Network Security Metrics

This book examines different aspects of network security metrics and their application to enterprise networks. One of the most pertinent issues in securing mission-critical computing networks is the lack of effective security metrics which this book discusses in detail. Since “you cannot improve what you cannot measure”, a network security metric is essential to evaluating the relative effectiveness of potential network security solutions. The authors start by examining the limitations of existing solutions and standards on security metrics, such as CVSS and attack surface, which typically focus on known vulnerabilities in individual software products or systems. The first few chapters of this book describe different approaches to fusing individual metric values obtained from CVSS scores into an overall measure of network security using attack graphs. Since CVSS scores are only available for previously known vulnerabilities, such approaches do not consider the threat of unknown attacks exploiting the so-called zero day vulnerabilities. Therefore, several chapters of this book are dedicated to develop network security metrics especially designed for dealing with zero day attacks where the challenge is that little or no prior knowledge is available about the exploited vulnerabilities, and thus most existing methodologies for designing security metrics are no longer effective. Finally, the authors examine several issues on the application of network security metrics at the enterprise level. Specifically, a chapter presents a suite of security metrics organized along several dimensions for measuring and visualizing different aspects of the enterprise cyber security risk, and the last chapter presents a novel metric for measuring the operational effectiveness of the cyber security operations center (CSOC). Security researchers who work on network security or security analytics related areas seeking new research topics, as well as security practitioners including network administrators and security architects who are looking for state of the art approaches to hardening their networks, will find this book helpful as a reference. Advanced-level students studying computer science and engineering will find this book useful as a secondary text.

The Definitive Guide to Quantifying, Classifying, and Measuring Enterprise IT Security Operations Security Metrics is the first comprehensive best-practice guide to defining, creating, and utilizing security metrics in the enterprise. Using sample charts, graphics, case studies, and war stories, Yankee Group Security Expert Andrew Jaquith demonstrates exactly how to establish effective metrics based on your organization’s unique requirements. You’ll discover how to quantify hard-to-measure security activities, compile and analyze all relevant data, identify strengths and weaknesses, set cost-effective priorities for improvement, and craft compelling messages for senior management. Security Metrics successfully bridges management’s quantitative viewpoint with the nuts-and-bolts approach typically taken by security professionals. It brings together expert solutions drawn from Jaquith’s extensive consulting work in the software, aerospace, and financial services industries, including new metrics presented nowhere else. You’ll learn how to: • Replace nonstop crisis response with a systematic approach to security improvement • Understand the differences between “good” and “bad” metrics • Measure coverage and control, vulnerability management, password quality, patch latency, benchmark scoring, and business-adjusted risk • Quantify the effectiveness of security acquisition, implementation, and other program activities • Organize, aggregate, and analyze your data to bring out key insights • Use visualization to understand and communicate security issues more clearly • Capture valuable data from firewalls and antivirus logs, third-party auditor reports, and other resources • Implement balanced scorecards that present compact, holistic views of organizational security effectiveness

Information security metrics are seen as an important factor in making sound decisions about various aspects of security, ranging from the design of security architectures and controls to the effectiveness and efficiency of security operations. Security metrics strive to offer a quantitative and objective basis for security assurance. During the last few decades, researchers have made various attempts to develop measures and systems of measurement for computer security with varying degrees of success. This paper provides an overview of the security metrics area and looks at possible avenues of research that could be pursued to advance the state of the art.

Spectacular security failures continue to dominate the headlines despite huge increases in security budgets and ever-more draconian regulations. The 20/20 hindsight of audits is no longer an effective solution to security weaknesses, and the necessity for real-time strategic metrics has never been more critical. Information Security Management Metr

Other books on information security metrics discuss number theory and statistics in academic terms. Light on mathematics and heavy on utility, PRAGMATIC Security Metrics: Applying Metametrics to Information Security breaks the mold. This is the ultimate how-to-do-it guide for security metrics. Packed with time-saving tips, the book offers easy-to-follow guidance for those struggling with security metrics. Step by step, it clearly explains how to specify, develop, use, and maintain an information security measurement system (a comprehensive suite of metrics) to help: Security professionals systematically improve information security, demonstrate the value they are adding, and gain management support for the things that need to be done Management address previously unsolvable problems rationally, making critical decisions such as resource allocation and prioritization of security relative to other business activities Stakeholders, both within and outside the organization, be assured that information security is being competently managed The PRAGMATIC approach lets you hone in on your problem areas and identify the few metrics that will generate real business value. The book: Helps you figure out exactly what needs to be measured, how to measure it, and most importantly, why it needs to be measured Scores and ranks more than 150 candidate security metrics to demonstrate the value of the PRAGMATIC method Highlights security metrics that are widely used and recommended, yet turn out to be rather poor in practice Describes innovative and flexible measurement approaches such as capability maturity metrics with continuous scales Explains how to minimize both measurement and security risks using complementary metrics for greater assurance in critical areas such as governance and compliance In addition to its obvious utility in the information security realm, the PRAGMATIC approach, introduced for the first time in this book, has broader application across diverse fields of management including finance, human resources, engineering, and production—in fact any area that suffers a surplus of data but a deficit of useful information. Visit Security Metametrics. Security Metametrics supports the global community of professionals adopting the innovative techniques laid out in PRAGMATIC Security Metrics. If you, too, are struggling to make much sense of security metrics, or searching for better metrics to manage and improve information security, Security Metametrics is the place. http://securitymetametrics.com/

