Semiprime Factorization with the Cell Method: A QUBO-Based and a Memory-Efficient Classical Cell-Decomposition Study

Purpose: The general objective of the study was to explore cybersecurity threats and mitigation strategies in the age of quantum computing. Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library. Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to cybersecurity threats and mitigation strategies in the age of quantum computing. Preliminary empirical review revealed that quantum computing posed a significant threat to current cybersecurity measures by potentially rendering traditional cryptographic systems obsolete. It highlighted that existing encryption methods, such as RSA and ECC, were vulnerable to the powerful computational capabilities of quantum algorithms like Shor's algorithm. The research emphasized the urgent need for the development and integration of quantum-resistant cryptographic techniques and strategies to ensure continued security. It also concluded that, while quantum computing introduced substantial risks, it offered opportunities for innovation in cybersecurity, requiring proactive measures and strategic planning to address these emerging threats effectively. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Theory of Quantum Computing and Quantum Cryptography, Information Security Management Theory and Complexity Theory may be used to anchor future studies on cybersecurity threats and mitigation strategies in the age of quantum computing. The study recommended several key actions to address the cybersecurity challenges posed by quantum computing. It suggested accelerating research and development into post-quantum cryptographic algorithms and integrating these quantum-resistant solutions into current security infrastructures. The study also recommended enhancing cybersecurity education and training to prepare professionals for quantum-related challenges. Additionally, it advocated for promoting collaborative research between academia, industry, and government, developing strategic risk management frameworks, and engaging in policy advocacy to establish standards for quantum-safe technologies. These measures were intended to ensure that both theoretical and practical aspects of cybersecurity could effectively address the evolving threats of quantum computing.

Facing Global Environmental Change

Foreign policy as one of the key areas for the functioning of sovereign states is designed to protect their national interests and promote maintenance of the welfare of the population. For Ukraine, such vectors of foreign policy as European, Euro-Atlantic, Eurasian, Middle Eastern, and Asian are traditionally important. One of the main vectors of Ukraine's foreign policy at the current stage is integration into the European Union. At the same time, an extremely important task for Ukrainian diplomacy is countering Russian aggression, protection of the population in the East of the state and in the Crimea and the soonest possible resolution of the conflict in the Donbas region. Consequently, this topic is of considerable interest, and it is worth examining in detail the current state of Ukraine's foreign policy, in particular, in view of the current challenges of global and regional security. Analysis of foreign and Ukrainian sources on this topic indicates the interest of researchers in matters of foreign policy of Ukraine, as well as international conflicts and their settlement. The purpose of this article is to study the current state of Ukraine's foreign policy in the context of the current challenges of global and regional security. Based on the analysis, it was determined that at the current stage there is sufficient potential for further development of Ukraine's foreign policy, in particular in view of the current challenges of global and regional security. On the basis of the analysis, one can arrive at conclusions that among the successes of Ukraine's foreign policy in recent years one can mention withstanding Russian aggression, introduction of a visa-free regime with the European Union, further deepening of cooperation within the framework of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and deepening of Euro-Atlantic integration. At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen the effective use of the foreign policy resource to efficiently respond to the challenges of global and regional security. There are further prospects for research related to the effective resolution of international conflicts at the current stage.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate on the analysis of extreme weather events in coastal regions in Mozambique. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: In Mozambique, coastal regions are increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather events, exacerbated by climate change. Analysis indicates a rise in extreme precipitation events, with a significant increase in the potential for heavier rainfall due to warmer air temperatures, which can hold more moisture. This trend is likely to result in more frequent intense weather events, heightening the risk of flooding. Socio-economic disparities exacerbate the impact of these events, particularly in rural areas with limited infrastructure and preparedness. Efforts to integrate climate change into the developmental agenda are crucial for enhancing resilience and preparedness against these growing risks. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Complexity theory, resilience theory & governance theory may be used to anchor future studies on analysis of extreme weather events in coastal regions in Mozambique. Implement and enhance early warning systems tailored to coastal hazards, including storm surges, hurricanes, and sea-level rise. Advocate for integrated coastal zone management policies that incorporate climate resilience considerations into coastal development planning. Policies should support adaptive governance frameworks that facilitate coordinated responses across multiple sectors and levels of government.

