A Knowledge-Based Integrated System of Hesitant Fuzzy Set, AHP and TOPSIS for Evaluating Security-Durability of Web Applications

Abstract

There has been a phenomenal increase in the use of web applications in every facet of human endeavor. From education, healthcare, banking, business to governance and so much more now depends on secure web applications. This accelerated growth in the use of web applications has led to increase in the complexity of security and hence the present day developers have to contribute more significantly towards meeting the users' requirements. However, the high security of web application is not yet efficacious enough because the durability of web application is not as much as it should be. In this context, it is important to consider that ensuring sustainability of security at the early stage of web application development process may reduce costs and rework entailed during the development of secure and durable web applications. Hence, there is a need to focus on increasing the life-span of a secure web application. Quantitative estimation of security-durability plays a significant role for improving the life-span of a secure web application. Thus, to optimize the security assurance effort for a specific life-span, this paper is aimed at estimating the security-durability of web application. For estimating security-durability, this paper uses a hybrid approach of Hesitant Fuzzy (HF) sets, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) techniques. The effectiveness of the combined approach of HF-AHP-TOPSIS is tested for its accuracy in a web application for an academic institution, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University in India. To check the sensitivity of outcomes, authors of the paper have taken altered forms of the University's web application. The result established contains the security-durability assessment. This work seeks to be an important contribution in enhancing the security-durability and would be beneficial for experts who are working in this domain.