Predictive Cyber Threat Analysis using Data Science: An Overview of Possibilities - Softcover

Hale, SA; Hale, Terry

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1546727841 ISBN 13: 9781546727842

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2017

Synopsis

Data Science methods can be applied to any imaginable goal and offer insight into how to progress from the status quo to a much higher level of cyber security. This short book addresses some of the possible approaches to applying data science to security needs, how to identify open source tools, and how to potentially implement visualization and statistical analysis for use in the area of Predictive Cyber Threat Analysis. Because of the vast amount of data that is produced by modern networks, novel methods and techniques are needed to predict cyber threats. The landscape of current threats requires new analysis methods. This paper explores how data science and visualization tools and technology aid in this mission; allowing the naked eye to detect patterns and obtain insight into our networks. This paper investigates the options available to security engineers, analysts, and investigators for exploiting “big data.” We question: • How is Data Science used to predict cyber threats? What are open source tools available for statistical analysis? • What methods provide the best visual representation of our analysis? By developing an understanding of big data, we can adapt to meet the rapid and ever-evolving cyber threat to our national security. Once understood, training, tools, and processes can be implemented in cyber threat analysis. Our purpose is to help organizations; to develop, a basic understanding of data science, to identify possible tools to used to in data science and security, and finally to focus on applications that can be used to target cyber threats. “The state of information security is in disarray.” (Braxton, 2015). Groups from every industry are failing to detect attacks. A primary cause of today’s failures in both security prevention and detection is the ever-increasing amount of data that networks must process. Data immersion is not a new concept. Experts agree that the phenomenon is accelerating. “Lakes, puddles, and rivers of data have turned to floods and veritable tsunamis of structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data that’s streaming from almost every activity that takes place in both the digital and physical worlds” (Pierson, 2015). This is big data, and it is only getting bigger. Keywords: Data Science, Security, cognitive science, Open Source, visualization, threat analysis, threat intelligence.

About this title

About the Author

Mr. Hale is a Computer Scientist with a substantial depth and breadth of experiences, totaling 32 years, in Software Engineering, System Administration, Security Engineering, Cyber Warfare, Information Assurance, Cognitive System Engineering, Test and Evaluation (T&E), Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V), Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR), and Situational Awareness. Currently, Mr. Hale is both a System Administrator (SysAdm) and Information System Security Officer (ISSO) who manages several (5) classified laboratories for various programs, including U.S. Navy and Missile Defense Agency (MDA). As the Cyber Technical Lead, Mr. Hale is involved in the implementation of both Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) and Risk Management Framework (RMF). He researches trends in cognitive neuroscience, cyber security, and cyber warfare. Mr. Hale predominantly utilizing an interdisciplinary approach that brings the human side to technology by combining Cognitive and Behavioral Science, with Computer and Security Engineering. Additionally, Mr. Hale has 22 years of teaching experience, including the past 15 years as an Adjunct Professor of Computer Science where he teaches courses in System Security Management, Digital Forensics, Cyber Ethics, and Javascript and others. He is the author of five books, numerous white papers and presentations for various conferences and professional gathering. You may contact Mr. Hale at ProfessorHale@gmail.com or AbbyNormalResearch@gmail.com

Edition details

• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1546727841
• ISBN 13: 9781546727842
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 62