Japan, in responding to US expectations for support in the ‘war on terror’, has displayed a degree of strategic convergence on global security objectives, thus prompting policy-makers and observers to dub it the ‘Great Britain of the Far East’. This article argues, however, that Japan is far from assuming this role. For Japan, the ‘war on terror’ serves more as a political pretext for legitimating long-planned changes in military security policy that are often only marginally related to the US's anti-terrorism agenda. Instead, Japan has focused much more on using the terror threat rationale as a means to push forward its response to the regional and traditional security challenges of North Korea and China, even if at times it attempts to depict both as ‘new security challenges’ or as involving elements of counterterrorism. The final conclusion is that US military hegemony may be weakened by Japan's and the Asia-Pacific's potential divergence from the US global security agenda.

This study advances both theories of institutional complexity and organizational resilience through examining an unusual and unexplored setting of environment characterized by continuous disruption caused by civil conflicts, wars and terrorism. Despite disrupted environments, there are many successful local organizations that are striving in these complex settings and they are expanding their businesses to compete with other firms located in more developed and institutional settings. My analysis allows me to develop a theory of a type of organizational capacity; not previously identified, that explains how firms cope in a context of enduring disrupted environment. I propose a new notion of organizational capacity: ‘Plasticity’, it is the ability of the organization to strategically stretch existing organizational and institutional arrangements to cope with disruption, without breaking out organizational growth and development path. Organizational plasticity makes the firm adaptable to continuous disruptio...

The goal of this study is to explore security threats and challenges of digitisation. Digitisation as one of the key technological factors has a significant impact on the development of today’s modern world. Beyond general security circumstances, this impact touches upon economic, financial, social, technological, medical, educational, defence and military issues, as well all over the world.The argument of this study is that the modernisation of defence systems is an essential key to successfully responding to new security challenges in our digital explosion era. Therefore, it is a must that government organisations, including defence and military systems fundamentally upgrade their own technical, structural and operational capabilities and accept digitisation as the driving factor of future defence and military development.In light of the above, the study first examines digitisation as a global security challenge and then presents a comparative analysis of the relationship between hybrid warfare and cybersecurity. Finally, before drawing conclusions, it takes stock of the military policy relevance of the cybersecurity challenges relevant to Hungary.Overall, it can be stated that digitisation and digital transformation are present all over the world as a result of globalisation. Developed nations, including Hungary must be connected to digitisation and by digitisation to each other’s various systems and technologies. This system has to be integrated, but independent at the same time, as well as connected but separable in order to be able to be involved in the whole cyberspace and get the benefits of it or get separated from it to defend threats or direct attacks coming from the outside. The Hungarian Defence Forces has a key role in this very important process.

Since the twentieth century, intensifying global transformations have led to the spread of religious extremism and jihadist movements. In the United States, there was the Al-Qaeda terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001and similar attacks in Britain, Spain and other parts of Europe within the same period. Since 2011, sectarian clashes have lingered in northern Lebanon following the arrest of a Lebanese Islamist linked to the Syrian uprising. In Africa, the Boko Haram Islamic sect with known religious preferences and belief system has occasioned national security crisis in Nigeria. In Mali, the Tuareg fighters with support from Al-Qaeda have stoked a simmering rebellion in the country. All this has created global security challenges which threaten the security of nation-states and their citizens. This paper seeks to establish the nexus between globalization and the spread of religious extremism and how it poses a threat to global security.

The monograph proposed by the authors is devoted to a comprehensive analysis of the modern architectonics of global security and the search for theoretical, methodological, and practical foundations for building its updated model. The purpose of the study is to substantiate a new system of global security in general and European security in particular, adapted to the conditions of a multipolar world, digital transformation and the growing interdependence of states, regions and corporations. The first section reveals the general principles of building a new system of global security. It identifies key structural elements of the modern system that have lost their effectiveness and proposes conceptual directions for their renewal. The phenomenon of geopolitical recession is analyzed - a gradual decrease in the influence of traditional centers of power, which creates the prerequisites for the formation of a polycentric world. Special attention is paid to the issues of Euroregional cooperation, cross-border security, energy and environmental stability, as well as global business risks that shape new approaches to the management of international corporations. The second section is devoted to the dialectics of the relationship between global, regional and national security. It analyzes the directions of harmonization of global and national interests in the context of security challenges of the 21st century, the role of European security as a component of the global order system, as well as the problems of forming a national model of sustainable development. A significant place is devoted to the topic of personnel security, reducing disparities in the EU labor market and Ukraine's contribution to the formation of European labor potential. The third section reveals the economic security of Europe and its components, considering it as an institutional prerequisite for innovative development and digital integration. The authors analyze the mechanisms of the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), the formation of a policy of public administration cohesion, adaptation to security challenges in the context of post-war recovery, as well as the impact of artificial intelligence, digitalization and corporate governance on the stability of the European economy. The fourth section is of an applied nature and focuses on the role of Ukraine in the European security architecture. The potential of Ukraine as a key player in the European security system is considered, as well as its participation in the transformation of the labor market, cross-border integration, financial stability, and the development of innovative sectors of the economy. Particular attention is paid to investment cases of post-war recovery, in particular the creation of cross-border hydrogen clusters and the development of near-shoring production models, which are becoming a catalyst for Ukraine's integration into the European economic space. The fifth chapter is devoted to the digital transformation of global security. It examines how digitalization, the development of artificial intelligence, Big Tech, and digital management systems are changing the risk structure, business competitiveness, and security strategies of states. The authors analyze the relationship between digitalization, environmental transformation, and the EU's global strategies in the field of sustainable development and economic security. The sixth section outlines the directions of Ukraine’s integration into the European economic and political and legal space, paying attention to methodological aspects of increasing the efficiency of integration processes, harmonization of legislation, development of the judiciary and transformation of the economic space of the deoccupied territories. It is through these processes that a new European security order is being formed, in which Ukraine is gradually moving from the status of a partner to a full participant.

