Abstract: A method for determining a password strength is provided. The method may include receiving a user-entered password. The method may also include identifying a keyboard layout type associated with a keyboard utilized to enter the received user-entered password. The method may further include mapping each character within a plurality of characters in the received user-entered password to a corresponding location on a grid associated with the identified keyboard layout type. The method may also include determining a coordinate sequence associated with the received user-entered password based on the mapped plurality of characters. The method may further include applying a pattern recognition algorithm to the determined coordinate sequence. The method may also include determining a password strength based on the applied pattern recognition algorithm.

Abstract: A request to pair a first device with a second device is received. An indication is sent from the second device to the first device. The indication confirms that the second device is paired with the first device. One or more actions are received from the first device. The one or more actions may be taken on the second device.

Abstract: A method and system for regulating access by an access program to a data object residing in a storage system, which may be used to protect against data theft in a storage server. The storage server receives, from a client node, a certificate request for a certificate pertaining to access of the data object by the access program. The storage server validates the certificate request and in response, generates the certificate and transmits the certificate to the client node. The certificate request and the certificate each include a signature of the access program and an identifier of the data object. The storage server receives from the client node an I/O request for access of the data object by the access program. The storage server determines whether the I/O request is valid or invalid and processes the I/O request with privileged handling or degraded handling, respectively.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, computer system, and method for utilization of a thin provision grid storage array. Storage devices are divided into a plurality of slices, wherein each of the slices has a same number of partitions. Volumes in a pool are configured, wherein the pool is associated with physical capacity of a slice, wherein a volume size is unlimited, and wherein a cumulative size of all volumes in the pool is unlimited. While data is being written to the volumes in the pool, partitions of a first slice of the plurality of slices are allocated to the volumes in the pool and, in response to determining that the first slice needs additional physical capacity, allocating a partition of a second slice to the first slice by updating a mapping table.

Abstract: A method and system for determining user security is provided. The method includes registering a first user associated with a service provider system by retrieving identification information for the first user and a first user communication device. In response, Internet of things (IOT) devices belonging to the first user are detected. A second user associated with the service provider system is registered by retrieving identification information for the second user and a second user communication device. In response, IOT devices belonging to the second user are detected. A request for a service provided by the service provider system is received from the first user via the first user communication device belonging to the first user.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a method for enhanced e-mail return receipts based on cognitive considerations. An input device receives an expected response time from a sender of an electronic message, wherein the expected response time includes the amount of time that the sender expects to receive a response to the electronic message. A processor generates a likelihood that the recipient of the electronic message will respond to the electronic message within the expected response time based on a profile of the recipient. The profile of the recipient includes the recipient's degree of attentiveness to the electronic message, the recipient's workload, the recipient's efficiency, and the recipient's work habits. A communications device presents the likelihood that the recipient will respond to the electronic message within the expected response time to the sender.

Abstract: Embodiments for authorizing power charging of a user equipment (UE) based on a location. A power charging session is authorized by firmware of the UE for charging the UE upon detecting the UE is currently located and validated within an authorized geographic location. Either an unauthorized charging session is permitted to charge the UE up to a pre-authorized charging limit upon the UE being located in an unauthorized geographic location, or the power charging session is permitted to continue to charge the UE upon detecting the UE relocated from the authorized geographic location to an unauthorized geographic location.

Abstract: A security method that includes assigning a sensitivity value for a communication with a sensitivity determining module including at least one hardware processor. Following assignment of the sensitivity value to the communication, the communication is formatted for display. When sensitivity value exceeds a security threshold, the communication is parsed into a sequence of fragments. The communication is transmitted as the sequence of fragments when said sensitivity value exceeds the security threshold.

Abstract: A method includes acquiring a fingerprint of a person using a fingerprint scanner of a mobile device to power-off the mobile device, determining that the person is not authorized to use the mobile device based on their fingerprint, and maintaining the mobile device in a power-on state unbeknownst to the person.

Abstract: Embodiments for optimized deduplicated object storage system by one or more processors. An uncompressed and non-deduplicated copy of an object may be stored on a node in a distributed object storage system and one or more compressed and deduplicated copies of the uncompressed and non-deduplicated copy of the object may be distributed on one or more alternative nodes in the distributed object storage system.

