DHS Outlines Healthy Cyber Ecosystem

Cyber systems and devices may need to take automated, collective action to effectively thwart cyber attacks, according to a recent Department of Homeland Security (DHS) whitepaper.

The whitepaper, “Enabling Distributed Security in Cyberspace,” describes the need for a healthy and resilient “cyber ecosystem.” In such an ecosystem, cyber systems and networked devices would play a more active role "in their own defense,” it states.

A main weakness of cyber defenses today is that they’re “founded on ad hoc, manual processes,” according to the paper. “Yet cyber attacks often follow a well known, systematic escalation path beginning with reconnaissance activities and extending to gaining entry, establishing persistence…and conducting attack operations.”

In the system envisioned, “cyber participants,” including “cyber devices” would be “able to work together in near-real time to anticipate and prevent cyber attacks.” Such a system would require improvements in three basic areas, according to the paper. These include automation, interoperability, and authentication. More anonymous information sharing between the public and private sectors could also help build such an ecosystem, according to DHS.

Strong cyber security best practices have generally been slow to develop, however, the paper states. DHS also mentions several questions that may need to be answered before such an ecosystem develops, including “What are the business drivers that will incent the necessary investments?; “What are the appropriate roles and responsibilities of the public and private sector in delivering the healthy ecosystem?;” and “Which elements should be prioritized for early realization?”

DHS says it’s hoping for feedback on the paper and that it plans to publish a follow-up document.

Picture Credit: Don Hankins via Flickr.