Information Security Specialist Research Articles

ВЫЯВЛЕНИЕ ПРОБЛЕМ ИНФОРМАЦИОННОЙ БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ МЕТОДОМ СИСТЕМАТИЧЕСКОГО ОБЗОРА ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ

The field of information security covers a wide range of technical, organizational and social aspects, requiring information security specialists to take a unique and comprehensive approach to the development, support, operation, evaluation and improvement of information security management systems. An important element of successful information protection is the accurate identification and assessment of risks and vulnerabilities that may become a source of threats. In existing publications, as a rule, it is assumed that specialists have the necessary experience and knowledge to conduct risk analysis. However, in the dynamic world of information technology and threats, an information security specialist faces a huge amount of information and potential risks that are constantly evolving. Because of this, it is an impossible task to keep in mind all kinds of threats to information security. 
 The purpose is to identify actual problems of information security, potentially acting as sources of information security risk, based on the method of systematic review of the literature. Results: 73 actual problems of information security have been identified, which an information security specialist should take into account in his activities. Understanding these issues makes it possible to develop more effective protection strategies, as well as to make informed and informed decisions when developing and applying security measures.

Analysis of the core research for vendor email compromise filtering model using machine learning

Vendor email compromise became one of most sophisticated types of social engineering attacks. Strengths of this malicious activity rely on basis of impersonating vendor that company working with. Thus, it is easy for attacker to exploit this trust for doing different type of data exfiltration or ransom. To mitigate risks, that come with these challenges, information security specialist should consider using different types of approaches, including machine learning, to identify anomalies in email, so further damages can be prevented. The purpose of this work lies in the identification of optimal approach for VEC-style attacks detection and optimizing these approaches with least amount of false-positive (FP) parameters. The object of this research is different methods of text processing algorithms, including machine learning methods for detecting VEC emails. The subject of research in this paper mainly considers impact of mentioned text processing algorithms and its relation with efficiency of VEC email classification, identifying most effective approach and, also, how to improve results of such detections. Results of this paper consists of details for VEC-email attacks detection, challenges that comes with different approaches and proposed solution, that lies in using text processing techniques and agent-related approach with main sphere of implication – machine-learning systems, that are used for identifying social-engineering attacks through email.

PREPARATION OF DATA BY STATISTICAL METHODS FOR FORECASTING THE SUCCESS OF THE PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY OF AN INFORMATION SECURITY SPECIALIST

An urgent problem in the field of information security – the provision of human resources in the field of information security in the Russian Federation is presented. One of the factors influencing this is the lack of the possibility of determining at the initial stage the optimal choice of the future direction of activity of graduates of higher educational institutions with specialization in this field. To solve this problem, it is proposed to use methods of data mining, machine learning and algorithms based on artificial neural networks. For the successful application of data mining methods, several factors should be taken into account: the data set must be large enough. Secondly; the data must be structured and analyzed to extract the most important information; the data analysis methods must be adequate and accurate in order to determine the purpose of the graduate with the highest accuracy. Taking into account these factors, the article suggests a way to form the initial data set and prepare it using statistical methods to predict the success of the professional activity of an information security specialist. The results of this work can be useful for higher educational institutions, specialists in the field of information security, heads of personnel departments who are interested in optimizing the process of selecting qualified employees in this field.

BCS Information Security Specialist Group Celebrates its 40th Anniversary

Abstract Conceived in 1983, the ISSG was founded to focus on professionalism and professional development within security. BCS marked its landmark anniversary with a London event. Martin Cooper MBCS reports.

Дистанционные олимпиады в организации совместной профориентационной работы школы и вуза

The article shows how using network technologies, in particular the electronic distance learning system (LMS) Moodle, you can build career guidance among schoolchildren, involving them in a conscious choice of a profession in the field of IT technologies (information security specialist, data protection specialist, cryptographer). Some Russian educational Internet platforms are considered, designed to help school graduates decide on their future professional activities. The ways of vocational guidance work at school are shown, which can be implemented both during school hours and after school hours. It proposes its own approach to this type of activity through the involvement of schoolchildren in distance Olympiads. A specific example reveals the technology for the development and implementation of distance Olympiads. The three-year experience of preparing distance Olympiads on the basis of the university is described.

