Augmenting internet security with ML

The application of machine learning (ML) techniques for understanding and predicting organic matter (OM) and harmful algal blooms (HABs) in freshwater systems has increased significantly with the availability of abundant data and advanced monitoring technologies. However, there is a lack of comprehensive reviews concentrating on practical applications and delving into the potential risks associated with misrepresentation or inflation in constructing ML models. This review aims to bridge these gaps by providing a comprehensive overview of various aspects of ML applications in the context of OM and HABs in freshwater systems. It covers practical ML applications for rapid assessment, early warning, and driver analysis, highlighting the diverse range of techniques employed in these areas. Furthermore, it discusses the challenges and considerations associated with data handling, including using in situ and remote sensing data and the importance of appropriate data-splitting techniques to avoid data leakage. To ensure unbiased and reproducible results, this review offers recommendations for model improvement, such as utilizing explainable ML techniques to gain insights into model behavior and avoiding overreliance on a single ML algorithm. It also emphasizes the significance of deploying ML models through user-friendly interfaces, enabling non-experts in ML to effectively utilize these models in real-world water environments.

Antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae is an urgent global health issue. The objectives of the study were to use a global collection of 12,936 N. gonorrhoeae genomes from the PathogenWatch database to evaluate different machine learning models to predict ceftriaxone susceptibility/decreased susceptibility using 97 mutations known to be associated with ceftriaxone resistance. We found the random forest classifier model had the highest performance. The analysis also reported the relative contributions of different mutations within the ML model predictions, allowing for the identification of the mutations with the highest importance for ceftriaxone resistance. A machine learning model retrained with the top five mutations performed similarly to the model using all 97 mutations. These results could aid in the development of molecular tests to detect resistance to ceftriaxone in N. gonorrhoeae. Moreover, this approach could be applied to building and evaluating machine learning models for predicting antimicrobial resistance in other pathogens.

In this innovative practice work-in-progress paper, we compare two different methods to teach machine learning concepts to undergraduate students in Electrical Engineering. While machine learning is now being offered as a senior-level elective in several curricula, this does not mean all students are exposed to it. Exposure to the concepts and practical applications of machine learning will assist in the creation of a workforce ready to tackle problems related to machine learning, currently a hot topic in industry. Preliminary assessments indicate that this approach promotes student learning. While students prefer the proposed side-by-side teaching approach, numerical comparisons show that the workshop approach may be more effective for student learning, indicating that further work in this area is required.

The financial sector has greatly impacted the monetary well-being of consumers, traders, and financial institutions. In the current era, artificial intelligence is redefining the limits of the financial markets based on state-of-the-art machine learning and deep learning algorithms. There is extensive use of these techniques in financial instrument price prediction, market trend analysis, establishing investment opportunities, portfolio optimization, etc. Investors and traders are using machine learning and deep learning models for forecasting financial instrument movements. With the widespread adoption of AI in finance, it is imperative to summarize the recent machine learning and deep learning models, which motivated us to present this comprehensive review of the practical applications of machine learning in the financial industry. This article examines algorithms such as supervised and unsupervised machine learning algorithms, ensemble algorithms, time series analysis algorithms, and deep learning algorithms for stock price prediction and solving classification problems. The contributions of this review article are as follows: (a) it provides a description of machine learning and deep learning models used in the financial sector; (b) it provides a generic framework for stock price prediction and classification; and (c) it implements an ensemble model—“Random Forest + XG-Boost + LSTM”—for forecasting TAINIWALCHM and AGROPHOS stock prices and performs a comparative analysis with popular machine learning and deep learning models.

