Utilizing Operation Research for Enhancing Information Security and Combating Cybercrime
Moamar Shakir Mahmood, Ibtehal Shakir Mahmoud, Zuhair Yaseen Taha · 2024
this study delves into the dynamic landscape of cybercrime, emphasizing the critical need for proactive methodologies in predicting and mitigating evolving threats. Recognizing the pivotal role of operations research, the research explores its potential to assess vulnerabilities, conduct risk analyses, and develop robust defense mechanisms against diverse cyber threats. The study further aims to address a crucial criterion in information security—the time duration criterion—focusing on formulating strategies to optimize incident response protocols. The research methodology employs a Monte Carlo simulation approach, utilizing Primavera Risk Analysis software, to simulate cyber-attacks. The simulations consider various criteria, including the success rate, attack duration, and time required for attackers to breach a website. The objective is to acquire a probabilistic understanding of potential outcomes and uncertainties in cyber-attack scenarios, contributing valuable insights to enhance information security and combat cybercrime. The results of the cyber-attack simulations reveal the dynamic nature of cyber threats, emphasizing the critical role of time in mitigating and terminating attacks. Key findings include insights into attack success rates, attack durations, and the time required for attackers to breach a website, underscoring the need for time-sensitive responses and adaptive security measures. Based on the findings, the study offers several recommendations to enhance cybersecurity measures. These recommendations include adopting a time-centric strategy, prioritizing early detection and response, strengthening security measures, continuous monitoring, implementing data encryption and obfuscation, adopting adaptive security strategies, investing in cybersecurity training, developing incident response plans, fostering collaboration and information sharing, and conducting regular cyber-attack simulations and testing.