РАЗВИТИЕ ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОЙ ОТВЕТСТВЕННОСТИ БУДУЩЕГО СПЕЦИАЛИСТА ПО ЗАЩИТЕ ИНФОРМАЦИИ В ВУЗЕ

The article substantiates the relevance of the professional responsibility development of a university graduate. The contradictions between the need for specialists with a high level of professional responsibility and the insufficiently realized potential of universities in its development is revealed. The purpose of the paper is to substantiate the features and pedagogical conditions for the development of professional responsibility of the future information security specialist in a university environment. The theory of responsibility as a manifestation of a person's inner freedom, and the theory of the evolution of corporate culture paradigms were used as methodological basis. The theoretical significance of the study is in the identification of specific factors in the development of professional responsibility of future information security specialists based on the characteristics of their future activities. The scientific novelty of the work is in the substantiation of the pedagogical conditions for the development of professional responsibility of the future information security specialist in a university environment.

The development of models of an analytical data processing system for monitoring information security of an informatization object using cloud infrastructure

The article is devoted to the problem of developing an analytical data processing system for monitoring information security within the information security management system of modern companies conducting their main activities in cyberspace and using cloud infrastructure. Based on the analysis of modern information technologies related to ensuring information security of cloud infrastructure and the most popular products for ensuring information security of cloud infrastructures, as well as existing scientific approaches, a formalized approach to the synthesis of an analytical data processing system for monitoring the information security of an informatization object using cloud infrastructure is proposed. This approach takes into account the usefulness of the used information technologies from the viewpoint of information security. A general model of the structure of information support of an analytical data processing system for monitoring information security, as well as a model of the dependence of the usefulness of information technology on time and the ratio of the skill level of an information security specialist and an attacker are presented. The quality of the information security monitoring system is used as a criterion in the first optimization model. The following limitations are suggested: limitation on the time of making a decision on an incident; limitation on the degree of quality of analysis of information security events by the analytical data processing system and limitation on the compatibility of data analysis functions with data types about information security events. The cited results of the study of the second model show a logically consistent dependence of the usefulness of information technology on time and the ratio of the skill level of an information security specialist to the skill level of an attacker. The particular models of the structure of the information support of ASOD are presented. They make it possible to determine the rational structure information support of ASOD according to particular criteria. The following particular criteria are used: the maximin criterion of the usefulness of the information support of ASOD for monitoring the information security of an informatization object in the cloud infrastructure; the criterion for the maximum relevance of information support distributed over the nodes of the cloud infrastructure for systems with a low degree of centralization of management.

Professional development – factor of professional success

The training of a specialist at a university is predetermined by the quality of the educational process, which is caused by the development trends of the entire education system in accordance with globalization and integration into the world educational space. Professional success largely depends on the success of training, which forms the readiness of students to achieve professional success. Success is represented by an integrative assessment of the totality of student characteristics (result) and external psychological and pedagogical characteristics (learning process), which affect the process and result of the formation of professionally significant competencies. Significant external conditions are the quality of the educational process and the professionalism of the teacher; internal conditions personal characteristics of students. A group of students future information security specialists was taken as a sample for a study conducted at Samara National Research University. Employers are showing a demand for specialists focused on achieving professional success in the face of increasing information threats, illegal actions, and computer crime. The study confirmed the need for students to develop not only professional competencies, but also a set of properties for the successful solution of professional problems. The structure of readiness of an information security specialist for successful professional activity was determined by the researchers taking into account the specifics (multidisciplinarity) and features (a set of meaningful characteristics for achieving success) of professional activity. Readiness criteria are as follows: professional and social orientation, ethical consciousness, acmeological orientation. The results of a comprehensive study conducted at the Samara National Research University confirm the dependence of the quality of the educational process on the readiness of teachers to organize the conditions for successful student learning.

Method of protection of personal data in its processing in information system based on the artificial neural network

One of the most actively developing areas of information security is the User Behavior Analytics. This paper presents a method of detecting anomalies in the behavior of an information system user has been developed, based on the use of an artificial neural network that signals the commission of illegal actions. Users behavior characteristics had been offered to use sample input values: access time; duration of work performed; place of access; a set of data with which the user works; list of actions taken. An approach to assigning numeric values to user characteristics is proposed, based on the fuzzy set theory and One-Hot Encoding method. Method provides more effective detecting abnormalities in user behavior than analyze by information security specialist without using the special automation tools.

