A Collaborative Method for Assessing the Dependencies of Critical Information Infra- Structures

The critical infrastructures have been penetrated by information systems. The very basis that we depend on has become technologically entangled. New types of vulnerabilities that evade current risk analysis methods have emerged. Protocol dependency is one of the key culprits. This work focuses on collaborative management of protocol related knowledge, which is required in order to understand and mitigate the risks that emerge from protocol dependency. The PROTOS-MATINE method was developed to illustrate inheritances and hidden links between protocols from multiple angles. Charting these linkages requires efficient knowledge management techniques. The semantic Graphingwiki tool was developed to support this process. The protocol views created by Graphingwiki have been used in various stages of protocol-related vulnerability work. These visualisations proved to be an effective aid for apprehending protocol environments. They highlighted problem areas, such as protocols that are abundantly depended upon, baroque relations between protocol families, and the inherent complexity of modern networks. Moreover, initial experiences on the applicability of Graphinwiki for purposes outside its intended domain of application are very encouraging.