Model-Based Cybersecurity Analysis

2023 | Business & Information Systems Engineering | Citations: 0

Authors: Jiang, Yuning; Jeusfeld, Manfred A.; Ding, Jianguo; Sandahl, Elin

Abstract: Critical infrastructure (CIs) such as power grids link a plethora of physical co ... Expand

Abstract: Critical infrastructure (CIs) such as power grids link a plethora of physical components from many different vendors to the software systems that control them. These systems are constantly threatened by sophisticated cyber attacks. The need to improve the cybersecurity of such CIs, through holistic system modeling and vulnerability analysis, cannot be overstated. This is challenging since a CI incorporates complex data from multiple interconnected physical and computation systems. Meanwhile, exploiting vulnerabilities in different information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) systems leads to various cascading effects due to interconnections between systems. The paper investigates the use of a comprehensive taxonomy to model such interconnections and the implied dependencies within complex CIs, bridging the knowledge gap between IT security and OT security. The complexity of CI dependence analysis is harnessed by partitioning complicated dependencies into cyber and cyber-physical functional dependencies. These defined functional dependencies further support cascade modeling for vulnerability severity assessment and identification of critical components in a complex system. On top of the proposed taxonomy, the paper further suggests power-grid reference models that enhance the reproducibility and applicability of the proposed method. The methodology followed was design science research (DSR) to support the designing and validation of the proposed artifacts. More specifically, the structural, functional adequacy, compatibility, and coverage characteristics of the proposed artifacts are evaluated through a three-fold validation (two case studies and expert interviews). The first study uses two instantiated power-grid models extracted from existing architectures and frameworks like the IEC 62351 series. The second study involves a real-world municipal power grid. Collapse

Topics: IT security virtualization technology database system knowledge representation data center

Methods: reference modelling case study qualitative interview design artifact simulation

USE-CASE-BASED INNOVATION FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE – AN ONTOLOGICAL APPROACH

2022 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Kirschbaum, Julius; Posselt, Tim; Roth, Angela

Abstract: Research has primarily focused on process models for AI-use-case-adoption, but ... Expand

Abstract: Research has primarily focused on process models for AI-use-case-adoption, but neglected the usecases themselves. In this research, an ontological artifact is developed as the basis for an AI-use-casedescription-scheme. It allows practitioners and researchers to systematically describe such use-cases based on their level of abstraction and core characteristics. It enables them to classify, document and communicate these use-cases to support AI-adoption. We ground its development in diffusion of innovation theory and build upon research on AI-adoption. In particular, Rogers' (2003) innovation decision process is utilised as a framework that explains adoption decisions by organisations. A Design Science Research approach is chosen that integrates the ontology development process by Noy and McGuinness (2001). In this research-in-progress, we conduct one ex ante and one ex post evaluation and plan for a second ex post evaluation that ensure the relevance and rigor of the artifact design. Collapse

Topics: artificial intelligence knowledge representation online community website open source

Methods: qualitative interview triangulation ontological modelling literature study case study

A Semantic Data Lake for Harmonizing Data from Cross-Platform Digital Workspaces using Ontology-Based Data Access

2020 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Schwade, Florian; Schubert, Petra

Abstract: Most organizations provide a portfolio of multiple applications from different ... Expand

Abstract: Most organizations provide a portfolio of multiple applications from different vendors (with different data structures) for supporting computer-mediated collaboration among their employees. The heterogeneous format of the activity logs and the content data is challenging for the analysis of cross-platform collaboration and for comparing results from the different systems. To address these issues, we develop and demonstrate a prototype for a semantic data lake. Our prototype is based on Hadoop and ingests data from the source systems in near real-time. Ontology-based data access is implemented based on a mapping between an ontology and the ingested data. Thus, an analyst only needs to be familiar with the ontology and can use identical SPARQL queries to obtain the same information from the source systems. We demonstrate the ontology-database mapping and show how concepts from Web Science can solve practical problems in the Information Systems discipline, specifically for the area of Business Intelligence. KeywordsData lake, ontology-based data access, ontology-database mapping, business intelligence. Collapse

