Plagiarism Policy

The Computer Fraud and Security Journal (CFS) is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity. Plagiarism, whether intentional or unintentional, undermines the credibility of research and violates the principles of scholarly publishing. This page outlines CFS’s policy on plagiarism to ensure the integrity and originality of the content we publish.

1. Definition of Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the act of presenting someone else’s work, ideas, or words as one’s own without proper acknowledgment. This includes:

  • Direct Plagiarism: Copying text verbatim from another source without citation.
  • Self-Plagiarism: Reusing one’s own previously published work without proper citation or permission.
  • Paraphrasing: Rewriting someone else’s ideas or text in one’s own words without proper attribution.
  • Unattributed Ideas: Using concepts, data, or interpretations from another work without crediting the original source.

2. Prevention and Detection
Prevention:

  • Author Responsibilities: Authors must ensure their manuscripts are free from plagiarism and properly cite all sources. It is their responsibility to provide accurate references and to clearly distinguish their own work from that of others.
  • Pre-Submission Checks: Authors are encouraged to use plagiarism detection tools to check their manuscripts before submission. This helps identify and correct any potential issues prior to the review process.

Detection:

  • Editorial Screening: All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial plagiarism check using advanced software. This helps to identify any potential issues before the peer review process.
  • Reviewer Vigilance: Reviewers are also responsible for alerting the editorial board to any suspected plagiarism or ethical concerns they encounter during the review process.

3. Policy on Handling Plagiarism
Initial Investigation:

  • Suspicion of Plagiarism: If plagiarism is suspected during the review process or after publication, the editorial team will conduct an initial investigation to assess the validity of the claim.
  • Author Notification: Authors will be notified of any allegations of plagiarism and will be given the opportunity to respond and provide clarification.

Outcomes:

  • Minor Plagiarism: If minor plagiarism is detected, authors may be required to revise the manuscript to include proper citations. In some cases, the manuscript may be returned to the authors for correction before further review.
  • Major Plagiarism: For serious cases of plagiarism, including substantial portions of text copied or significant ethical violations, the manuscript may be rejected. If the issue is discovered post-publication, a retraction or correction may be issued.

Penalties:

  • Rejection of Manuscript: Manuscripts found to involve significant plagiarism may be rejected outright.
  • Retraction: If a published article is found to contain substantial plagiarism, CFS will issue a retraction notice to formally withdraw the article from the journal.
  • Reporting: Persistent or severe cases of plagiarism may be reported to the authors’ affiliated institutions or funding bodies.

4. Author Responsibilities
Ethical Writing:

  • Proper Attribution: Authors must accurately and appropriately cite all sources used in their research. This includes direct quotes, paraphrased content, and ideas.
  • Originality: Manuscripts must be original and should not duplicate previous publications without proper acknowledgment.

Disclosure:

  • Previous Publications: Authors should disclose any prior publications or submissions that overlap with the submitted manuscript.
  • Permission: Obtain necessary permissions for any third-party content used in the manuscript, including figures, tables, or extensive excerpts.

5. Reviewer and Editor Responsibilities
Reviewers:

  • Detection: Reviewers are expected to identify potential instances of plagiarism and report them to the editorial board.
  • Confidentiality: Reviewers must maintain confidentiality regarding the content of the manuscript and any allegations of plagiarism.

Editors:

  • Fair Investigation: Editors will investigate plagiarism allegations fairly and impartially, considering all evidence and responses provided by the authors.
  • Decision Making: Editorial decisions will be based on the findings of the investigation, with a focus on maintaining the integrity and credibility of the journal.