A Brokering Framework for Assessing Legal Risks in Big Data and the Cloud

“Cloud computing” and “Big Data” are amongst the most hyped-up terms and buzzwords of the moment. After decades in which individuals and companies used to host their data and applications using their own IT infrastructure, the world has seen the stunning transformation of the Internet. Major shifts occurred when these infrastructures began to be outsourced to public Cloud providers to match commercial expectations. Storing, sharing and transferring data and databases over the Internet is convenient, yet legal risks cannot be eliminated. Legal risk is a fast-growing area of research and covers various aspects of law. Current studies and research on Cloud computing legal risk assessment have been, however, limited in scope and focused mainly on security and privacy aspects. There is little systematic research on the risks, threats and impact of the legal issues inherent to database rights and “ownership” rights of data. Database rights seem to be outdated and there is a significant gap in the scientific literature when it comes to the understanding of how to apply its provisions in the Big Data era. This means that we need a whole new framework for understanding, protecting and sharing data in the Cloud. The scheme we propose in this chapter is based on a risk assessment-brokering framework that works side by side with Service Level Agreements (SLAs). This proposed framework will provide better control for Cloud users and will go a long way to increase confidence and reinforce trust in Cloud computing transactions

Evidence for an Established Population of Tegu Lizards (\u3cem\u3eSalvator merianae\u3c/em\u3e) in Southeastern Georgia, USA

Documenting emergence of invasive species in new areas is vital to understanding spatiotemporal patterns of invasions, propagule pressure, and the risk of establishment. Salvator merianae (Argentine Black and White Tegu) has established multiple unconnected populations in southern and central Florida, and additional sightings have been reported elsewhere in the state. In 2018, land managers in Georgia received \u3e20 reports of this species in the wild. To evaluate the probability of establishment, we assembled verified records of the non-native Argentine Black and White Tegu in Georgia over the past 9 years. We report on 47 tegu observations throughout Georgia, with a concentration of sightings (n = 38) in Toombs and Tattnall counties. In 2019, we used modified Havahart® traps and captured adult male and female tegus at 1 of our 3 locations during 3085 corrected trap nights. While we did not find evidence of a well-established population (i.e., varied size structure of tegus captured) with our limited trapping effort, we suspect Argentine Black and White Tegus are breeding in Toombs and Tattnall counties due to the concentration of captures and reports of adult males and females, the consistent reports of adults across years, the confirmed presence of the species in 2018, 2019, and 2020, and the reproductive capacity (i.e., turgid testes and secondary follicles) of individuals captured. Ongoing introductions of tegus from captivity are likely to maintain high propagule pressure in the southeastern United States. Effective early detection, funded rapid response networks, and public outreach to solicit reports of sightings of Argentine Black and White Tegus are critical to prevent establishment and associated ecological impacts of this invasive species elsewhere in the southeastern US