Cybersecurity threat analysis, risk assessment and design patterns for automotive networked embedded systems: A case study

Cybersecurity has become a crucial challenge in the automotive sector. At the current stage, the framework described by the ISO/SAE 21434 is insufficient to derive concrete methods for the design of secure automotive networked embedded systems on the supplier level. This article describes a case study with actionable steps for designing secure systems and systematically eliciting traceable cybersecurity requirements to address this gap. The case study is aligned with the ISO/SAE 21434 standard and can provide the basis for integrating cybersecurity engineering into company-specific processes and practice specifications.Web of Science27884983

Risk Assessment Framework for Evaluation of Cybersecurity Threats and Vulnerabilities in Medical Devices

Medical devices are vulnerable to cybersecurity exploitation and, while they can provide improvements to clinical care, they can put healthcare organizations and their patients at risk of adverse impacts. Evidence has shown that the proliferation of devices on medical networks present cybersecurity challenges for healthcare organizations due to their lack of built-in cybersecurity controls and the inability for organizations to implement security controls on them. The negative impacts of cybersecurity exploitation in healthcare can include the loss of patient confidentiality, risk to patient safety, negative financial consequences for the organization, and loss of business reputation. Assessing the risk of vulnerabilities and threats to medical devices can inform healthcare organizations toward prioritization of resources to reduce risk most effectively. In this research, we build upon a database-driven approach to risk assessment that is based on the elements of threat, vulnerability, asset, and control (TVA-C). We contribute a novel framework for the cybersecurity risk assessment of medical devices. Using a series of papers, we answer questions related to the risk assessment of networked medical devices. We first conducted a case study empirical analysis that determined the scope of security vulnerabilities in a typical computerized medical environment. We then created a cybersecurity risk framework to identify threats and vulnerabilities to medical devices and produce a quantified risk assessment. These results supported actionable decision making at managerial and operational levels of a typical healthcare organization. Finally, we applied the framework using a data set of medical devices received from a partnering healthcare organization. We compare the assessment results of our framework to a commercial risk assessment vulnerability management system used to analyze the same assets. The study also compares our framework results to the NIST Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) scores related to identified vulnerabilities reported through the Common Vulnerability and Exposure (CVE) program. As a result of these studies, we recognize several contributions to the area of healthcare cybersecurity. To begin with, we provide the first comprehensive vulnerability assessment of a robotic surgical environment, using a da Vinci surgical robot along with its supporting computing assets. This assessment supports the assertion that networked computer environments are at risk of being compromised in healthcare facilities. Next, our framework, known as MedDevRisk, provides a novel method for risk quantification. In addition, our assessment approach uniquely considers the assets that are of value to a medical organization, going beyond the medical device itself. Finally, our incorporation of risk scenarios into the framework represents a novel approach to medical device risk assessment, which was synthesized from other well-known standards. To our knowledge, our research is the first to apply a quantified assessment framework to the problem area of healthcare cybersecurity and medical networked devices. We would conclude that a reduction in the uncertainty about the riskiness of the cybersecurity status of medical devices can be achieved using this framework

Decision support for choice of security solution: the Aspect-Oriented Risk Driven Development (AORDD)framework

In security assessment and management there is no single correct solution to the identified security problems or challenges. Instead there are only choices and tradeoffs. The main reason for this is that modern information systems and security critical information systems in particular must perform at the contracted or expected security level, make effective use of available resources and meet end-users' expectations. Balancing these needs while also fulfilling development, project and financial perspectives, such as budget and TTM constraints, mean that decision makers have to evaluate alternative security solutions.\ud \ud This work describes parts of an approach that supports decision makers in choosing one or a set of security solutions among alternatives. The approach is called the Aspect-Oriented Risk Driven Development (AORDD) framework, combines Aspect-Oriented Modeling (AOM) and Risk Driven Development (RDD) techniques and consists of the seven components: (1) An iterative AORDD process. (2) Security solution aspect repository. (3) Estimation repository to store experience from estimation of security risks and security solution variables involved in security solution decisions. (4) RDD annotation rules for security risk and security solution variable estimation. (5) The AORDD security solution trade-off analysis and trade-o¤ tool BBN topology. (6) Rule set for how to transfer RDD information from the annotated UML diagrams into the trad-off tool BBN topology. (7) Trust-based information aggregation schema to aggregate disparate information in the trade-o¤ tool BBN topology. This work focuses on components 5 and 7, which are the two core components in the AORDD framework

Security-Driven Software Evolution Using A Model Driven Approach

High security level must be guaranteed in applications in order to mitigate risks during the deployment of information systems in open network environments. However, a significant number of legacy systems remain in use which poses security risks to the enterprise’ assets due to the poor technologies used and lack of security concerns when they were in design. Software reengineering is a way out to improve their security levels in a systematic way. Model driven is an approach in which model as defined by its type directs the execution of the process. The aim of this research is to explore how model driven approach can facilitate the software reengineering driven by security demand. The research in this thesis involves the following three phases. Firstly, legacy system understanding is performed using reverse engineering techniques. Task of this phase is to reverse engineer legacy system into UML models, partition the legacy system into subsystems with the help of model slicing technique and detect existing security mechanisms to determine whether or not the provided security in the legacy system satisfies the user’s security objectives. Secondly, security requirements are elicited using risk analysis method. It is the process of analysing key aspects of the legacy systems in terms of security. A new risk assessment method, taking consideration of asset, threat and vulnerability, is proposed and used to elicit the security requirements which will generate the detailed security requirements in the specific format to direct the subsequent security enhancement. Finally, security enhancement for the system is performed using the proposed ontology based security pattern approach. It is the stage that security patterns derived from security expertise and fulfilling the elicited security requirements are selected and integrated in the legacy system models with the help of the proposed security ontology. The proposed approach is evaluated by the selected case study. Based on the analysis, conclusions are drawn and future research is discussed at the end of this thesis. The results show this thesis contributes an effective, reusable and suitable evolution approach for software security

Designing Digital Work

Combining theory, methodology and tools, this open access book illustrates how to guide innovation in today’s digitized business environment. Highlighting the importance of human knowledge and experience in implementing business processes, the authors take a conceptual perspective to explore the challenges and issues currently facing organizations. Subsequent chapters put these concepts into practice, discussing instruments that can be used to support the articulation and alignment of knowledge within work processes. A timely and comprehensive set of tools and case studies, this book is essential reading for those researching innovation and digitization, organization and business strategy

System Security Assurance: A Systematic Literature Review

System security assurance provides the confidence that security features, practices, procedures, and architecture of software systems mediate and enforce the security policy and are resilient against security failure and attacks. Alongside the significant benefits of security assurance, the evolution of new information and communication technology (ICT) introduces new challenges regarding information protection. Security assurance methods based on the traditional tools, techniques, and procedures may fail to account new challenges due to poor requirement specifications, static nature, and poor development processes. The common criteria (CC) commonly used for security evaluation and certification process also comes with many limitations and challenges. In this paper, extensive efforts have been made to study the state-of-the-art, limitations and future research directions for security assurance of the ICT and cyber-physical systems (CPS) in a wide range of domains. We conducted a systematic review of requirements, processes, and activities involved in system security assurance including security requirements, security metrics, system and environments and assurance methods. We highlighted the challenges and gaps that have been identified by the existing literature related to system security assurance and corresponding solutions. Finally, we discussed the limitations of the present methods and future research directions