Abstract: A method for minimizing head seek movement and improving I/O performance of a hard disk drive is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes logically dividing storage space of a hard disk drive into storage areas of substantially equal size. The method monitors a temperature of each of the storage areas. The temperature indicates how frequently data in a corresponding storage area is accessed. The method swaps data in storage areas of the hard disk drive based on temperature. These swaps involve moving hotter data toward outer tracks of the disk drive and colder data toward inner tracks of the disk drive. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for directing movements of an autonomous vehicle. A vehicle operator exiting a vehicle is detected. A plurality of metadata is received wherein the plurality of metadata includes at least location data of a user and a timestamp. A pickup time and pickup location is identified based on received metadata. A route to the pickup location is generated based on at least a default location of the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle is directed to travel to the identified location such that the autonomous vehicle is arriving at the identified pickup time. Updates to the pickup location and pickup time are determined by dynamically monitoring received metadata. A modified route is generated, in response determining updates in one or more of the pickup location and pickup time and the autonomous vehicle is redirected to the updated pickup location.

Abstract: Adaptive control of Input/Output (I/O) operations in a data storage system is provided to enable efficient use of the data storage system. More specifically, an interface is provided in order to adaptively control I/O operations to the data storage system. The interface receives a data request. The interface mediates with the data storage system and employs a handle which references one or more files. The handle designates how to process the data request associated with the referenced one or more files. The interface supports execution of the data request in accordance with the handle. Accordingly, the interface provides adaptive direct management of the data storage system at file granularity and/or at data request granularity as designated in the handle(s).

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for directing movements of an autonomous vehicle. A vehicle operator exiting a vehicle is detected. A plurality of metadata is received wherein the plurality of metadata includes at least location data of a user and a timestamp. A pickup time and pickup location is identified based on received metadata. A route to the pickup location is generated based on at least a default location of the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle is directed to travel to the identified location such that the autonomous vehicle is arriving at the identified pickup time. Updates to the pickup location and pickup time are determined by dynamically monitoring received metadata. A modified route is generated, in response determining updates in one or more of the pickup location and pickup time and the autonomous vehicle is redirected to the updated pickup location.

Abstract: A technique for operating a data storage system includes accessing respective absolute expiration times for valid pages in one or more candidate storage blocks. Garbage collection is performed on ones of the candidate storage blocks that include a first predetermined number of the valid pages that do not expire, as indicated by the absolute expiration times, prior to a first predetermined time period. Garbage collection is deferred on ones of the candidate storage blocks that include a second predetermined number of the valid pages that expire, as indicated by the absolute expiration times, prior to a second predetermined time period.

Abstract: An approach includes contacting a predefined contact information when a mobile device, which is password protected, is lost and subsequently found. The approach includes receiving an activation event predefined for a specified password protected mobile device, and receiving predefined contact information stored in the mobile device while the mobile device remains password protected, upon the receipt of the activation event.

Abstract: A system and method for data storage management is disclosed. The method includes determining, by an access tracking component, a quantity of access requests for at least one data block, and determining a quantity of current copies of the data block. The method also includes creating, by a duplication component, at least one additional copy of the data block when the quantity of the access requests exceeds an access request threshold. Additionally, a deduplication component removes at least one current copy of the data block when the quantity of the access requests falls below the access request threshold. The access request threshold can be a threshold number of access requests for the data block, the presence of an input/output bottleneck, or a given length of a read latency when accessing the data block. Further, data coloring techniques can be used to distribute current copies of the data block.

Abstract: A system and method for data storage management is disclosed. The method includes determining, by an access tracking component, a quantity of access requests for at least one data block, and determining a quantity of current copies of the data block. The method also includes creating, by a duplication component, at least one additional copy of the data block when the quantity of the access requests exceeds an access request threshold. Additionally, a deduplication component removes at least one current copy of the data block when the quantity of the access requests falls below the access request threshold. The access request threshold can be a threshold number of access requests for the data block, the presence of an input/output bottleneck, or a given length of a read latency when accessing the data block. Further, data coloring techniques can be used to distribute current copies of the data block.

Abstract: For efficient data storage utilization and recycling, gradually degrading data according to data classes and using degrading data policies, predefined degrading rules, and data access patterns for conserving storage space prior. Each data class is associated with one of a plurality of degrading data policies, and each data policy includes a plurality of degrading rules to be applied to a corresponding data class of a corresponding data policy, the degrading rules defining data classes to be degraded based on data access patterns per data class to automatically degrade the data items according to each of the plurality of data classes until a predefined expiration date. Essential data is defined by a user such that the essential data is not subject to the data degradation so as to preserve at least a portion of files, documents, and videos comprising the essential data.

Abstract: Various embodiments for managing data integrity in a computing storage environment, by a processor device, are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprises applying a copy-on-write technique to a cache in a computer storage system such that each write arriving in the cache is assigned to a separate new physical location and registered sequentially in an order the write arrived, for preserving a state of the computer storage system during a failure event.