Simulating ecosystem-level cybersecurity for the future generation of critical infrastructures

Exploring the impact of cyber-defensive strategies on critical infrastructures through agent-based modelling

Master thesis (2018)

Authors

X.E.J. de Ronde Technology, Policy and Management

Contributors

P.H.A.J.M. van Gelder (supervisor 1)
W. Pieters (supervisor 1)
Martijn Warnier (supervisor 1)
Faculty
Technology, Policy and Management
Copyright: © 2018 Xander de Ronde
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Published Date

07-09-2018

Language

English

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Faculty

Technology, Policy and Management

Abstract

The increased decentralisation and heterogeneity of critical infrastructure systems pose a threat to the safe and secure operation of critical infrastructures by complicating cybersecurity procedures. The increased frequency and impact of cyberthreats have led to the desire to develop coherent security policies. In order to explore the effects of such policies, an ecosystem-level framework for cyberincidents in critical infrastructure systems has been developed. This framework can be used to explore the effects of conceptual defensive strategy designs. The aggregation of these concepts was operationalised around a central degree of critical infrastructure operability. A practical application of the framework is provided in the form of an agent-based modelling study that is capable of simulating the effects of coherent defensive strategies. The framework by itself is limited to exploratory modelling for the sake of generalisability and requires further specification of concepts based on representative infrastructure scenarios for more advanced analysis and design of tangible security policies.