Information security incident investigation: The drivers, methods and outcomes

Matthew Trump

1 2 3 4Overview

IS picture

Parallels with OHS

Resilience Engineering

NB

Research Questions

• To establish the primary reported cause of Information Security incidents and in particular to understand why human error is often utilised as the default explanation.

• To investigate parallels between contemporary research in Occupational Health and Safety and Information Security in order to see whether the standard of information security incident investigation can be improved.

• To produce model guidelines for security incident investigation.

Research Methods

• Review Information Security incident reports from both the public and private sector. – Freedom of Information Act / ISACA

• Survey investigation leaders– Based on HSE report

• Conduct interviews with investigators

So what?

Pragmatism

An opportunity to “improve the rigour and relevance of IS research” Goles (2000)

“The societal value of IS research lies within its possibilities to improve IS practices” Goldkuhl (2004)

… this puts “the research question above such considerations as methodology or the underlying world view.”

HROsOHSIS

Conceptual model

Academic literature review

Very little

Academic literature review

Very little

Comptia (2010)

“IT professionals attribute slightly more of the blame for security breaches to human error or shortcomings than technology shortcomings (59% vs. 41%).”

•Additionally, the data suggests the human error factor is on the rise as a cause of security breaches.

8th Annual Global Information Security Trends

“Additionally, the data suggests the human error factor is on the rise as a cause of security breaches.”

The data was encrypted but the password was attached

“human error is an attribution.... not an objective fact that can be found by anybody with the right method.”

Woods et al. (2010)

Parallels between OHS and IS

• Statement, policy, procedures

• Risk analysis• OHSMS• Plan -> Do -> Check -> Act • Driven by Europe• Maturity in waves -

Borys et al (2009)

• Policies, procedures, guidelines

• Risk analysis• ISMS• Plan -> Do -> Check -> Act • Driven by EuropeMaturity in waves – von Solms (2000, 2006)

Parallels between OHS and IS

• Limitations of OHSMS

• Limits of safety culture

• Increasing complexity

• More rules

• Limitations of ISMS

• Limits of security culture

• Increasing complexity

• More rules

Limits of parallels between OHS and IS

• 200 years experience• Social pressure• Powerful regulator• Serious sanctions• Severe outcome

• 30? Years experience• Do people care?• ICO…• Laughable sanctions• Less severe outcome

Accident causation models

• Sequential view

• Latent pathogens

• Systemic view

Resilience Engineering

“Resilience Engineering looks for ways to enhance the ability of organisations to create processes that are robust yet flexible, to monitor and revise risk models, and to use resources proactively in the face of disruptions or ongoing production and economic pressures.”

Erik Hollnagel (1983)

Why "Human Error" is a meaningless concept

Organisational utility

• Defence against entanglement (simplicity)• The illusion of control • A means for distancing • A marker for failed investigations

Cook, R. I. & Nemeth, C. P. (2010)

Human error

• Old view– complex systems fine vs erratic behaviour of

people– human errors cause accidents– failure comes as an unpleasant surprise

• Old response– more procedures– more technology– remove bad apples

Human error

• New view– Human error as symptom of deeper trouble– Not random: connected to tools, tasks and

environment– Not and end point for investigations

• New response– Humans not perfect– Find out why their actions made sense to them

Moving beyond human error

• Human error is an just an attribution• Pursue second stories• Escape hindsight bias• Understand work at the sharp end• Search for systemic vulnerabilities

Woods et al (2010)

Accountability and learning

• Take a systems perspective• Move beyond blame• Create a just culture

How to answer research questions

Reports Survey

Investigations

Research Questions

• To establish the primary reported cause of Information Security incidents and in particular to understand why human error is often utilised as the default explanation.

• To investigate parallels between contemporary research in Occupational Health and Safety and Information Security in order to see whether the standard of information security incident investigation can be improved.

• To produce model guidelines for security incident investigation.

Research Questions

• To establish the primary reported cause of Information Security incidents and in particular to understand why human error is often utilised as the default explanation.

• To investigate parallels between contemporary research in Occupational Health and Safety and Information Security in order to see whether the standard of information security incident investigation can be improved.

• To produce model guidelines for security incident investigation.

Research Questions

• To establish the primary reported cause of Information Security incidents and in particular to understand why human error is often utilised as the default explanation.

• To investigate parallels between contemporary research in Occupational Health and Safety and Information Security in order to see whether the standard of information security incident investigation can be improved.

• To produce model guidelines for security incident investigation.

Research Questions

• To establish the primary reported cause of Information Security incidents and in particular to understand why human error is often utilised as the default explanation.

• To investigate parallels between contemporary research in Occupational Health and Safety and Information Security in order to see whether the standard of information security incident investigation can be improved.

• To produce model guidelines for security incident investigation.

Your help

Reports Survey

Interviews

Investigations

Expert evaluation

Model guidelines