Biological warfare (BW) refers to the deliberate use of pathogenic microorganisms, toxins, or poisons to cause disease, incapacitation, or death in humans, animals, or crops. Unlike conventional weapons, biological agents can reproduce, spread invisibly, and produce delayed effects, making them particularly difficult to detect, control, and mitigate. Historically, BW has evolved from primitive methods - such as contaminating water supplies, using infected corpses, or poisoning livestock - to highly sophisticated threats amplified by modern biotechnology, synthetic biology, and gene-editing tools like CRISPR-Cas9. These technological advances, while enabling significant progress in medicine, agriculture, and industrial applications, also carry the potential for weaponization, creating complex ethical, regulatory, and security challenges. A central issue in BW is the dual-use nature of biological research, where the same scientific knowledge can serve both beneficial and harmful purposes. Research aimed at improving public health, developing vaccines, or enhancing agricultural productivity can also be misapplied to engineer pathogens with increased virulence, transmissibility, or resistance. This dual-use dilemma underscores the critical role of scientists, who act as creators, whistleblowers, and ethical guides, influencing not only the development of BW technologies but also their prevention. This paper explores the historical evolution of BW from ancient to modern times, examines contemporary threats including biohacking, gain-of-function research, and synthetic biology, and assesses future risks posed by emerging technologies and global interconnectedness. It highlights the ethical responsibility of scientists to conduct research transparently, adhere to rigorous safety standards, and participate in policy and governance frameworks. International treaties such as the 1925 Geneva Protocol and the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention provide legal foundations for BW prevention; however, enforcement gaps, clandestine programs, and rapid technological developments necessitate stronger global cooperation, biosecurity measures, and ethical oversight. In conclusion, BW represents a persistent and evolving threat in the 21st century. Ensuring that scientific advances are guided by ethical responsibility, robust biosecurity, and international collaboration is essential to prevent the misuse of biology for destructive purposes while enabling innovations that benefit humanity. The active engagement of scientists, policymakers, and global institutions is crucial to balancing scientific progress with security and public welfare. . KEYWORDS :Biological warfare, Dual-use research, Gene editing, Biosecurity, bioterrorism, Biological weapons convention

Introduction. Food security has traditionally been conceptualised as a fundamental economic category encompassing the system of mechanisms for the production, distribution, and consumption of food to meet the needs of the population. Classical and neoclassical approaches primarily emphasised market mechanisms, state regulation, and international trade in shaping a sustainable food supply system. Armed conflicts fundamentally alter this paradigm, as they destroy production and logistics infrastructure, obstruct export routes, and exacerbate the threat of food shortages. Under such circumstances, food security acquires not only an economic but also a humanitarian and security dimension, since the viability of society and the resilience of the state depend on its effectiveness. Methodology. This study employs general scientific and specialised research methods, namely: analysis and synthesis – to examine the evolution of theoretical concepts of food security from classical to contemporary approaches and to reveal their limitations under crisis conditions; the historical-logical method – to investigate the transformation of theoretical foundations of food security under the influence of wartime challenges; systematisation – to identify new models of food policy that have emerged during armed conflict; comparison – to conduct a comparative analysis of Ukraine’s experience in building food resilience with that of the EU and African countries; dialectical method – to uncover contradictions between traditional market mechanisms and the requirements of crisis management in food systems; abstract-logical method – to construct theoretical models of wartime food economy and socially inclusive provision; and generalisation – to formulate conclusions on the transformation of the food security paradigm in conditions of war and post-war recovery. Results. Classical and neoclassical economic theories laid the foundation for analysing food security, framing it as a strategic resource and a domain governed by market mechanisms and international trade. In the second half of the twentieth century, institutional approaches gained prominence, stressing the role of the state and international organisations in stabilising food systems. The war in Ukraine has exposed the vulnerability of the globalised model and has given rise to new concepts – the wartime food economy, the institutional-security paradigm, the theory of local resilience, and “crisis farming”. As a result, food policy has acquired an interdisciplinary character, integrating economic, security, social, and humanitarian dimensions, and has become a key element of both national and global security.

