Using Similar Strategies as Public Health Could Improve Cyber Security

In a new paper by a team of economists and public health researchers, maintaining good “cyber hygiene” and improving overall cyber security can be achieved by mimicking public health strategies.

The paper written by economists and public health researchers at RTI international, which demonstrates ways to increase cyber security, takes a look at how public health strategies and research methodologies could be used to guide cyber security strategies.

Currently, no centralized approach has been successfully used to coordinate action in improving cyber security. The government has played a relatively limited role, developing standards for industry and distributing education materials to schools and civic organizations, but most of the focus has been on business security.

The public health community has been very successful in identifying, monitoring and reducing the health impacts of many types of threats,” said Brent Rowe, a senior economist at RTI and the paper’s lead author. “Given the many similarities between public health and cyber security, the cyber security community would be wise to leverage relevant public health strategies and analysis techniques.”

The paper takes a detailed look at public health frameworks that can be used to identify and describe specific cyber security threats and potential solutions. According to the authors, some of the key lessons from the public health community include introducing potential solutions to individuals in a way that establishes a measure of trust, communicating the nature of threats and interventions to a wide variety of audiences, providing solutions in a convenient and attractive framework and considering the unpredictability of individual behavior.

“Although the idea of organizing the community of cyber security stakeholders similar to the complexity and scale of public health is daunting, public health research, implementation and evaluation strategies offer a wealth of well-tested approaches that could be easily leveraged to study cyber security topics, such as how to better understand cyber security risk preferences,” said Michael Halpern, Ph.D., a senior public health researcher and an RTI Senior Fellow.

Featured

New Products

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities