"Protection Against Cyberattacks Requires Smarter Approach"

Sander Zeijlemaker, a researcher at Radboud University, calls on companies to invest smarter rather than invest more to efficiently limit the risks of cyberattacks. Many organizations still mainly choose to invest based on past information. Zeijlemaker emphasizes that choosing a flexible approach that considers system dynamics could provide more space for improvement. According to Zeijlemaker, managers who make decisions regarding cybersecurity are supported by different standards, frameworks, and comparisons to other organizations. New measures are implemented to prevent incidents after every cyber event. However, Zeijlemaker says this approach is somewhat static as it is similar to driving while only looking in the rear-view mirror. Managers often think they are highly skilled at making decisions and assessing situations, but it can be challenging for a single person to consider and get insight into all possible consequences associated with a certain choice. Zeijlemaker's highlighted approach to cybersecurity is based on system dynamics, which has been applied in various other areas such as medical research and sustainability. This approach involves identifying all factors that should be considered when making strategic decisions regarding cybersecurity. These factors include the attacker's development, staff behavior, and the quality of implemented measures, which are then used to create computer-aided simulation models. This approach helps imitate decision-making processes and provide a further understanding of potential future impacts and consequences of strategic choices. Simulations are beneficial because they can reveal many possible choices without directly impacting operations. With simulations, it is possible to adjust a single variable and see the expected effect on the other variables. This article continues to discuss Zeijlemaker's research on a system dynamics-based approach to cybersecurity. 

Radboud University reports "Protection Against Cyberattacks Requires Smarter Approach"