Accurate consistency-based MSA reducing the memory footprint

Power systems have been undergoing radical changes in recent years, and their planning and operation will be surely undertaken according to the Smart Grid (SG) vision in the near future. The SG initiatives aim at introducing new technologies and services in power systems, to make the electrical networks more reliable, efficient, secure and environmentally-friendly. In particular, it is expected that communication technologies, computational intelligence and distributed energy sources will be widely used for the whole power system in an integrated fashion. In particular, nowadays, unprecedented challenges like as stringent regulations, environmental concerns, growing demand for high quality, reliable electricity and rising customer expectations are forcing utilities to rethink about electricity generation and delivery from the bottom up. Moreover, the availability of low cost computing and telecommunications technologies, new generation options, and scalable, modular automation systems push utilities to be dynamic, innovative and ambitious enough to take advantage of them. Driven by the dynamics of the new energy environment, leading utilities, technology vendors and government organizations have created a vision of the next generation of energy delivery systems: the Smart Grid. Operational changes of the grid, caused by restructuring of the electric utility industry and electricity storage technology advancements, have created an opportunity for storage systems to provide unique services to the evolving grid. Especially Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESSs), thanks to the large number and variety of services they can provide, are powerful tools for the solution of some challenges that future grids will face. This consideration makes BESSs critical components of the future grids. The BESS can be applied for different services into the different levels of power system chain to satisfy technical challenges and provide financial benefits. In the context of the application of BESSs in SGs, there are two main problems that need to be addressed in a way that exploits the BESS potential, that are linked to their operation and sizing. This thesis focuses on both these aspects, proposing new strategies that allow optimizing the BESS adoption. When dealing with BESSs, sizing and operation are strictly linked. The correct sizing of a BESS, in fact, needs to take into account its operation which in turn will be effected with the aim of optimizing the whole system where it is included. In the first part of this research study, advanced optimal operating strategies were proposed for BESSs by considering both the distribution system operator perspective and the end user. Thus, the proposed operating strategies were performed with the aim of (i) leveling the active power requested by the loads connected to a distribution system (distribution system operator service), (ii) reducing the electricity costs sustained by an end-use costumer that provides demand response (DR) (end user service) and (iii) scheduling a microgrid (µG) with DR resources such as Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs) and Data Centers (DCs) (both the two section service). The proposed strategies also satisfied technical constraints of BESSs and other components of the µG. The second part of the thesis presented the optimal sizing of BESSs aimed at maximizing the benefits related to their use. In the thesis, the sizing, which is performed by considering the end user point of view with reference to both the industrial and residential customers, is effected by adopting both deterministic and probabilistic approaches. With reference to the deterministic approach, a simple and quick closed form procedure for the sizing of BESSs in residential and industrial applications was proposed. In case of probabilistic approach, the case of a BESS installed in an industrial facility was considered and the sizing was performed based on the decision theory. Technical improvements and economic benefits of optimal operation and optimal sizing of BESSs in SG are demonstrated by the obtained results which are reported in the numerical applications. More specifically, it was clearly determined that BESSs can offer technical supports into the distribution operator section of the grid in terms of load management and security challenges. Moreover optimal integration of BESSs into the grid was also appealing for end users thanks to valuable amounts of electricity bill cost reduction. Regarding the original contribution of the thesis, the following considerations can be done. With reference to the load leveling service, an innovative two-step procedure (day-ahead scheduling and very short time predictive control) was proposed which optimally controls a BESS connected to a distribution substation in order to perform load leveling. In case of DR, a proper control of the BESS was proposed in order to perform DR under different price schemes, such as Real Time Pricing (RTP) and Time of Use (TOU) without modifying the daily work cycle of the industrial loads. The control procedure allows achieving contemporaneously two important goals that are the reduction of the bill costs and the prolonging the battery's lifetime so further reducing the costs sustained by the customer. With reference to the scheduling of microgrids, the original contribution of the thesis is focused on the proposal of optimization strategies aimed at managing and coordinating, simultaneously, batteries on board of vehicles or equipping data centers' Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) and Distributed Generation (DG) units. Also comparisons among different single-objective based strategies are made in order to highlight the most convenient. With reference to the sizing based on deterministic approach, unlike the other relating literature, the innovative contribution is that the closed form procedure takes into account both the technical constraints of the battery and contractual agreements between the customer and the utility. Moreover, in the economical analysis performed for the sizing, which is applied with reference to both residential and small industrial customers and is based on actual TOU tariffs, a wide sensitivity analysis to consider different perspectives in terms of life span and future costs was performed. Some aspects that affect the profitability of the battery, such as technological limitations (e.g. the battery and converter efficiency), economic barriers (e.g. capital cost and the rate of change of the cost) and variation of the load profile along the years were deeply analyzed. In case of sizing based on probabilistic approach, the original contributions of the thesis are mainly referred to the proposal of a new method that uses a decision theory-based process to obtain the best sizing alternative considering the various uncertainties affecting the sizing procedure. The thesis is organized in three chapters which are dealing with integration of BESSs in SGs. The first chapter reports basic concepts and characteristics of BESSs, fundamental components and features of SGs and different services that BESSs can provide. The optimal operation strategies of BESS are considered in second chapter which includes their problem formulation, solving procedures and results. The third chapter deals with the optimal sizing problem of BESSs for which the problem formulation, solving procedures and results are reported. Finally, the conclusions are presented in the last part of thesis.

