Title: Using behavioural observation and game technology to support critical infrastructure security

Authors: Laura Pla Beltran; Madjid Merabti; William Hurst

Addresses: PROTECT: Research Centre for Critical Infrastructure Computer Technology and Protection, School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK ' PROTECT: Research Centre for Critical Infrastructure Computer Technology and Protection, School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK ' PROTECT: Research Centre for Critical Infrastructure Computer Technology and Protection, School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK

Abstract: Critical infrastructures provide essential services to our everyday lives. Even a minor failure on any of these systems could result in severe consequences. Therefore, their protection, to ensure correct functioning at all times, is crucial. The fact that these systems do not exist in isolation but rather are closely interconnected with other critical and non-critical systems leads us to take a system-of-systems approach to their security, taking into account the context they exist in and relationships with other systems. In this paper, a combination of behavioural observation and game technology to enhance critical infrastructure security is presented. A simulation is used to construct critical infrastructure data, and threats to the simulation are identified by modelling system behaviour and identifying changes in patterns of activity. Once threats are identified, our Critical Infrastructure Security Manager (CISM) displays these alerts, together with output from other security devices, to the user using a game-based interface, and requires some feedback to act upon them. The use of a game-based visualisation allows a better understanding of the system and its current state and, as a result, it enables better informed security decisions.

Keywords: critical infrastructures; infrastructure protection; system of systems; cyber-attacks; game technology; security visualisation; behavioural observation; infrastructure security; simulation; modelling; system behaviour; pattern changes; activity patterns; threats; alerts; game-based visualisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSE.2014.060882

International Journal of System of Systems Engineering, 2014 Vol.5 No.1, pp.45 - 67

Received: 29 Aug 2013
Accepted: 22 Jan 2014
Published online: 30 Jun 2014 *

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