A Framework of Quantitative Analysis for Information System Survivability

Survivability should be considered beyond security for information system, and quantitative analysis can assess system survivability accurately for improvement. Information system is presented by finite state machine and its state transition map is used to describe analysis process, where the hierarchical structure of system state avoids the problem of enumerating states in Markov chain model. Based on SNA method, a framework of quantitative analysis is introduced: defining system, testing systems survivability, computing survivability, and giving analysis report finally, which is easily implemented by computer. In the framework, the event database which is based on event classification and grade makes creating test project automatically and objectively, and survivability is computed through resistance, recognition and recovery in a hierarchical process.