Intelligence Preparation of the Cyber Environment (IPCE): Finding the High Ground in Cyberspace
ABSTRACT
The tools typically used in the planning phase of cyber defence provide only limited guidance for operational decision making. To overcome these shortcomings, the authors propose a more comprehensive and deliberate process of intelligence planning: the Intelligence Preparation of the Cyber Environment (IPCE), an adaptation of Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield. This paper highlights how concepts used in IPB correspond to concepts in cyber security—in particular, the authors describe how ‘weather’ and ‘terrain’ map onto the concepts of ‘user’, ‘traffic’, and ‘network environment’. Finally, the methodology is demonstrated with a case study to illustrate how systems have widely different ‘environmental’ features.
AUTHORS
Department of Computer Engineering and Software Engineering École Polytechnique de Montréal Montréal,
Canada
Dr. Antoine Lemay is one of the founders of Quantum Cyber Defence, a start-up aimed at providing custom security monitoring solutions. He previously worked as a Researcher in the Department of Computer Engineering and Software Engineering at École Polytechnique de Montréal, Canada. There he specialised in securing Industrial Control Systems (IDS) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) networks against threats from nation states. He also has worked as a Security Analyst. He also helped develop the training program at the National Energy Infrastructure Test Center. He holds a number of professional certifications, including CISSP, GSEC, and GCIH. He has written a number of papers in international venues on the topics of ICS and Supervisory Control and SCADA security, advances in attacker techniques, and cyber warfare.
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Royal Military College of Canada
Dr. Scott Knight is Professor and Head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Royal Military College. Dr Knight joined the faculty in 2000 after 21 years in the Canadian Air Force. He founded the RMC Computer Security Laboratory, which maintains a close working relationship with the Canadian Forces Information Operations Group. The research group focuses on computer network defence and support to information operations.
Département de génie informatique et génie logiciel École Polytechnique de Montréal
José M. Fernandez, Eng., PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Computer & Software Engineering at the École Polytechnique de Montréal. He heads the Laboratory for Information Security Research (SecSI), and his main area of research is computer security. His current research interests include malware, cyber crime, cyber warfare, security of SCADA systems, security product testing methodologies, intrusion detection systems, and security and integration of logical and physical access control systems. He has several years of professional experience as a practitioner of Information Security in both industry and government. He holds Bachelor’s degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science and Engineering from MIT, a Master’s in Cryptology from the University of Toronto, and a Ph.D. in Quantum Computing from the Université de Montréal.
Published In
Journal of Information Warfare
The definitive publication for the best and latest research and analysis on information warfare, information operations, and cyber crime. Available in traditional hard copy or online.
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