02717nas a2200253   4500008004100000022001400041245004700055210004500102260004200147300001000189490000600199520199500205653001802200653004402218653001302262653002002275653002502295653002502320653002102345100001802366700001902384700002402403856003602427       2013                        eng d  a1927-032100aA Research Agenda for Security Engineering0 aResearch Agenda for Security Engineering  aOttawabTalent First Networkc08/2013  a41-500 v33 aDespite nearly 30 years of research and application, the practice of information system security engineering has not yet begun to exhibit the traits of a rigorous scientific discipline. As cyberadversaries have become more mature, sophisticated, and disciplined in their tradecraft, the science of security engineering has not kept pace. The evidence of the erosion of our digital security – upon which society is increasingly dependent – appears in the news almost daily.

In this article, we outline a research agenda designed to begin addressing this deficit and to move information system security engineering toward a mature engineering discipline. Our experience suggests that there are two key areas in which this movement should begin. First, a threat model that is actionable from the perspectives of risk management and security engineering should be developed. Second, a practical and relevant security-measurement framework should be developed to adequately inform security-engineering and risk-management processes. Advances in these areas will particularly benefit business/government risk assessors as well as security engineers performing security design work, leading to more accurate, meaningful, and quantitative risk analyses and more consistent and coherent security design decisions.

Threat modelling and security measurement are challenging activities to get right – especially when they need to be applied in a general context. However, these are decisive starting points because they constitute the foundation of a scientific security-engineering practice. Addressing these challenges will require stronger and more coherent integration between the sub-disciplines of risk assessment and security engineering, including new tools to facilitate that integration. More generally, changes will be required in the way security engineering is both taught and practiced to take into account the holistic approach necessary from a mature, scientific discipline.10acybersecurity10ainformation system security engineering10aresearch10arisk management10asecurity engineering10asecurity measurement10athreat modelling1 aGoyette, Rich1 aRobichaud, Yan1 aMarinier, François  uhttp://timreview.ca/article/715