Security in Virtual Worlds and 3D Webs: Models for Development and Management

Call for Chapter Proposals: Security in Virtual Worlds and 3D Webs

Proposal Submission Deadline: January 31, 2009
http://docrea.org/igi

Security in Virtual Worlds and 3D Webs: Models for Development and Management
A book edited by Dr. Alan Rea
Western Michigan University, USA


Introduction

Although one finds much discussion and research on the features and functionality of Rich Internet Applications (RIAs), the 3D Web, and Virtual Worlds in both scholarly and popular publications, very little is written about the issues and techniques one must consider when creating, deploying, and managing them securely. A secure environment is especially crucial when sensitive business data is manipulated via these applications. Reports of cross-site scripting exploits in poorly implemented Webtops, risks of embedded viruses in social computing platforms, such as Facebook or MySpace, and technical and social engineering exploits in Multi-user Virtual Environments (MuVEs) represent the security challenges contemporary organizations face as they deploy business processes and share data across the virtual sphere.

This project will bring together the issues that managers, practitioners, and researchers must consider when planning, implementing, and managing these promising virtual technologies for secure business processes and organizational initiatives.


Objective of the Book

In this book we will discuss the uses and potential of these virtual technologies and examine secure policy formation and practices that can be applied specifically to each. Authors will contribute guidelines, techniques, cases, and methods that explore security in Virtual Words and 3D Webs.

The book will focus on research and discussions about planning, implementing, managing, and supporting these powerful technologies using accepted system development models, secure testing techniques, and robust monitoring tools. Moreover, discussions on security policy creation to guide development, as well as user interaction with these technologies will play an important role in the book. The book will also use cases to illustrate successful, and unsuccessful, implementations of RIAs, Webtops, and Virtual Worlds. Of course, this book would not be complete without looking forward to the potential security considerations and questions that must be asked as more organizations move into virtual offerings.

Ultimately, this project will provide the latest research on virtual security in order to provide researchers, practitioners, and students the necessary background in theory and practice to deploy, plan, manage, and maintain robust and safe virtual offerings.


Target Audience

This book appeals to those interested not only in security but also advanced virtual offerings whether these are RIAs, the 3D Web, or Virtual Worlds. Security researchers, as well as researchers from diverse fields--computer science, information systems, psychology, sociology, and telecommunications--will find valuable research questions posed within the context of privacy, security, and trust as well. But this book appeals to more than just researchers. Practitioners and managers looking to offer robust virtual platforms will also benefit from the pragmatic techniques, case discussions, and implementation guidelines. In addition, upper-level and graduate-level students will find this research useful in their course work and research. Finally, this book will be a welcome addition to academic libraries' research collections.


Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following

• Case Studies of Secure or Insecure Virtual Applications

• Developing Secure Virtual Offerings

• Hacker Attacks on Virtual Offerings

• Identity or Data Theft in Virtual Offerings

• Implementing Secure Virtual Offerings

• Issues of Privacy and/or Trust in Virtual Offerings

• Managing secure virtual offerings

• Secure Policy Formation in Virtual Offerings

• Secure Virtual Models

• Security in 3D Web applications

• Security in Virtual Worlds

• Social Engineering in Virtual Worlds


Submission Procedure

Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before January 31, 2009, a 2-3 page chapter proposal clearly explaining the mission and concerns of their proposed chapter. Authors of accepted proposals will be notified by February 15, 2009 about the status of their proposals and sent chapter guidelines. Full chapters are expected to be submitted by April 30, 2009. All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-blind review basis. This book is scheduled to be published by IGI Global (formerly Idea Group Inc.), publisher of books under IGI Publishing, IRM Press, Information Science Publishing, CyberTech Publishing, and Information Science Reference. For additional information regarding the publisher, please visit http://www.igi-global.com.


