis of the protocol in a realistic threat model denounces that a malicious pollster that abuses the private preferences by disclosure will arguably not help out during its own indictment. Therefore, the protocol ensures insufficient fairness among their participants because it gives the pollster some advantage over the individuals. Two variant protocols are introduced and analysed in the same threat model - one is found to move the advantage over the individuals, the other is found to achieve a satisfactory level of fairness.

Abstract In this paper we deal with the study of the actual convenience of using the agent programming paradigm for accesssing distributed service. We try to point out the benefits of such a communication paradigm, by providing an analytical study of its basic features in comparison with the client–server approach and remote evaluation. The aim of the paper is to show how the Petri net analysis technique can be used for deciding whether to use traditional client/server, remote evaluation or mobile agents paradigm in designing a particular evaluation. So, we present several models of non‐Markovian Petri nets, which have been solved through the WebSPN tool, and we provide a close comparison between the agents technique, the client‐server and the remote evaluation communication paradigm. The results that we have obtained show how agents must not always be considered the only solution to any communication issue, since in several cases their use might even reveal a drawback. We also focus out attention on providing some practical remarks, which can help the developer during the design in order to select the communication paradigm which best suits the features of the application that has to be developed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The recent development of high-speed communication networks has led to great interest in client–server environments. In this context it is becoming increasingly important to have adequate tools to support the study of the behaviour and size of the various parts of these systems. This paper provides a systematic approach to modelling and assessing a particular class of systems—fault-tolerant parallel/distributed systems—which feature a capacity to reconfigure dynamically on the occurrence of partial faults, so as to guarantee a certain level of performance, albeit a reduced one. Using the formalism offered by Petri Nets, the paper presents combined measures of dependability and performance which identify the behaviour of the system in as complete a way as possible, above all in relation to fault/repair phenomena.

We concentrate on the architectural issues of parallelizing I/O access in a disk array system by means of definition of a new, particularly flexible architecture, called partial dynamic declustering, which is fault-tolerant and offers higher levels of performance and reliability than the solutions normally used. A simulation analysis highlights the efficiency of the proposed solution in balancing the file system workload and demonstrates its validity in both cases of unbalanced loads and expansion of the system. Particular attention is also paid to the definition of analytical models, based on stochastic reward nets, in order to analyze the performance and reliability of the system. The response time distribution function is evaluated and a specific performance analysis with varying degrees of declustering and workload is carried out.>

With a view to improving the performance and the fault tolerance of mass storage units, this paper concentrates on the architectural issues of parallelizing I/O access and a disk array system by means of definition of a new, particularly flexible architecture, called Partial Dynamic Declustering, which is fault-tolerant and offers higher levels of performance and reliability than the solutions normally used. A fast distributed algorithm based on a dynamic structure and usable for the implementation of an efficient I/O subsystem manager is proposed. Particular attention is also paid to the definition of analytical models based on Stochastic Reward Petri nets in order to analyze the performance and reliability of the system proposed.>