2025
Authors
Costa, L; Barbosa, S; Cunha, J;
Publication
JOURNAL OF COMPUTER LANGUAGES
Abstract
User studies are paramount for advancing research in software engineering, particularly when evaluating tools and techniques involving programmers. However, researchers face several barriers when performing them despite the existence of supporting tools. We base our study on a set of tools and researcher-reported barriers identified in prior work on user studies in software engineering. In this work, we study how existing tools and their features cope with previously identified barriers. Moreover, we propose new features for the barriers that lack support. We validated our proposal with 102 researchers, achieving statistically significant positive support for all but one feature. We study the current gap between tools and barriers, using features as the bridge. We show there is a significant lack of support for several barriers, as some have no single tool to support them.
2025
Authors
Sousa, A; Branco, F; Reis, A; Reis, MJCS;
Publication
INFORMATION
Abstract
The rapid adoption of green mobility solutions-such as electric-vehicle sharing and intelligent transportation systems-has accelerated the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, introducing complex security and performance challenges. While conceptual Identity and Access Management (IAM) frameworks exist, few are empirically validated for the scale, heterogeneity, and real-time demands of modern mobility ecosystems. This work presents a data-backed, container-native reference architecture for secure and resilient Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) in green mobility environments. The framework integrates Keycloak within a Kubernetes-orchestrated infrastructure and applies Zero Trust and defense-in-depth principles. Effectiveness is demonstrated through rigorous benchmarking across latency, throughput, memory footprint, and automated fault recovery. Compared to a monolithic baseline, the proposed architecture achieves over 300% higher throughput, 90% faster startup times, and 75% lower idle memory usage while enabling full service restoration in under one minute. This work establishes a validated deployment blueprint for IAM in IoT-driven transportation systems, offering a practical foundation for a secure and scalable mobility infrastructure.
2025
Authors
Santos, P; Abreu, R; Reis, MJCS; Serôdio, C; Branco, F;
Publication
SENSORS
Abstract
Cyber threat intelligence (CTI) has become critical in enhancing cybersecurity measures across various sectors. This systematic review aims to synthesize the current literature on the effectiveness of CTI strategies in mitigating cyber attacks, identify the most effective tools and methodologies for threat detection and prevention, and highlight the limitations of current approaches. An extensive search of academic databases was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines, including 43 relevant studies. This number reflects a rigorous selection process based on defined inclusion, exclusion, and quality criteria and is consistent with the scope of similar systematic reviews in the field of cyber threat intelligence. This review concludes that while CTI significantly improves the ability to predict and prevent cyber threats, challenges such as data standardization, privacy concerns, and trust between organizations persist. It also underscores the necessity of continuously improving CTI practices by leveraging the integration of advanced technologies and creating enhanced collaboration frameworks. These advancements are essential for developing a robust and adaptive cybersecurity posture capable of responding to an evolving threat landscape, ultimately contributing to a more secure digital environment for all sectors. Overall, the review provides practical reflections on the current state of CTI and suggests future research directions to strengthen and improve CTI's effectiveness.
2025
Authors
Hussain, I; Reis, MJCS; Serodio, C; Branco, F;
Publication
FUTURE INTERNET
Abstract
This research examined the domain of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) by analyzing the impact of scholarly work and thematic prevalence, as well as focusing attention on vehicles, their technologies, cybersecurity, and related scholarly technologies. This was performed by examining the scientific literature indexed in the Scopus database. This study analysed 2919 documents published between 2018 and 2025. The findings indicated that the highest and most significant journal was derived from IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, with significant standing to the growth of communication and computing on vehicles with edge computing and AI optimization of vehicular systems. In addition, important PST research conferences highlighted the growing interest in academic research in cybersecurity for vehicle networks. Sensor networks, pose forensics, and privacy-preserving communication frameworks were some of the significant contributing fields marking the significance of the interdisciplinary nature of this research. Employing bibliometric analysis, the literature illustrated the multiple channels integrating knowledge creation and innovation in ITS through citation analysis. The outcome suggested an increasingly sophisticated research area, weighing technical progress and increasing concern about security and privacy measures. Further studies must investigate edge computing integrated with AI, advanced privacy-preserving linguistic protocols, and new vehicular network intrusion detection systems.
2025
Authors
Abreu, R; Branco, F; Reis, MJCS; Serôdio, C;
Publication
IEEE ACCESS
Abstract
The rapid evolution of the automotive industry has driven the emergence of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, raising significant concerns about the cybersecurity vulnerabilities inherent in their complex networks. This systematic review investigates cybersecurity in Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, focusing on internal and external networks and addressing four key research questions: (RQ1) What security controls exist in CAV networks? (RQ2) What methodologies are employed in cybersecurity studies? (RQ3) How effective are these methods, and what limitations do they present? (RQ4) What are the key themes, common approaches, and future research directions? Peer-reviewed studies published between 2019 and 2024 were included, using IEEE Xplore, Elsevier, MDPI, ACM Digital Library, and Springer as data sources. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, 111 relevant articles were analysed and grouped into seven themes: Authentication, Blockchain, Intrusion Detection Systems, Vehicle-to-Everything communication, Network Operation Centers, Security Operations Centers, and Systematic Reviews. The thematic synthesis highlighted study objectives, methodologies, and implemented security controls. This review identifies significant gaps in the literature, particularly in integrating Security Information and Event Management systems and the real-world validation of proposed security measures. It underscores the need for adaptive cybersecurity frameworks to address evolving threats and highlights the importance of collaboration between academia and industry. Furthermore, future research should prioritize the development of advanced security protocols, address scalability challenges, and explore the impact of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and 5G. Providing awareness and training is also essential to mitigate human error. These findings are a foundation for designing more resilient and secure Connected and Autonomous Vehicles systems.
2025
Authors
Reis, MJCS; Branco, F; Gupta, N; Serôdio, C;
Publication
FUTURE INTERNET
Abstract
The rapid growth of urban populations intensifies congestion, air pollution, and energy demand. Green mobility is central to sustainable smart cities, and the Internet of Things (IoT) offers a means to monitor, coordinate, and optimize transport systems in real time. This paper presents an Internet of Things (IoT)-based architecture integrating heterogeneous sensing with edge-cloud orchestration and AI-driven control for green routing and coordinated Electric Vehicle (EV) charging. The framework supports adaptive traffic management, energy-aware charging, and multimodal integration through standards-aware interfaces and auditable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). We hypothesize that, relative to a static shortest-path baseline, the integrated green routing and EV-charging coordination reduce (H1) mean travel time per trip by >= 7%, (H2) CO2 intensity (g/km) by >= 6%, and (H3) station peak load by >= 20% under moderate-to-high demand conditions. These hypotheses are tested in Simulation of Urban MObility (SUMO) with Handbook Emission Factors for Road Transport (HBEFA) emission classes, using 10 independent random seeds and reporting means with 95% confidence intervals and formal significance testing. The results confirm the hypotheses: average travel time decreases by approximately 9.8%, CO2 intensity by approximately 8%, and peak load by approximately 25% under demand multipliers >= 1.2 and EV shares >= 20%. Gains are attenuated under light demand, where congestion effects are weaker. We further discuss scalability, interoperability, privacy/security, and the simulation-to-deployment gap, and outline priorities for reproducible field pilots. In summary, a pragmatic edge-cloud IoT stack has the potential to lower congestion, reduce per-kilometer emissions, and smooth charging demand, provided it is supported by reliable data integration, resilient edge services, and standards-compliant interoperability, thereby contributing to sustainable urban mobility in line with the objectives of SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
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