Applications of epidemiology to cybersecurity

Jessemyn Modini; Timothy Lynar; Elena Sitnikova; Keith Joiner

doi:10.34190/EWS.20.057

Applications of epidemiology to cybersecurity

Jessemyn Modini, Timothy Lynar, Elena Sitnikova, Keith Joiner

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Epidemiology provides a novel approach to understanding cybersecurity risk. It provides a systematic model for the analysis of likelihood, consequence, management and prevention measures. While current research exists on the analysis of individual cybersecurity risk factors, there is a significant research gap on the collective interaction of these risk factors and their impact on the risk of cybersecurity compromise. Effective cybersecurity risk management requires the estimation of the probability of infection, based on a comprehensive range of historical and environmental factors, including system or network configurations and characteristics. The application of epidemiology highlights two fundamental approaches to increasing the efficiency and potency of cybersecurity; the requirement for comprehensive analysis of all cybersecurity risk factors, not just specific network vulnerabilities or uses, and the requirement for a centralised reporting, monitoring and data centre for cybersecurity incidents to inform this analysis, and facilitate a collective community response to mitigating cybersecurity risks. This paper discusses these applications of epidemiology to cybersecurity, to highlight the importance of research which combines these macro and micro-level approaches to provide a definitive evaluation of cybersecurity risk.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 19th European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security, ECCWS 2020
Editors	Thaddeus Eze, Lee Speakman, Cyril Onwubiko
Publisher	Curran Associates Inc
Pages	483-490
Number of pages	8
ISBN (Electronic)	9781912764617
ISBN (Print)	978-1-7138-1445-0
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.34190/EWS.20.057
Publication status	Published - Jun 2020
Externally published	Yes
Event	19th European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security, ECCWS 2020 - Virtual, Online Duration: 25 Jun 2020 → 26 Jun 2020

Publication series

Name	European Conference on Information Warfare and Security, ECCWS
Volume	2020-June
ISSN (Print)	2048-8602
ISSN (Electronic)	2048-8610

Conference

Conference	19th European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security, ECCWS 2020
City	Virtual, Online
Period	25/06/20 → 26/06/20

Keywords

Cybersecurity
Epidemiologic Security Analysis
Epidemiological Applications
Epidemiology
Risk Factors

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10.34190/EWS.20.057Licence: In Copyright

https://www.proquest.com/docview/2453791315?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=trueLicence: In Copyright

Cite this

Modini, J., Lynar, T., Sitnikova, E., & Joiner, K. (2020). Applications of epidemiology to cybersecurity. In T. Eze, L. Speakman, & C. Onwubiko (Eds.), Proceedings of the 19th European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security, ECCWS 2020 (pp. 483-490). (European Conference on Information Warfare and Security, ECCWS; Vol. 2020-June). Curran Associates Inc. https://doi.org/10.34190/EWS.20.057

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title = "Applications of epidemiology to cybersecurity",

abstract = "Epidemiology provides a novel approach to understanding cybersecurity risk. It provides a systematic model for the analysis of likelihood, consequence, management and prevention measures. While current research exists on the analysis of individual cybersecurity risk factors, there is a significant research gap on the collective interaction of these risk factors and their impact on the risk of cybersecurity compromise. Effective cybersecurity risk management requires the estimation of the probability of infection, based on a comprehensive range of historical and environmental factors, including system or network configurations and characteristics. The application of epidemiology highlights two fundamental approaches to increasing the efficiency and potency of cybersecurity; the requirement for comprehensive analysis of all cybersecurity risk factors, not just specific network vulnerabilities or uses, and the requirement for a centralised reporting, monitoring and data centre for cybersecurity incidents to inform this analysis, and facilitate a collective community response to mitigating cybersecurity risks. This paper discusses these applications of epidemiology to cybersecurity, to highlight the importance of research which combines these macro and micro-level approaches to provide a definitive evaluation of cybersecurity risk.",

keywords = "Cybersecurity, Epidemiologic Security Analysis, Epidemiological Applications, Epidemiology, Risk Factors",

author = "Jessemyn Modini and Timothy Lynar and Elena Sitnikova and Keith Joiner",

year = "2020",

month = jun,

doi = "10.34190/EWS.20.057",

language = "English",

isbn = "978-1-7138-1445-0",

series = "European Conference on Information Warfare and Security, ECCWS",

publisher = "Curran Associates Inc",

pages = "483--490",

editor = "Thaddeus Eze and Lee Speakman and Cyril Onwubiko",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the 19th European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security, ECCWS 2020",

note = "19th European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security, ECCWS 2020 ; Conference date: 25-06-2020 Through 26-06-2020",

