Research in Information Technology
The Bi-annual Publication of the ACM Special Interest Group for Information Technology Education

In This Issue: The Editor’s Note Information for Authors Feature Article: Risk Forecast Using Hidden Markov Models, by Charles Pak and James Cannady, Nova Southeastern University 1 2 4

Editorial Board
Editor-in-Chief
Rob Friedman, New Jersey Institute of Technology email: friedman@njit.edu

The Editor’s Note
RIT continues its efforts to disseminate fresh ideas and new knowledge based on our scholarly pursuits in user-centered computing. Our mission is to publish peer-reviewed articles that present original research findings germane to the theories and practices of information technology. We seek papers that present substantive additions, comments and challenges to the theory and practice of programming, networking, information management, web systems and user-centered design.
This issue presents an example of research continuity and progress. Charles Pak and James Cannady have expanded their previously published research into Hidden Markov Models as an approach to apprising IT security analysts, managers and administrators of changes to the nature and intensity of the threats that plague our increasingly networked world. As the authors conclude, “The research results of this study offer a valuable contribution to the field of information security. When risk can be forecasted before the actual risk materializes, stakeholders can effectively manage risk before it becomes a reality.” We encourage educators and researchers to maximize their contributions by attempting to validate or improve upon their results, or apply the methodologies described in the pages below in novel ways. As always, keep Research in IT in mind when considering where to place your, or your students’ next article. We also encourage you to consider commenting on or responding to what you read here or elsewhere through letters to the editor or response statements to our authors. Rob Friedman, Editor-in-Chief

Associate Editors Edward Anthony, Trevecca Nazarene University Daniel Benjamin, American Public University System Jeff Brewer, Purdue University Jim Leone, Rochester Institute of Technology Peng Li, East Carolina University Jon Preston, Clayton University Han Reichgelt, Southern Polytechnic State University Mark Stockman, University of Cincinnati David Ward, Capitol College

July 2010 Volume 7, Issue 2 ISSN: 1944-0278

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Information for Authors Mission Research in IT is a publication of the ACM SIG for Information Technology Education (SIGITE). It welcomes submissions of articles for peer review that present original research findings that are germane to the theories and practices of information technology as a scholarly discipline within the computing education community. Papers that present substantive additions, comments and challenges to the theory and practice of programming, networking, information management, web systems and user-centered design in rigorous ways should be addressed to the Editor-in-Chief. Research in IT is published twice a year, in January and July. Submissions received at least three months prior to an issue date (October 1 for January, April 1 for July) will be considered for those issues. Because articles will be archived in the ACM Digital Library, submissions must include: • • • • An abstract: a concise and precise statement of the main points of the article, limited to one hundred words in length. Appropriate ACM Classification and Descriptors as found on the ACM URL (link at http://www.acm.org/about/class/1998). One or more General Term as found on the ACM URL (link at http://www.acm.org/about/class/1998). Three to five keywords related to the main topics of your article.

Formatting Guidelines When you submit a paper to Research in IT, please attend to these specifications: Fonts Title: Ten or fewer words;

18-point bold Arial or Helvetica.

Author(s) Name(s): 12-point bold Arial or Helvetica. Author information: 9-point Arial or Helvetica indicating complete postal and 10-point Arial or Helvetica for electronic addresses for all authors. The Body: 9-point Times New Roman throughout. Section and Sub-section Headings: 12-point bold Times New Roman. Use all CAPS for section headings. Use mixed case fonts for all subheadings. Layout Paper size: Letter: 8.5 by 11 inches. Margins: 0.75 inch for left and right margins; 1.0 inch for top and bottom margins. Center the title and author information; full justification thereafter. The body of the article is to be in two-column format, each 3.33 inches, with a 0.34-inch separator. Figures Figure captions should be in 9-point Times New Roman Bold, numbered consecutively and centered below figures. Tables Table captions should be in 9-point Times New Roman Bold, numbered consecutively and centered above tables. References All references used within the document and the description of citations must conform to the style currently used in the Communications of the ACM. Length Articles submitted to Research in IT should not exceed ten thousand words and should not exceed thirty pages, inclusive of diagrams, figures, tables, images, and appendices. Transmittal Submissions should be sent via email attachment in MS Word only to the Editor-in-Chief. When there are multiple authors, the submitting author should copy all the others. Only the submitting author will be responsible for communicating with the editors and reviewers. Authors' names and any other identifying information will be excised before the paper is sent out for review. Review Process Research in IT reviews submissions in two ways: editor review and peer review. Every article submitted is read by the Editor-in-Chief to ascertain its appropriateness to the mission of the publication and the general interests of our readership. The paper is then distributed to at least two Associate Editors or other reviewers who have domain expertise. Submitting authors will receive, via email, reviewers' comments and a publication decision: accept as is; accept with revision based on review comments; or reject. If revisions are required, then the

Research in Information Technology

Volume 7, Number 2

July 2010

ISBN: 1944-0278

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submitting author will be responsible for incorporating comment-based changes or revising relevant sections of the paper to demonstrate the validity of the original and/or why specific comments are not being addressed. The Editor-in-Chief has the discretion to request further and/or additional modifications; an 'accept with revisions' decision is not a guarantee of publication. ACM Notice to Contributing Authors By submitting your article for distribution in this Special Interest Group publication, you hereby grant to ACM the following nonexclusive, perpetual, worldwide rights: • to publish in print on condition of acceptance by the editor • to digitize and post your article in the electronic version of this publication • to include the article in the ACM Digital Library and in any Digital Library related services • to allow users to make a personal copy of the article for noncommercial, educational and research purposes However, as a contributing author, you retain copyright to your article and ACM will refer requests for republication directly to you.

Research in Information Technology

Volume 7, Number 2

July 2010

ISBN: 1944-0278