A ground shaking exposé on the failure of popular cyber risk management methods How to Measure Anything in Cybersecurity Risk exposes the shortcomings of current "risk management" practices, and offers a series of improvement techniques that help you fill the holes and ramp up security. In his bestselling book How to Measure Anything, author Douglas W. Hubbard opened the business world's eyes to the critical need for better measurement. This book expands upon that premise and draws from The Failure of Risk Management to sound the alarm in the cybersecurity realm. Some of the field's premier risk management approaches actually create more risk than they mitigate, and questionable methods have been duplicated across industries and embedded in the products accepted as gospel. This book sheds light on these blatant risks, and provides alternate techniques that can help improve your current situation. You'll also learn which approaches are too risky to save, and are actually more damaging than a total lack of any security. Dangerous risk management methods abound; there is no industry more critically in need of solutions than cybersecurity. This book provides solutions where they exist, and advises when to change tracks entirely. Discover the shortcomings of cybersecurity's "best practices" Learn which risk management approaches actually create risk Improve your current practices with practical alterations Learn which methods are beyond saving, and worse than doing nothing Insightful and enlightening, this book will inspire a closer examination of your company's own risk management practices in the context of cybersecurity. The end goal is airtight data protection, so finding cracks in the vault is a positive thing—as long as you get there before the bad guys do. How to Measure Anything in Cybersecurity Risk is your guide to more robust protection through better quantitative processes, approaches, and techniques.

Security Smarts for the Self-Guided IT Professional “An extraordinarily thorough and sophisticated explanation of why you need to measure the effectiveness of your security program and how to do it. A must-have for any quality security program!” —Dave Cullinane, CISSP, CISO & VP, Global Fraud, Risk & Security, eBay Learn how to communicate the value of an information security program, enable investment planning and decision making, and drive necessary change to improve the security of your organization. Security Metrics: A Beginner's Guide explains, step by step, how to develop and implement a successful security metrics program. This practical resource covers project management, communication, analytics tools, identifying targets, defining objectives, obtaining stakeholder buy-in, metrics automation, data quality, and resourcing. You'll also get details on cloud-based security metrics and process improvement. Templates, checklists, and examples give you the hands-on help you need to get started right away. Security Metrics: A Beginner's Guide features: Lingo--Common security terms defined so that you're in the know on the job IMHO--Frank and relevant opinions based on the author's years of industry experience Budget Note--Tips for getting security technologies and processes into your organization's budget In Actual Practice--Exceptions to the rules of security explained in real-world contexts Your Plan--Customizable checklists you can use on the job now Into Action--Tips on how, why, and when to apply new skills and techniques at work Caroline Wong, CISSP, was formerly the Chief of Staff for the Global Information Security Team at eBay, where she built the security metrics program from the ground up. She has been a featured speaker at RSA, ITWeb Summit, Metricon, the Executive Women's Forum, ISC2, and the Information Security Forum.

Security professionals are trained skeptics. They poke and prod at other people’s digital creations, expecting them to fail in unexpected ways. Shouldn’t that same skeptical power be turned inward? Shouldn’t practitioners ask: “How do I know that my enterprise security capabilities work? Are they scaling, accelerating, or slowing as the business exposes more value to more people and through more channels at higher velocities?” This is the start of the modern measurement mindset—the mindset that seeks to confront security with data. The Metrics Manifesto: Confronting Security with Data delivers an examination of security metrics with R, the popular open-source programming language and software development environment for statistical computing. This insightful and up-to-date guide offers readers a practical focus on applied measurement that can prove or disprove the efficacy of information security measures taken by a firm. The book’s detailed chapters combine topics like security, predictive analytics, and R programming to present an authoritative and innovative approach to security metrics. The author and security professional examines historical and modern methods of measurement with a particular emphasis on Bayesian Data Analysis to shed light on measuring security operations. Readers will learn how processing data with R can help measure security improvements and changes as well as help technology security teams identify and fix gaps in security. The book also includes downloadable code for people who are new to the R programming language. Perfect for security engineers, risk engineers, IT security managers, CISOs, and data scientists comfortable with a bit of code, The Metrics Manifesto offers readers an invaluable collection of information to help professionals prove the efficacy of security measures within their company.