National Institute for Research & Development in Informatics

Deep neural networks currently dominate many fields of the artificial intelligence landscape, achieving state-of-the-art results on numerous tasks while remaining hard to understand and exhibiting surprising weaknesses. An active area of research focuses on adversarial attacks, which aim to generate inputs that uncover these weaknesses. However, this proves challenging, especially in the black-box scenario where model details are inaccessible. This paper explores in detail the impact of such adversarial algorithms on ResNet-18, DenseNet-121, Swin Transformer V2, and Vision Transformer network architectures. Leveraging the Tiny ImageNet, Caltech-256, and Food-101 datasets, we benchmark two novel black-box iterative adversarial algorithms based on affine transformations and genetic algorithms: 1) Affine Transformation Attack (ATA), an iterative algorithm maximizing our attack score function using random affine transformations, and 2) Affine Genetic Attack (AGA), a genetic algorithm that involves random noise and affine transformations. We evaluate the performance of the models in the algorithm parameter variation, data augmentation, and global and targeted attack configurations. We also compare our algorithms with two black-box adversarial algorithms, Pixle and Square Attack. Our experiments yield better results on the image classification task than similar methods in the literature, achieving an accuracy improvement of up to 8.82%. We provide noteworthy insights into successful adversarial defenses and attacks at both global and targeted levels, and demonstrate adversarial robustness through algorithm parameter variation.

Abstract The paper presents an experimental research on the stability of an aqueous suspension containing 35% magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) using the zeta potential measurement method. The main objective of this study is to determine the variation of zeta potential as function of the suspension’s alkalinity. By charging the surfaces of magnetite nanoparticles with negative hydroxyl groups, they produce electrostatic repulsion between magnetite nanoparticles and prevent short- and medium-term magnetic agglomeration and sedimentation. Alkalinising together with ultrasonication treatment are effective methods for stabilising magnetite nanoparticles suspensions used as ferrofluids.

Polymers have long been central to modern materials science, but their durability has also made them major contributors to environmental pollution. A new generation of bio-based and nanostructured polymers is now reshaping this field, offering materials that are functional, reversible, and sustainable. This review examines their role across three interconnected domains: cultural heritage conservation, the protection of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs), and environmental sustainability. In heritage science, polymers are moving away from synthetic resins toward renewable systems such as chitosan, nanocellulose, and PLA, which provide stability while remaining reversible and compatible with delicate substrates. In agriculture, biodegradable coatings, controlled-release carriers, and edible films are improving MAP protection, extending shelf life, and reducing reliance on synthetic pesticides. In environmental applications, polymers are being reinvented as solutions rather than problems—through degradable mulches, functional hydrogels, and nanocomposites that clean soils and waters within a circular economy framework. Looking across these domains reveals strong synergies. The same principles—biodegradability, multifunctionality, and responsiveness—apply in each context, turning polymers from passive barriers into intelligent, adaptive systems. Their future success will depend not only on chemistry but also on life-cycle design, policy alignment, and public trust, making polymers key enablers of sustainability.

The functioning of terrestrial critical infrastructures, such as electricity, transportation, and finance depends on critical space infrastructures (CSI). CSI underlie the provision of vital goods and services, economic activities, national and global security. Consequently, securing CSI from cyber-attacks is important to avoid disruptions in the provision of critical goods and services and ensure high levels of security in our societies. Existing cases of cyber-attacks against ground and space components of CSI have proven the consequences of such attacks for domestic and international security, economic, systemic, environmental and social safety and stability. With strategic gains increasingly motivating state and state-sponsored attacks against CSI, the European Union (EU) expanded its resilience and response toolbox to address cyber-threats against CSI. Space has become a highly strategic domain with the EU Strategic Compass, since 2022. Furthermore, in 2023, the High Representative and the Commission put forward an EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence, presenting the EU’s vision for space security. This programmatic document marks a shift in the EU’s configuration of space, from a domain for scientific and civilian enterprises, to one central to security and defence. This paper examines the quick evolution of the EU’s approach to protecting CSI between 2020 and 2024 against the background of the development of the EU’s approach to CI protection more broadly and the development of its space governance aspirations and capabilities. It examines the EU institutional and legislative frameworks for CSI resilience to assesses how relevant and strategic these are considering new technological developments, in the current global security context.

International audience