When Science Meets Security

• Activity Number: 494
• Type: Invited
• Date/Time: Wednesday, August 4, 2010 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Statistics in Defense and National Security
• Author(s): Roy Maxion*+
• Companies: Carnegie Mellon University
• Keywords: Cyber security ; Experimental rigor ; Experimental design ; Keystroke dynamics ; Classification

Abstract

The field of cyber security offers many opportunities for the development and application of rigorous research methods to address cyber threats. Because many questions in cyber security are answered only through experimentation, it is critical that experiments are rigorously designed so that they answer definitively the questions asked of them. Scientific approaches, as well as more widespread use of sound data-collection and experimental-design procedures, are needed to address cyber challenges. Although statisticians do not appear to be very involved in this emerging area, there is work underway to quantify and learn about cyber phenomena. A case study of collection & analysis of keystroke signatures will introduce a range of issues to the statistical community: validity, experimental error, control, reproducibility, reporting, and critical-assessment reporting analysis.