The cybersecurity concerns get increasingly intricate as the digital world progresses. In light of the increasing complexity of cyber threats, it is imperative to develop and implement advanced and flexible security strategies. Machine Learning (ML) has become a potent tool in strengthening cybersecurity, providing the capacity to scrutinise extensive information, recognise trends, and improve threat detection and defence methods. This paper examines the significance of ML in the field of cybersecurity, with a special emphasis on the identification of threats and the implementation of protective measures. By incorporating ML algorithms into cybersecurity frameworks, organisations may automate decision-making processes, facilitating prompt responses to ever-changing threats. The initial segment explores the terrain of cyber threats, highlighting the necessity for dynamic and aggressive security methods. Conventional solutions that rely on signatures are frequently inadequate when it comes to handling sophisticated, shape-shifting attacks. ML algorithms, in contrast, have exceptional proficiency in identifying nuanced patterns and irregularities within extensive datasets, therefore offering a more efficient method of detecting potential threats. The second section delves into several ML methodologies utilised in cybersecurity, including supervised and unsupervised learning, deep learning, and reinforcement learning. Every approach is assessed based on its suitability for threat detection, demonstrating its advantages and constraints. Furthermore, the relevance of feature engineering and data pretreatment in improving machine learning models for cybersecurity applications. The versatility of ML algorithms allows them to grow with emerging threats, making them a useful tool in the ever-changing arena of cyber warfare. The final segment focuses on real-world applications of machine learning in cybersecurity, presenting successful use cases across sectors. From anomaly detection to behavior analysis, ML algorithms contribute to the discovery of dangerous activity, lowering false positives and strengthening the overall security posture. Lastly, the paper covers the obstacles and ethical issues related to the adoption of ML in cybersecurity. Issues like as adversarial assaults, skewed datasets, and the interpretability of ML models are examined, highlighting the necessity for a holistic strategy that integrates modern technology with ethical considerations. The fusion of human expertise and machine intelligence offers a formidable defense against evolving cyber threats, paving the way for a more resilient and secure digital future.

Since there are many possible influencing factors of visibility, lightweight data requirements in practical applications of machine learning in visibility prediction can reduce the corresponding data observation cost and collection difficulty. By using the long-term measured data in Qingdao, this research comprehensively compares the performance of five common machine learning methods under different training parameter schemes, including XGBoost, LightGBM, Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Multiple Linear Regression (MLR). The lightweight visibility prediction schemes based on pollutant parameter optimization are established. The seasonal training data of five machine learning models is preprocessed, and then performance evaluations of predictions are carried out. The analysis results show that in terms of models, ensemble learning models, including XGBoost, LightGBM, and RF, have significantly better seasonal visibility prediction effects than SVM and MLR models; XGBoost and LightGBM also have slightly better prediction effects than RF models. In terms of pollutant parameters, solid pollutants have a greater impact on visibility prediction than gaseous pollutants; PM2.5 is more influential than PM10 in visibility prediction. The visibility prediction scheme with six parameters using meteorological parameters and PM2.5 based on XGBoost or LightGBM model is preferably established in this research. This scheme can achieve the same prediction performance as the 11 parameter prediction scheme. The Correlation Coefficient (CC) of the results is around 0.85. The results of this study can not only be used to provide a machine learning scheme reference for practical visibility prediction applications, but also help to deepen the understanding of the factors affecting visibility.

Loan approval prediction is a critical task in the financial sector, enabling institutions to assess credit risk and make informed lending decisions. This research presents a comprehensive comparative study of various machine learning approaches for loan approval prediction, evaluating both traditional algorithms and deep learning architectures. We implemented and compared five traditional machine learning models (Logistic Regression, Decision Tree, Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, and SVM) against three neural network architectures (Simple Feed-Forward Neural Network, Deep Neural Network with Batch Normalization, and Wide & Deep Network). Using a synthetic dataset of 1,000 loan applications with features including income, credit score, and employment status, we achieved the highest accuracy of 93.5% with Gradient Boosting, closely followed by the Wide & Deep Neural Network at 93.5%. Feature importance analysis revealed credit score (45%) as the most influential factor, followed by income (40%) and employment status (15%). Additionally, we developed a professional Tkinter-based graphical user interface that enables real-time predictions, batch processing, and interactive visualizations. This system demonstrates the practical application of machine learning in financial decision-making and provides a framework for deploying predictive models in production environments. Keywords — Loan Approval, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Neural Networks, Gradient Boosting, Tkinter GUI, Credit Risk Assessment

