Software Security Estimation Using the Hybrid Fuzzy ANP-TOPSIS Approach: Design Tactics Perspective

Abstract

Increasing the number of threats against software vulnerabilities and rapidly growing data breaches have become a key concern for both the IT industry and stakeholders. Developing secure software systems when there is a high demand for software products from individuals as well as the organizations is in itself a big challenge for the designers and developers. Meanwhile, adopting traditional and informal learnings to address security issues of software products has made it easier for cyber-criminals to expose software vulnerabilities. Hence, it is imperative for the security practitioners to employ a symmetric mechanism so as to achieve the desired level of software security. In this context, a decision-making approach is the most symmetrical technique to assess the security of software in security tactics perspective. Since the security tactics directly address the quality attribute concerns, this symmetric approach will be highly effective in making the software systems more secure. In this study, the authors have selected three main attributes and fifteen sub-attributes at level 1 and level 2, respectively, with ten different software of an institute as alternatives. Furthermore, this study uses a fuzzy-based symmetrical decision-making approach to assess the security of software with respect to tactics. Fuzzy Analytic Network Process (F-ANP) is applied to evaluate the weights of criteria and fuzzy-Symmetrical technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) is used to determine impact of alternatives. The proposed symmetrical assessment in this study will be beneficial for both the designers and developers to categorize and prioritize the security attributes and understand the importance of security tactics during software development life cycle.

Fuzzy-Based Symmetrical Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Procedure for Evaluating the Impact of Harmful Factors of Healthcare Information Security

“…Obtained results from both the techniques are illustrated in Table 16 and Figure 8. The results described in Table 16 show that the results calculated from both techniques are highly correlated (person correlation coefficient is) [49][50][51]. It is clearly portrayed in Table 16 that the fuzzy-based methodology provides improved results over the classical methodology.…”

A Hybrid Model of Hesitant Fuzzy Decision-Making Analysis for Estimating Usable-Security of Software

“…Memorability is conceptualized as a term where user may forget to how to use a system after a while, though they have taken proper training of it [32]. It is important because usability of software is reduced when user is not learnt to it.…”

“…Reliability (US212): Reliability is the ability of security to consistently perform according to its specifications [32]. It is considered to be very important aspects while designing security.…”

Malware Analysis in Web Application Security: An Investigation and Suggestion

“…The share ratio of publication is 36 % for hybrid analysis in types of malware analysis approaches. The hybrid analysis includes hardware and software combination also, like Das S et al delivers hardware for malware detection online [46]. Das proposed an embedded system by combining the processor and FPGA.…”

“…4 represents the whole malware analysis types and techniques that are used for securing web applications. Authors apply a multi criteria decision making (MCDM) approach called fuzzy-Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) for evaluating the priority and finding the most prioritized approach and type of malware analysis [46][47][48][49][50][51][52]. Fuzzy-AHP is methodology that is pre-verified and authors has expertise in fuzzy-based various MCDM approaches through their previous experience [53][54][55][56].…”