Application of gamification elements in the training of students – future specialists in the field of information security

Currently, the training of students-future specialists in information security is significantly modified. The necessary skills of such a specialist now include "soft skills", super-professional skills that are responsible for the effectiveness of participation in the work process. Information security itself is becoming an integral part of business modeling. This raises the question of choosing the most effective technologies for developing such skills, expressed in the relevant competencies of an information security specialist. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the use of gamification elements in the process of training students-future information security specialists. The research was conducted at the Siberian State University of Science and Technology, at the Department of Information technology security, as well as in the framework of the project «Development of a package of game cases for the discipline «Information security management»». In total, 182 students of the 3rd-5th year of specialty, 1-2 year of master's degree, as well as students of the 4th year of bachelor's degree in Information security took part in pedagogical and experimental work. The study shows that the time required to complete tasks to master the competence decreases (the time is reduced by up to 30% during the semester), and it is also noted that students who are able to master the competence received results at the beginning of the course. At the same time, the share of passively participating in the course elements in small groups is reduced to no more than 10%, and the number of non-participants in the development is practically reduced to zero. The results of the study selective response of participants in networked collaboration showed that the involvement and study of the material remains at a consistently high level as in previous years, and the time slice at the end of the experiment. For example, the assessment of the project organizers ' communication in the social network Vkontakte for 4 years of the project: 100% of participants are connected directly through at least one project participant; 93.75% are listed as friends of at least one project participant, the share of high-intensity information connections was 21.87%.

Эмоциональная компетентность будущего специалиста по защите информации: понятие и педагогические условия развития

Comprehensive digitalization of all spheres of human activity has become the most important factor influencing the communicative environment of society and resulted in new requirements to the competencies of university graduates. An information security specialist (IS) is a technical specialist that has to develop soft skills. It can be explained by the fact that he has to assess human risks; to raise information security awareness of the organization's employees; to increase information security culture; and to involve company’s employees in the information security process. The virtualization of communications determines the gradual emotional autonomy of subjects, which negatively affects the results of the activity of an information security specialist. Thus, the author defines the essential features and pedagogical conditions for the development of emotional competence of a future information security specialist in a university environment. The author clarified the concept of emotional competence of a future information security specialist. The scientific novelty is in identifying the features and conditions for the development of the emotional competence of information security specialists in a university environment. The effectiveness of the implementation of these conditions during the training of university students in information security management emphasizes the practical significance of the study.

Skills, Knowledge, Attitude

Abstract Cybersecurity is an ever-changing environment. Ian Fish FBCS, Chair of the Information Security Specialist Group (ISSP), explores how professionals can keep their skills, knowledge and experience sharp, relevant and ready.

Shock, Resilience, Recovery

The theme for the autumn issue of ITNOW is, unsurprisingly, based around the rapid change of pace faced by all in the IT profession as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, writes Ian Fish, Chair of the Information Security Specialist Group (ISSP).

COMPETENCE MODEL OF AN INFORMATION SECURITY SPECIALIST IN MODERN CONDITIONS

The field of information security is experiencing a shortage of specialists to meet the growing demand for qualified and ready-to-work personnel. The use of competency models as tools for determining and evaluating employee qualifications, and skills needs to be reconsidered. The purpose of the research is to formulate competence a model of a specialist in the field of information security. The article examines the structure of the competence model of a specialist in the field of information security, and the model of competence of a specialist in the field of information security, as well as defines the main competencies that are necessary for an information security specialist. Industry standard competence models can help employers, teachers, and human resources professionals prepare, develop, and advance the workforce for enterprise security and information security in the future.

What's Wrong With Our Technology?

Abstract When thinking about this issue’s theme in the context of cyber security, it became quite difficult to determine what might be the ‘glass half full’ scenarios… writes Ian Fish, Chair of the Information Security Specialist Group.

Mind the CISOs

Abstract As is the case each quarter, the ITNOW commissioning editor informed me of the genera theme of the issue - for Spring 2020, it was staying well - specifically promoting better mental health in the workplace, writes Ian Fish, Chair of the Information Security Specialist Group.