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a key component of modern cybersecurity systems, offering innovative solutions fordetecting, preventing, and neutralizing threats. The dynamic development of AI technology allows for increasingly effective analysisof huge data sets, identification of anomalies, and real-time response to attacks. This article focuses on presenting the current state ofknowledge on the applications in cybersecurity, discussing key methods such as machine learning, deep learning, and systems basedon artificial neural networks. It also discusses how these technologies can be used to analyze end-user behavior, detect malware, detectnetwork attacks, and automate incident response. In addition to the potential benefits, the article highlights the actual challenges andlimitations associated with implementing AI in security systems, including issues of algorithm interpretability, the risk of false positives,vulnerability to adversarial attacks, and ethical aspects. The result of this study is a comprehensive identification of current trends andan indication of future directions for the development of AI tools in cybersecurity. The article also provides an overview of currentlyexisting solutions and their impact on the level of effectiveness of IT system protection.

The detection of fraudulent URLs that lead to malicious websites using addresses similar to those of legitimate websites is a key form of defense against phishing attacks. Currently, in the case of Internet of Things devices is especially relevant, because they usually have access to the Internet, although in many cases they are vulnerable to these phishing attacks. This paper offers an overview of the most relevant techniques for the accurate detection of fraudulent URLs, from the most widely used machine learning and deep learning algorithms, to the application, as a proof of concept, of classification models based on quantum machine learning. Starting from an essential data preparation phase, special attention is paid to the initial comparison of several traditional machine learning models, evaluating them with different datasets and obtaining interesting results that achieve true positive rates greater than 90%. After that first approach, the study moves on to the application of quantum machine learning, analysing the specificities of this recent field and assessing the possibilities it offers for the detection of malicious URLs. Given the limited available literature specifically on the detection of malicious URLs and other cybersecurity issues through quantum machine learning, the research presented here represents a relevant novelty on the combination of both concepts in the form of quantum machine learning algorithms for cybersecurity. Indeed, after the analysis of several algorithms, encouraging results have been obtained that open the door to further research on the application of quantum computing in the field of cybersecurity.

Machine learning applications for anomaly detection in Smart Water Metering Networks: A systematic review

Chemical heuristics have been fundamental to the advancement of chemistry and materials science. These heuristics are typically established by scientists using knowledge and creativity to extract patterns from limited datasets. Machine learning offers opportunities to perfect this approach using computers and larger datasets. Here, we discuss the relationships between traditional heuristics and machine learning approaches. We show how traditional rules can be challenged by large-scale statistical assessment and how traditional concepts commonly used as features are feeding the machine learning techniques. We stress the waste involved in relearning chemical rules and the challenges in terms of data size requirements for purely data-driven approaches. Our view is that heuristic and machine learning approaches are at their best when they work together.

In the field of information and cybersecurity, one of the most important and critical challenges is the human factor, because no software or technical tool can fully compensate for the lack of awareness of information and cyber risks, appropriate behavior and a responsible attitude to information protection. The introduction of cognitive science theories into the field of cyber security will increase the level of effectiveness of protection strategies. Cognitive modeling contributes to the creation of mathematical models that simulate the processes of human thinking, decision-making and behavior, which brings the transition from reactive protection to a proactive approach. This article is devoted to the study of the implementation of the cognitive approach in security systems. Based on the analysis of scientific literature, the main definitions of cognitive science are highlighted, in particular, the concepts of cognitive modeling, cognitive analysis and synthesis, types of cognitive models, fuzzy cognitive map. The advantages of cognitive theories in various sectors of society are outlined. It has been proven that cognitive modeling can be applied in the field of cybersecurity to understand and predict the behavior of both attackers and protective systems. The following cognitive models in cyber systems are described: symbolic modeling (rule-based modeling) is used to build intrusion detection systems (IDS) that analyze network traffic for known attacks; network modeling (modeling using neural networks) includes anomaly detection systems that analyze typical network behavior; Bayesian models (probabilistic modeling) help predict risks and the probability of a successful attack on a specific system; agent-based modeling is used to simulate cyberattacks and test the resilience of systems. It was determined that the use of hybrid models that combine the above is effective. The challenges of implementing cognitive modeling in the security field are highlighted. These are the difficulties associated with the need for large volumes of qualitative data on the behavior of attackers, the complexity of modeling human behavior, and ethical issues. The results of the study can be used as educational material for students of the specialty F5 Cybersecurity and Information Protection.

