Билет 14 вопрос 2 Cyber Security Report Identifies Key Research Priorities

ScienceDaily (Sep. 14, 2011) — Developing self-learning, self aware cyber security technologies, protecting smart utility grids and enhancing the security of mobile networks are among the top research priorities needed to safeguard the internet of tomorrow, according to a report released September 13.

The Belfast 2011 event attracted international cyber security experts from leading research institutes, government bodies and industry who gathered to discuss current cyber security threats, predict future threats and the necessary mitigation techniques, and to develop a collective strategy for next generation research.

The collective research strategy contained in the report identifies four research themes critical to the ongoing creation of cyber security defences:

1. Adaptive cyber security technologies -- research objectives in this area will include the development of self-learning cyber security technologies; self-awareness in cyber systems; the establishment of feedback in cyber systems to learn from cyber attacks.

2. Protection of smart utility grids -- research aims in this field will comprise: smart grid requirements gathering methodology; protection technologies for smart grid components; secure technologies for smart grid communications; smart grid and home area network integration that provides privacy and security of collected information; development of smart grid standards.

3. Security of the mobile platform and applications -- research in this space will target not only malicious applications but also mobile cyber security problems introduced by the configuration and use of mobile networks, including network availability, mobile web browsers and caller authentication.

4. Multi-faceted approach to cyber security research -- research will take into account social behavioural norms and societal desires in cyber space, cyber space policies, the impact of cyber and other legislation and the economics of cyber space and cyber security.

"Our ambition is that this strategy will help to inform global cyber security research and act as a driver for cyber security roadmap definition over the coming year. We will hold future summits at which changes in cyber security will be discussed and the proposed collective research strategies will be reviewed and developed."

aware - знающий, осведомленный

ongoing – происходящий в настоящее время

Multi-faceted – мульти-многогранный

societal – общественный, социальный

Answer the questions:

1. What are the top research priorities according to a report?

2. Who did the Belfast 2011 attract?

3. Do you agree or disagree that such cyber security reports will help users? Why/Why not?

Билет 15 вопрос 2 Secret to Making Cheap, High-Density Data Storage Discovered

ScienceDaily (Oct. 10, 2012) — Imagine being able to store thousands of songs and high-resolution images on data devices no bigger than a fingernail. Researchers from A*STAR's Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) have discovered that an ultra-smooth surface is the key factor for "self-assembly"

The "self-assembly" technique is one of the simplest and cheapest high-volume methods for creating uniform, densely-packed nanostructures that could potentially help store data. Self-assembly is one of the leading candidates for large scale nanofabrication at very high pattern densities. One of its most obvious applications will be in the field of bit patterned media, or the hard disk industry. It is widely used in research and is gaining acceptance in industry as a practical lithographic tool for sub-100 nm, low-cost, large area patterning. However, attempts to employ self-assembly on different surface types, such as magnetic media used for data storage, have shown varying and erratic results to date. This phenomenon has continued to puzzle industry researchers and scientists globally.

Researchers from A*STAR's IMRE and NUS have now solved this mystery and identified that the smoother the surface, the more efficient the self-assembly of nanostructures will be. This breakthrough allows the method to be used on more surfaces and reduce the number of defects in an industrial setting. The more densely packed the structures are in a given area, the higher the amount of data that can be stored.

"A height close to 10 atoms, or 10 angstroms in technical terms, is all it takes to make or break self-assembly," explained Dr MSM Saifullah, one of the key researchers from A*STAR's IMRE who made the discovery. This is based on a root mean squared surface roughness of 5 angstrom. The team discovered that this was the limit of surface roughness allowed for the successful self-assembly of dots, which could eventually be used in making high-density data storage. "If we want large scale, large area nanopatterning using very affordable self-assembly, the surface needs to be extremely smooth so that we can achieve efficient, successful self-assembly and with lower incidents of defects."

fingernail – ноготь

smooth - гладкий

densely-packed – плотно-упакованный

erratic – непредсказуемый

puzzle – удивлять, ставить в тупик

breakthrough – прорыв

roughness – шероховатость

affordable - доступный

Answer the questions:

1. What is the secret of the best efficiency of new data storage devices?

2. What are technical characteristics of new data storage devices?

3. What kind of data storage devices do you use? Why?