In information technology, benchmarking of computer security requires measurements for comparing both different IT systems and single IT systems in dedicated situations. The technical approach is a pre-defined catalog of security events (security incident and vulnerability) together with corresponding formula for the calculation of security indicators that are accepted and comprehensive.
Information security indicators were standardized by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) Industrial Specification Group (ISG) ISI. These indicators provide the basis to switch from a qualitative to a quantitative culture in IT Security Scope of measurements: External and internal threats (attempt and success), user's deviant behaviours, nonconformities and/or vulnerabilities (software, configuration, behavioural, general security framework). Preliminary work on information security indicators was done by the French Club R2GS, and the first public set of the ISI standards (security indicators list and event model) were released in April 2013. In 2019 the ISG ISI terminated and related standards will be maintained via the ETSI TC CYBER.
Framework The list of Information Security Indicators belongs to the ISI framework that consists of the following eight closely linked Work Items:
ISI Indicators (ISI-001-1ETSI GS ISI 001-1 (V1.1.2): ISI Indicators Part 1; A full set of operational indicators for organizations to use to benchmark their security posture (2015-06) and Guide ISI-001-2ETSI GS ISI 001-2 (V1.1.2): ISI Indicators Part 2; Guide to select operational indicators based on the full set given in part 1 (2015-06) ): A powerful way to assess security controls level of enforcement and effectiveness (+ benchmarking) ISI Event Model (ISI-002ETSI GS ISI 002 (V1.2.1): ISI Event Model; A security event classification model and taxonomy (2015-11) ): A comprehensive security event classification model (taxonomy + representation) ISI Maturity (ISI-003ETSI GS ISI 003 (V1.2.1): ISI Key Performance Security Indicators (KPSI) to evaluate the maturity of security event detection (2018-01) ): Necessary to assess the maturity level regarding overall SIEM capabilities (technology/people/process) and to weigh event detection results. Methodology complemented by ISI-005 (which is a more detailed and case-by-case approach) ISI Guidelines for event detection implementation (ISI-004ETSI GS ISI 004 (V1.1.1): ISI Guidelines for event detection implementation (2013-12) ): Demonstrate through examples how to produce indicators and how to detect the related events with various means and methods (with classification of use cases/symptoms) ISI Event Stimulation (ISI-005ETSI GS ISI 005 (V1.1.1): ISI Guidelines for security event detection testing and assessment of detection effectiveness (2015-11) ): Propose a way to produce security events and to test the effectiveness of existing detection means (for major types of events) An ISI-compliant Measurement and Event Management Architecture for Cyber Security and Safety (ISI-006ETSI GS ISI 006 (V1.1.1): An ISI-driven Measurement and Event Management Architecture (IMA) and CSlang - A Common ISI Semantics Specification Language (2019-02) ): This work item focuses on designing a cybersecurity language to model threat intelligence information and enable detection tools interoperability. ISI Guidelines for building and operating a secured SOC (ISI-007ETSI GS ISI 007 (V1.1.1): Guidelines for building and operating a secured Security Operations Center (SOC) (2018-12) ): A set of requirements to build and operate a secured SOC (Security Operations Center) addressing technical, human and process aspects. ISI Description of a whole organization-wide SIEM approach (ISI-008ETSI GS ISI 008 (V1.1.1): Description of an Overall Organization-wide Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) Approach (2018-06) ): A whole SIEM (CERT/SOC based) approach positioning all ISI aspects and specifications.
References
External links ETSI ISG ISI members ETSI TC CYBER (responsible for ISI maintenance) ETSI ISI flyer ISI Quick Reference Card ISI events Quick Reference Card Club R2GS portal