The oil and gas industry faces constant pressure to enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs, and minimize equipment downtime. Machine learning (ML) applications in predictive maintenance have emerged as a transformative approach to achieving these goals. This review explores the role of machine learning in predictive maintenance, highlighting its potential to revolutionize maintenance strategies and improve asset management across the industry. Predictive maintenance leverages advanced algorithms to analyze historical and real-time data from equipment and sensors, enabling the identification of patterns and anomalies that precede equipment failures. By utilizing techniques such as supervised learning, unsupervised learning, and reinforcement learning, organizations can forecast equipment malfunctions and schedule maintenance activities proactively, thereby reducing unexpected downtimes and extending asset lifecycles. The implementation of ML in predictive maintenance provides several key benefits. Firstly, it enhances operational efficiency by optimizing maintenance schedules and minimizing unplanned outages, which are critical in the capital-intensive oil and gas sector. Secondly, it enables cost savings through more efficient resource allocation and reduced labor costs associated with reactive maintenance strategies. Thirdly, machine learning algorithms can continuously learn from new data, refining their predictive capabilities and improving accuracy over time. Several case studies illustrate the successful application of machine learning in predictive maintenance within the oil and gas industry. For example, ML models have been employed to predict pump failures, optimize drilling operations, and improve pipeline integrity monitoring. These applications not only lead to significant financial savings but also enhance safety by reducing the risk of catastrophic failures. In conclusion, machine learning applications in predictive maintenance represent a crucial advancement for the oil and gas industry. By harnessing the power of data-driven insights, organizations can enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs, and ultimately drive sustainable growth. This review emphasizes the transformative potential of machine learning in predictive maintenance, establishing it as a key strategy for success in the ever-evolving oil and gas landscape.

A cost effective, easily scalable, and application independent FPGA cluster co-processing platform for machine learning (ML) applications is proposed. The work in this paper focuses on delivering an economical platform for the researchers and developers without the knowledge of FPGAs who seek budget friendly solutions to increase the performance of their ML applications without relying on the highly expensive solutions available in the today's FPGA market. The approach consists of two main parts, with a CPU based host machine learning application and the FPGA cluster sharing the heavy workload through an Ethernet protocol. An experiment was conducted using a perceptron layer implementation on the hardware and the test results show the execution time improvements due to the utilization of the proposed cluster approach. The solution proposed is easily scalable with any FPGA platform with an Ethernet support.

Purpose Although there are studies analyzing barriers related to new technological concepts, it turns out that there are only a few studies on barriers to machine learning (ML) applications, and none of them consider the implications for smart logistics. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to reveal and analyze the barriers to ML applications in smart logistics from both industry and academic perspectives. Design/methodology/approach To achieve this aim, first, various barriers to smart logistics activities based on the Industry 4.0 perspective are identified. Later, the relative importance of these barriers critical to the success of smart logistics activities is determined. Finally, the interval-valued fuzzy (IVF) DEMATEL method is used to analyze the cause-and-effect relationship between each barrier based on industry and academic perspective. Findings Eleven barriers related to ML applications in smart logistics were evaluated by seven experts who are working in different positions. Results show that, the most crucial cause-and-effect barriers are integration and connection problems with value chain/network systems (B6), requirements of adapting new infrastructures (B11) and lack of transparency, safety and security (B3). Originality/value There is no study about determining barriers with merging smart logistics activities with the Industry 4.0 perspective. It is expected that the results of this study will contribute to the use of ML in the logistics sector by revealing significant concepts to which businesses should pay attention to prevent these barriers and by suggesting practical solutions to these problems.