A System Dynamics Approach to Evaluate Advanced Persistent Threat Vectors

Cyber-attacks targeting high-profile entities are focused, persistent, and employ common vectors with varying levels of sophistication to exploit social-technical vulnerabilities. Advanced persistent threats (APTs) deploy zero-day malware against such targets gain entry through multiple security layers, exploiting the dynamic interplay vulnerabilities in target network. System dynamics (SD) offers an alternative approach analyze non-linear, complex, systems. This research applied SD three APT attacks - Equifax, Carphone, Zomato identify simulate socio-technical variables leading breaches. By modeling APTs using SD, managers can evaluate threats, predict attacks, reduce damage by mitigating specific cues. study provides valuable insights into cyber making it first apply APTs.