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Modini, J, Lynar, T, Sitnikova, E & Joiner, K 2020, Applications of epidemiology to cybersecurity. in T Eze, L Speakman & C Onwubiko (eds), Proceedings of the 19th European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security, ECCWS 2020. European Conference on Information Warfare and Security, ECCWS, vol. 2020-June, Curran Associates Inc, pp. 483-490, 19th European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security, ECCWS 2020, Virtual, Online, 25/06/20. https://doi.org/10.34190/EWS.20.057

Applications of epidemiology to cybersecurity. / Modini, Jessemyn; Lynar, Timothy; Sitnikova, Elena et al.
Proceedings of the 19th European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security, ECCWS 2020. ed. / Thaddeus Eze; Lee Speakman; Cyril Onwubiko. Curran Associates Inc, 2020. p. 483-490 (European Conference on Information Warfare and Security, ECCWS; Vol. 2020-June).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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T1 - Applications of epidemiology to cybersecurity

AU - Modini, Jessemyn

AU - Lynar, Timothy

AU - Sitnikova, Elena

AU - Joiner, Keith

PY - 2020/6

Y1 - 2020/6

N2 - Epidemiology provides a novel approach to understanding cybersecurity risk. It provides a systematic model for the analysis of likelihood, consequence, management and prevention measures. While current research exists on the analysis of individual cybersecurity risk factors, there is a significant research gap on the collective interaction of these risk factors and their impact on the risk of cybersecurity compromise. Effective cybersecurity risk management requires the estimation of the probability of infection, based on a comprehensive range of historical and environmental factors, including system or network configurations and characteristics. The application of epidemiology highlights two fundamental approaches to increasing the efficiency and potency of cybersecurity; the requirement for comprehensive analysis of all cybersecurity risk factors, not just specific network vulnerabilities or uses, and the requirement for a centralised reporting, monitoring and data centre for cybersecurity incidents to inform this analysis, and facilitate a collective community response to mitigating cybersecurity risks. This paper discusses these applications of epidemiology to cybersecurity, to highlight the importance of research which combines these macro and micro-level approaches to provide a definitive evaluation of cybersecurity risk.

AB - Epidemiology provides a novel approach to understanding cybersecurity risk. It provides a systematic model for the analysis of likelihood, consequence, management and prevention measures. While current research exists on the analysis of individual cybersecurity risk factors, there is a significant research gap on the collective interaction of these risk factors and their impact on the risk of cybersecurity compromise. Effective cybersecurity risk management requires the estimation of the probability of infection, based on a comprehensive range of historical and environmental factors, including system or network configurations and characteristics. The application of epidemiology highlights two fundamental approaches to increasing the efficiency and potency of cybersecurity; the requirement for comprehensive analysis of all cybersecurity risk factors, not just specific network vulnerabilities or uses, and the requirement for a centralised reporting, monitoring and data centre for cybersecurity incidents to inform this analysis, and facilitate a collective community response to mitigating cybersecurity risks. This paper discusses these applications of epidemiology to cybersecurity, to highlight the importance of research which combines these macro and micro-level approaches to provide a definitive evaluation of cybersecurity risk.

KW - Cybersecurity

KW - Epidemiologic Security Analysis

KW - Epidemiological Applications

KW - Epidemiology

KW - Risk Factors

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M3 - Conference contribution

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SN - 978-1-7138-1445-0

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BT - Proceedings of the 19th European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security, ECCWS 2020

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A2 - Onwubiko, Cyril

PB - Curran Associates Inc

T2 - 19th European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security, ECCWS 2020

Y2 - 25 June 2020 through 26 June 2020

ER -

Applications of epidemiology to cybersecurity

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