Inquiries and submissions (Word document or RTF) can be sent electronically to:
Dr. Alan Rea
Computer Information Systems
Haworth College of Business
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5412
e-mail: rea@wmich.edu
phone: 1.269.387.4247
fax: 1.269.387.5410
http://docrea.org/igi

Advances in Research on Information and Technology

Call for Papers: Advances in Research on Information and Technology
Integrative Papers for Practitioners and Scientists, published internationally in electronic and paper formats by the Academy of Asian Scholars (AAS)
Launching Summer/Fall 2009


Journal Description:
The information field evolves quickly. Working professionals who manage information - in companies, libraries, government, education or non-profits - must strive to keep up with the rapid development of the field.

A new series of papers, entitled Advances in Research on Information and Technology will provide a concentrated dose of critical updates for busy professionals who must access the latest and most important findings in the information field. Advances will publish articles representative of the scholarship of "integration" -- defined by Ernest Boyer in his work, Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate (1990), as making connections across the disciplines, placing the specialties in larger context, illuminating data in a revealing way, and often educating non-specialists (18--19). Articles and publications representing the scholarship of integration are under-represented in the information and technology research literature, however such synthesis is increasingly necessary for effective and strategic practice in both the scholarly and professional domains.

Papers published in Advances will assemble, analyze, and synthesize primary research papers across the information disciplines, including: library and information science, information systems, information policy, and related, newly emerging areas. The journal will target the readership of advanced information professionals, as well as the scholarly community, keeping readers current to the most timely and resonant themes in research on information and technology. Comprehensive literature reviews (e.g., synthesis articles derived from theses) and meta-analyses are encouraged.

The publishers of the Advances series is exploring a unique sales royalties model, in which authors will be paid for each published paper, based on print circulation, library and institutional subscriptions, and individual electronic article downloads.

Presently, we are soliciting submissions for the ongoing series, scheduled to launch with its inaugural issue in July 2009. Submissions of integration pieces may be either in "bulletin" format (~2500--3000 words) or "monograph" format (~5000--6000 words). We also welcome proposals for longer publications. Each paper should cover one topic in depth, with clarity.

The standard issue will cover a range of topics targeted towards the advanced information professional. Some special volumes will be themed. You may also propose to guest-edit a themed volume, thoroughly defining the theme proposed, and providing a list of relevant authors and individual article topics, to broadly reflect the given theme.

Below is a suggested list of topics in the field of information technology field; all topics related to information and technology are welcome.

* Data mining

* Digital asset management

* Digital literacy

* Digital libraries

* Evidence-based decision making

* Human-computer interaction

* Information economics

* Information management

* Information policy

* Information privacy

* Information retrieval

* Information security

* Large system design

* Library management

* Metadata

* Network management

* Open source technology

* User behavior

* Virtual organizations

Advances in Research on Information and Technology will deliver content to laptops, mobile devices, and book readers in multiple languages, almost immediately after the manuscript is finalized. The publication will also be available in paper and electronic form by subscription to libraries, institutions, and other organizations.

The editorial selection process is led by Senior Editor, Dr. Jian Qin of Syracuse University, as well invited guest editors for themed volumes, and our distinguished Editorial Board, to be announced in the first quarter of 2009.

The deadline for manuscript submission for the inaugural paper series is January 31, 2009. Submissions are accepted on an ongoing basis, and should be made in electronic format. Please provide the full article, and including an abstract of approximately 500 words.

For further instructions regarding format and submissions, please visit:
http://arit.syr.edu/ojs/index.php?journal=arit&page=about&op=submissions

To submit an article online: Register at http://arit.syr.edu/ojs/index.php?journal=arit&page=index, then visit the "User Home" page, click "Author," and follow the instructions for uploading your file.

For questions and inquiries about manuscript topics and submission, or to propose a themed issue, please contact:

Jian Qin, Ph.D., Senior Editor
School of Information Studies, Syracuse University
235 Hinds Hall, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
Tel: +1 (315) 443-5642, Fax: +1 (315) 443-5806, Email: arit [at] syr.edu

Rebecca Reynolds, Ph.D., Managing Editor
School of Information Studies, Syracuse University
223 Hinds Hall, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
Tel: +1 (315) 443-5692, Fax: +1 (315) 443-5806, Email: arit [at] syr.edu