Topics: knowledge representation data lake database system business intelligence online learning system

Methods: ontological modelling design artifact existing ontologies design science literature study

Cybersecurity vulnerability management: A conceptual ontology and cyber intelligence alert system

2020 | Information & Management | Citations: 0

Authors: Syed, Romilla

Abstract: Effective vulnerability management requires the integration of vulnerability inf ... Expand

Abstract: Effective vulnerability management requires the integration of vulnerability information available on multiple sources, including social media. The information could be used to inform common users about impending vulnerabilities and countermeasures. First, we present the Cybersecurity Vulnerability Ontology (CVO), a conceptual model for formal knowledge representation of the vulnerability management domain. Second, we utilize the CVO to design a Cyber Intelligence Alert (CIA) system that issues cyber alerts about vulnerabilities and countermeasures. We rigorously evaluated the CVO as well as the accuracy, performance, and usefulness of the CIA system. Key contributions of this study to research and practice are discussed. Collapse

Topics: knowledge representation Twitter IT security social media Chief Information Officer

Methods: ontological modelling focus group natural language processing conceptual modelling survey

The Structure of Social Documents

2020 | HICSS | Citations: 16

Authors: Williams, Susan P; Mosen, Julian; Schubert, Petra

Abstract: Enterprise collaboration platforms are large scale, highly integrated informatio ... Expand

Abstract: Enterprise collaboration platforms are large scale, highly integrated information infrastructures that enable many hundreds of employees to work collaboratively and share information. In this paper, we lay the theoretical and analytical foundations for the use of social documents as digital traces of collaborative activity in enterprise collaboration platforms. Through a review of related research and an empirical analysis of social documents, we identify key concepts and structures, providing the foundation for the Social Document Ontology (SocDOnt). SocDOnt expresses the generic structure of social documents and extends previous work in two important ways. At the micro-level a social document is defined as a composition of an intellectual entity enhanced by both intellectual and simple components and at the macro-level a collection is defined as an aggregation of social documents. These analytical constructs enable a more nuanced and granular analysis of social documents to understand collaborative activity in enterprise collaboration platforms. Collapse

Topics: knowledge representation wiki blog IT supported collaboration collaborative work

Methods: ontological modelling design science class diagram unified modeling language existing ontologies

Theories: theory of affordance

A Conceptual Architecture for Enabling Future Self-Adaptive Service Systems

2019 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Burzlaff, Fabian; Bartelt, Christian

Abstract: Dynamic integration methods for unknown data sources and services at system desi ... Expand

Abstract: Dynamic integration methods for unknown data sources and services at system design time are currently primarily driven by technological standards. Hence, little emphasis is being placed on integration methods. However, the combination of heterogeneous data sources and services offered by devices across domains is hard to standardize. In this paper, we will shed light on the interplay of self-adaptive system architectures as well as bottom-up, incremental integration methods relying on formal knowledge bases. An incremental integration method has direct influences on both the system architecture itself and the way these systems are engineered and operated during design and runtime. Our findings are evaluated in the context of a case study that uses an adapted bus architecture including two tool prototypes. In addition, we illustrate conceptually how control loops such as MAPE-K can be enriched with machine-readable integration knowledge. Collapse

Topics: internet of things mobile system knowledge base enterprise architecture system support

Methods: case study data modeling existing ontologies design artifact

Towards an Ontology-Based Information System for Smart City Ecosystems

2018 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Hernandez-Mendez, Adrian; Faber, Anne; Bondel, Gloria; Matthes, Florian

Abstract: Smart city ecosystems concepts comprising firms, public authorities, and other s ... Expand