АВТОМАТИЗАЦИЯ ПРОЦЕССА ТЕСТИРОВАНИЯ УЯЗВИМОСТЕЙ В КОРПОРАТИВНЫХ СИСТЕМАХ НА ОСНОВЕ НЕЙРО-НЕЧЁТКИХ АЛГОРИТМОВ

At the current stage of technology development, information systems on a corporate scale are becoming more and more widespread. Corporate systems include a hierarchical set of services and services that are constantly subject to internal changes in the configuration of the software and hardware component of the entire complex. Among other things, the system may represent a concept of Internet Things, combining not only the main devices, but also additional devices to organize the convenience of the end user interaction. Such a complex is subject to constant threats from the point of view of information security due to the changes made, since the presence of an error even in a separate component can lead to the presence of a vulnerability that allows to get an unauthorized access to the whole system, and as a result — unauthorized access to information and management of the target object. To study such systems for vulnerabilities, it is proposed to develop an information product that would allow to automate the process of searching and exploitation of vulnerabilities in the whole network infrastructure and subsequent reporting on various criteria. The product under development is intended for the operating system of the Unix family and is intended for use on specialized operating systems such as Kali Linux, Parrot Sec, Nethunter, etc. Considering a corporate network segment, it is assumed to organize a search for vulnerabilities by introducing neutrally fuzzy algorithms that search for several parameters and, if successful, nested search in a particular segment. The Rapid7 vulnerability database is supposed to be used as the input data to perform fuzzy searches. This approach will allow to identify vulnerabilities both in a separate system interaction proto col and in the operating system of a separate object, which may be a switch or server. As a result, it is planned to obtain an automated management system for the Metasploit Framework through a web interface, allowing the information security specialist to quickly eliminate the identified vulnerabilities.

Методика проведення відеолекцій та он-лайн трансляцій в системі підготовки бакалаврів з кібербезпеки в умовах освітньо-цифрового середовища

The article presents the method of conducting video lectures and online broadcasts in the system of training bachelors in cybersecurity in an educational and digital environment. It is determined that professional training of personnel in various industries in the modern world is an extremely important task of the state. Its solution becomes significant depending on how close these or those specialists are to the sphere of society. The meaning of the concept of "training" is defined, which is defined as a set of special knowledge, skills, qualities, work experience and norms of behavior that provide the opportunity to work successfully in a particular profession; as a process of communicating relevant knowledge and skills. " It is specified that the educational and digital environment can be understood as a set of organizational and pedagogical conditions for learning that contribute to the motivation of higher education students to self-development, self-education and is a key component of professional development of future professionals through information resources and services. It is emphasized that video lecture is the main form of conducting educational classes in the educational-digital environment, intended for mastering theoretical material. Each individual lecture is a component of the course of lectures in the educational and digital environment of the course discipline. Let's outline the general requirements for video lectures for bachelors in cybersecurity in the educational and digital environment. It has been determined that online broadcasting is a convenient way to communicate with bachelors in cybersecurity in real time in an educational and digital environment. At the expense of such broadcast it is possible to arrange for them game streams, to hold online seminars or to answer questions. The presented method of conducting video lectures and online broadcasts for the training of bachelors in cybersecurity is characterized by mandatory professional training for bachelors to obtain the qualification of information security specialist in information and communication systems and provides practice to provide training conditions in the real environment of future professional activities. Prospects for further research are the development of technology for the introduction of video lectures and online broadcasts in the system of training bachelors in cybersecurity and verification of the results.

Changes in Security at BCS

Abstract Ian Fish FBCS and Chair of the Information Security Specialist Group, invites members to get in touch with the reformed Security and Privacy Executive.

PROFESSIONAL SUCCESSFULNESS OF INFORMATION SECURITY SPECIALISTS

Information security specialists training in the higher education system is considered one of the primary national tasks on account of the expansion of the information technologies application that is stipulated by a number of factors. Success of the information security specialists professional activities is a characteristic of their professional activity in case of recognition of completed ensuring the information protection from information threats by the society and the specialists themselves. The analysis of the researches which were conducted before is given. It is stated that there is a lack of works devoted to the development of personal qualities needed for information protection. It is proved that the development of the readiness to successful professional activity as an integrative personality characteristic for information security specialists is necessary. Such readiness becomes a base of the implementation of the professional functions as an information security specialist has to exercise a number of functions: information-analytical, projecting, technological, interactive, reflective. According to these functions the components of the information security specialists readiness to successful professional activity are defined. They are orientational, goal setting, operating, communicative, evaluative. The components require special personal qualities. The orientational component needs a sense of responsibility, the goal setting one needs subjectness; the operating component requires professional mobility and the communicative one sociability; creative activity is required by the evaluating component. The criteria proving that such components are formed are ethical consciousness, professional self-consciousness, professional, social and acmeological orientations. The process during which the components of the information security specialists readiness to successful professional activity are formed on the base of personality-oriented approach is described. According to its principals of individuality, subjectivity, self-actualization, trust and support, creativity and success the methods are defined. These are verbal and visual methods, inductive and deductive methods, reproductive and problem-searching ones, methods of interest stimulation.