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Innovative Traffic Management for Enhanced Cybersecurity in Modern Network Environments

Dr. A. Shaji George — 2024-12-25

As enterprise networks evolve to support new paradigms like cloud computing and mobile access, the traditional classification of traffic flows into north-south (client-server) and east-west (serverserver) is no longer adequate. The proliferation of virtualization, microservices and distributed applications has led to explosive growth in lateral east-west traffic, which now accounts for over 75% of data center flows. If the infrastructure is not built properly, this extreme change exposes networks to higher cybersecurity threats. This paper analyzes modern data center and business network designs in-depth, examining traffic patterns and newly developing attack routes. Using real-world case studies and network simulation, we demonstrate how flat L2 network fabrics lead to excessive broadcast traffic, DHCP exhaustion, MAC table overflows and lack of segmentation - all factors that can be exploited in cyber-attacks. Comparative analysis shows that legacy network designs optimized for north-south traffic fall short in securing dense east-west flows. To address these vulnerabilities, we explore innovative traffic management approaches like hierarchical L3 fabrics which provide logical segmentation, routing controls and bandwidth optimization. Novel data plane detection and response technologies can also enforce identity and security policy for lateral traffic. Using quantified metrics like latency, throughput, and attack success rates, we showcase the significant security and performance gains of proposed techniques over traditional solutions. Additionally, we examine upcoming paradigms like intent-based networking and zero trust architectures which offer integrated visibility, micro-segmentation, and granular policy control across modern hybrid environments. With extensive simulation modeling, our research demonstrates up to 2x improvement in detecting and containing threats with these emerging approaches. We also highlight additional innovations around encryption, AI-based analytics and smart network adaptability needed to future-proof security as traffic patterns continue evolving. Finally, this work provides specific understanding of contemporary network traffic properties, their security consequences, quantitative comparison of present against proposed remedies, and ideas for creative management approaches. Organizations can achieve strong cybersecurity for changing enterprise traffic by radically reevaluating L2/L3 data center fabrics, leveraging new data plane capabilities, and implementing developing intent-based secure network concepts.

Decision Fatigue for the Online/Digital Shoppers: A Challenge for Survival in the E-Marketplace for the Grocery Brands in India

Kirti Wadhawan — 2024-12-25

Exploring the e-market place has become a part and parcel for our routine lifestyle for meeting our everyday needs. From purchasing online groceries to placing online orders for our other necessities, emarket place has become a one stop solution for our day-to-day requirements. In such a milieu, where online shoppers used to be highly active over the e-market places and platforms, there are a lot of challenges exists for both the online/digital buyers in general and the brands surviving & competing over the e-market places in particular. Right from the choice of an appropriate e-commerce application, to making decision about the best product to be placed order for, or even the choice of payment options altogether- even a single online buying act involved so many decisions for one case itself. The decision fatigue which originated from the psychological and mental end of the online buyers, ends up as an economic challenge and fatigue for the brands who are competing hard among each other over e-market place. This research paper has taken online grocery shopping as its segment of study. This study aim to explore the impact of decision fatigue on the online shoppers while they used to navigate over the e-market place platforms online. And how the decision fatigue of the online shoppers ends up as a challenge for the online grocery brands of the e-market place. To achieve the purpose of the study, secondary data sources was collected and used, including citation of quality research work from the reputed scholars and academicians. The study reached a set of results including some possible findings and conclusions, which can be helpful for the online shoppers, online grocery brands as well as the future researchers in avoiding such decision fatigue and assist them to make hassle free shopping experience over e-market place while doing shopping for their grocery needs, without creating any economic hardship for the e-market place brands as well.

Personal Privacy at Risk: The Security Threats of Sharing Boarding Passes Online

Dr. A. Shaji George — 2024-12-25

With approximately 140,000 images tagged with #boardingpass on Instagram alone, social media distribution of boarding passes has become somewhat popular. Still, these apparently innocent images might expose travelers to major security and privacy violations by allowing hackers and fraudsters access to private data. A boarding pass typically includes the passenger's full name, frequent traveler number, flight details (number, date, time, seat, class of service), and the booking reference or PNR number. Cybercriminals have the ability to modify flight reservations and even terminate them using the PNR. Additionally, the PNR provides access to confidential passport information that may lead to identity fraud. It has also been reported that travel fraud has been facilitated by hacked registration references, which have enabled the manipulation and unauthorized resale of flight tickets. When the Australian Prime Minister exposed his personal boarding pass on social media in 2020, security professionals showed how unscrupulous persons may exploit printed materials. The episode exposed airlines' widespread cybersecurity concerns, which come from outdated technology and insufficient data protection that fails to protect consumer privacy. The vulnerabilities of everyday passengers are even more severe if significant figures such as heads of state continue to be susceptible to such risks, as critics have cautioned. This paper examines the range of sensitive passenger data revealed through boarding passes and analyzes how it may be misapplied to facilitate identity theft, travel fraud and flight booking violations. Real-world examples are highlighted along with examinations of persistent security deficiencies in airline networks. Suggestions are made to strengthen airline security, warn travelers about boarding pass risks, and enact federal laws guaranteeing consumer data security. This study sounds the warning on the worrisome privacy risks passengers confront in an increasingly dangerous digital environment as social media and over sharing cultures mainstream boarding pass publicizing without heeding ensuing threats. To ensure personal security as well as travel safety across the linked spheres of internet and the international air, proactive actions to reduce boarding pass vulnerabilities must be taken.