Abstract
We propose adding an irregular quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) constellation to a wireless transmission scheme in order to obtain greater control over the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) required to successfully decode the signal. By altering the separation between adjacent symbols, the minimum required SNR is raised without degradation in the performance of the scheme. This allows the system to adapt to preferable channel conditions for the authorized user, making it harder for eavesdroppers to intercept and decode the transmission, thus making the communication safer. In addition, we show that by overlaying a coset code onto the QAM constellation, a new, stronger security gap metric can be further improved. Results show the effectiveness of this strategy with an interleaved coding for secrecy with a hidden key (ICSHK) scheme.

Abstract
We propose an adaptive secrecy scheme using polar codes with random frozen bits for a general wiretap channel, in which to protect the data from a potential eavesdropper, part or all of the frozen bits are randomly generated per message. To assess the secrecy level of the proposed scheme, three types of decoding strategies are evaluated: a matching decoder which knows the positions of all inserted bits inside the blocklength and tries to estimate them using the same decoding techniques, a blind decoder which treats all the frozen bits as the same value, and a random decoder which considers those dynamic bits as random at the receiver. Results are presented in terms of the system security gap, assuming an adaptive decoding strategy. It is shown that the system achieves combined secrecy and reliability. The proposed scheme does not assume knowledge of the eavesdropper's channel when defining the indices of information and frozen bits.

Abstract
Economical benefits obtained by large Internet corporations from gathering and processing user information at a global scale led the European Union to legislate on behalf of individual rights and the privacy of personal information. Data collectors, in particular, must now obtain proof of the user’s consent for every single operation comprising their data. Considering the conflicting interests of all involved parties, we propose that consent should be stored in a blockchain. By being a distributed, immutable and verifiable ledger, the blockchain presents itself as an almost tailor-made solution to harmonize conflicting interests while enabling the regulators’ supervision. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019.

Abstract
Electronic identity (eID) schemes are key enablers of secure digital services. eIDs have been adopted in several European countries using smart-cards for secure authentication and authorization. Towards achieving a European digital single market where European citizens can seamlessly access cross-border public services using their national eIDs, the European Union (EU) developed the electronic IDentification, Authentication and trust Services (eIDAS) regulation. eIDAS creates an interoperable framework that integrates the eIDs adopted in the EU Member States (MS). It is also an enabler of a cross-border operation, harmonized with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regulation by protecting the privacy of personal data. If one can use the same procedure for authentication and authorization abroad, one can better understand new services that use eIDs. This paper provides a comparative analysis of eID cards adopted in EU MS and their privacy features in preparedness for eIDs cross-border interoperation. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019.

Abstract
The benefits of blockchain go beyond its applicability in finance. Electronic Voting Systems (EVS) are considered as a way to achieve a more effective act of voting. EVS are expected to be verifiable and tamper resistant. The blockchain partially fulfills this requirements of EVS by being an immutable, verifiable and distributed record of transactions. The adoption of EVS has been hampered mainly by cultural and political issues rather than technological ones. The authors believe that blockchain is the technology that, due to the overall attention it has been receiving, is capable of fostering the adoption of EVS. In the current work we compare blockchain-based EVS, identifying their strengths and shortcomings. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019.

Abstract
The digital economy, online presence and the increasing number of phishing attacks, are common realities in today's operations of a significant number of companies. Some of these attacks resulted in significant financial losses and reputational damage. Companies do not address the problem before- hand. The first step should be the assessment of the exposure of the company to phishing attacks. An assessment methodology is proposed, evaluated and tested using two complete, and real, runs of the methodology.