Date/Time/Venue: 19 November 2024 / 11:00 AM – 11:10 AM /101, Block 45

Title: Decentralized Consensus and Control for Autonomous Vehicles

Date/Time/Venue: 19 November 2024 / 11:10 AM – 13:00 PM / 101, Block 45

Abstract: while autonomous vehicles reshape the face of transportation, the latter's focus is still on real-time decision-making considering rapidly changing traffic scenarios. This work describes a new approach for enhancing real-time decision-making in networks of autonomous vehicles through the use of distributed consensus algorithms, decentralized control frameworks, and optimized communication protocols. The work is expected to extend traditional consensus algorithms, Paxos and Raft, for the tight low-latency requirements pertinent to real-time decision-making. The decentralized control approach we propose integrates MPC and RL to facilitate local decision-making in accordance with overarching traffic management goals. In addition, we develop communication protocols for V2V and V2I communications tailored to ensure optimization in terms of minimum latency with a high level of reliability. Our study forms the strong foundation needed to further real-time decision-making in networks of autonomous vehicles and may have far-reaching consequences for improving road traffic safety and management.

Title: O-RAN Based User Tracking for Emergency Scenarios

Date/Time/Venue: 19 November 2024 / 11:10 AM – 13:00 PM / 101, Block 45

Abstract: Accurate user localization in cellular networks is critical, especially during emergencies. This paper proposes a method using Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) technology to enhance real-time user tracking within emergency zones. By leveraging the Near-Real-Time Radio Intelligent Controller (near-RT RIC) and xApps, the suggested approach tracks user movements through handover messages across base stations, improving emergency response effectiveness. Simulations validate the method's potential, highlighting its ability to address challenges in traditional localization techniques.

Title: Blocking malicious domains: An experimental case study on DNS RPZ mechanism.

Date/Time/Venue: 19 November 2024 / 11:10 AM – 13:00 PM / 101, Block 45

Abstract: The Domain Name System (DNS) is a critical component of the internet infrastructure and is frequently targeted by attackers to distribute malware or for conducting phishing attacks. Cybercriminals are using malicious domains for various cyber attacks such as phishing, malware, ransomware, and other forms of cybercrime. The malicious domains are registered using fake identities or stolen identities, which makes it difficult to trace the attackers. The DNS Response Policy Zones (RPZ) mechanism is a security mechanism that allows organizations to block access to known malicious domains by responding to DNS queries with a non-existent IP address. This experimental case study evaluates the effectiveness of the DNS RPZ mechanism in blocking access to known malicious domains and reducing the number of malware infections and phishing attacks on client devices. The study was conducted using a BIND DNS server and a collection of known malware and phishing domains. The results show that the DNS RPZ mechanism was effective in blocking access to known malicious domains and reducing the number of malware infections and phishing attacks on the client devices. However, the study also highlights the need for future research to evaluate the scalability, real-world effectiveness, user behavior, and performance of the DNS RPZ mechanism in comparison with other security mechanisms.