Abstract: Smart city ecosystems concepts comprising firms, public authorities, and other stakeholders demonstrate innovative characteristics and high dynamics, thus enforcing both the integration between ontology management and information systems to be adaptable in short iteration periods in modern enterprises. In this paper, we describe the challenges of integrating ontology services in information systems in the context of Smart City Ecosystems. From a design science research cycle, we derive a holistic approach to integrate the ontology management process and its use in the collaborative information systems. Additionally, we describe the reference architecture for such ontology-based information systems, which allows multiple roles to create and modify the mobility ecosystem model in an agile process. Collapse

Topics: knowledge representation smart city computer supported cooperative work systems development

Methods: ontological modelling existing ontologies design science case study

An Ontology-based Approach for Software Architecture Recommendations

2017 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Bhat, Manoj; Shumaiev, Klym; Biesdorf, Andreas; Hohenstein, Uwe; Hassel, Michael; Matthes, Florian

Abstract: The design and development of sustainable software systems require software arch ... Expand

Abstract: The design and development of sustainable software systems require software architects to consider a variety of architectural solutions and their trade-offs. With the frequent introduction of new architectural methods and software solutions, as well as, due to time-to-market constraints faced by software architects, considering even a subset of alternative architectural solutions during the decision-making process is a challenge. In this paper, we propose a recommendation system that automatically annotates architectural elements in software architecture documents and then proposes a) alternative architectural solutions for the annotated elements and b) concrete software solutions to realize an architectural design decision. These annotations and recommendations are derived from the knowledge captured in a publicly available cross-domain ontology. The evaluation of the recommendation system indicates that our approach can effectively support software architects to consider alternative architectural solutions while making architectural design decisions. Collapse

Topics: knowledge representation recommender system enterprise architecture database system relational database

Methods: DBpedia ontological modelling machine learning design pattern existing ontologies

Financial Concept Element Mapper (FinCEM) for XBRL interoperability: Utilizing the M3 Plus method

2017 | Decision Support Systems | Citations: 1

Authors: Etudo, Ugochukwu; Yoon, Victoria; Liu, Dapeng

Abstract: The use of eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) to represent financial ... Expand

Abstract: The use of eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) to represent financial reports (particularly 10-K and 10-Q filings) is a requirement of all public companies in the United States. The intention of the XBRL mandate is to streamline the financial reporting pipeline by providing full automaticity with respect to the collection, collation and analysis of financial information on the Web. However, the current lack of acceptable XBRL interoperability prevents the realization of the mandate's potential. This paper reports on a comprehensive solution to this problematic situation. The proposed design artifact, called FinCEM, is undergirded by channel theory and seeks to capture and leverage the semantics of XBRL calculation linkbases towards improved XBRL interoperability. The design artifact is instantiated and evaluated against XBRL filings from companies included in the S&P 100. The artifact, which operates automatically and without human intervention, is shown to provide significant improvements over alternative approaches as it attains high accuracy with respect to its core information retrieval task. Collapse

Topics: electronic data interchange knowledge representation accounting web technology Java

Methods: ontological modelling machine learning design artifact experiment design theory

Theories: flow theory

An Ontological Approach to Misinformation: Quickly Finding Relevant Information

2017 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Hicks, Chelsea

Abstract: Identifying misinformation (i.e. rumors) is a growing field of research in the i ... Expand

Abstract: Identifying misinformation (i.e. rumors) is a growing field of research in the information systems field. This is due to the fact that during recent tragedies (i.e. Boston Bombings, Ebola, etcetera), rumors spread rapidly on social media platforms, which will hide the facts about an event. This results in rumors being spread even more, further hiding the events. In this study, we draw from research from the semantic web to tackle this problem. We propose the use of ontologies and related concepts can help find accurate information for a case quickly and accurately. Combined with a weighting formula, we will be able to display the most relevant results to an interested party. In this research in progress, we outline our plan on how to accomplish this once an ontology and dataset is found. Collapse

Topics: knowledge representation Twitter misinformation criminality systems development

Methods: ontological modelling literature study logistic regression domain ontology statistical hypothesis test