We are beginning to observe the management challenges for global security dealing with disease outbreaks. The rapid movement and migration of the world population as well as the transfer of resources across different regions provides immense challenges for developing improved surveillance systems for effectively coordinating our efforts to global security challenges faced by disease outbreaks. There are considerable efforts to collect case data during disease outbreaks (DO) from the spread of infections perspective. However, research for developing reliable framework for the collection of inter-organizational coordination (IOC) response data is lacking to date. Our objective here is to introduce a corpus that can be used in designing and capturing IOC data for facilitating empirical analysis of evolution of networks in a coordinated effort to DO. Since this is new domain, we introduce the main qualitative questions that will discover the characteristics of such coordination and propose a corpus or schema that can be used to classify the quantitative data collection and preparation for further empirical analysis.

This scientific article explores the legal definitions and historical evolution of arms trafficking within the framework of international law. The difficulty in establishing a universally accepted definition of arms trafficking represents a significant challenge for the international community, given the destabilizing impact of this phenomenon on global security. Despite continuous regulatory efforts, the absence of unitary terminology persists, generating interpretive ambiguities and difficulties in the coherent application of countermeasures. Through a comparative analysis of lexicographic sources, international treaties, and academic literature, the study highlights not only conceptual differences but also significant convergences that have begun to shape a more uniform approach in international practice regarding the fight against illicit arms trade. This study employs a rigorous methodological approach, combining documentary analysis with comparative and historiographical methods to provide a comprehensive perspective on the subject. A central aspect of this research is the examination of how various international legal instruments, such as the UN Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition (Firearms Protocol), supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, and the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), have attempted to standardize definitions and establish legal frameworks for controlling the arms trade. It also analyzes the contributions of relevant regional and international organizations in efforts to harmonize national legislation and strengthen cross-border cooperation. The study contributes to the delineation of a clear and well-founded theoretical framework, useful for in-depth research into the phenomenon of arms trafficking and for the formulation of more effective public policies. A nuanced understanding of the defining dynamics of arms trafficking is essential for developing comprehensive strategies that address both its root causes and its concrete manifestations. By identifying conceptual gaps and points of convergence within the international normative framework, the paper provides a solid basis for future legislative and diplomatic initiatives. The interdisciplinary approach, integrating legal, historical, and security perspectives, allows for a holistic understanding of the issue and its complexity. The ultimate goal of this abstract, and implicitly of the article, is to emphasize the necessity of a clear and universally accepted legal definition of arms trafficking, which would facilitate better law enforcement at national and international levels, as well as efficient cross-border judicial cooperation. This endeavor is crucial to ensure that efforts to combat illicit arms trafficking are coherent, coordinated, and adapted to the evolving challenges of international security. In the current context, marked by the proliferation of asymmetric conflicts and the expansion of transnational organized crime networks, a rigorous definition of arms trafficking becomes not only a matter of academic rigor but a pragmatic necessity for maintaining international peace and security.