PRAGMATIC Security Metrics Applying Metametrics to Information Security

Introduction
Why Have We Written This Book?
What’s Different about This Metrics Book?
Who Are We Writing This For?
Who Are We?
     Krag Brotby
     Gary Hinson
What We’ll Be Talking About
Defining Our Terminology
What We Expect of You, the Reader
Summary

Why Measure Information Security?
To Answer Awkward Management Questions
To Improve Information Security, Systematically
For Strategic, Tactical, and Operational Reasons
For Compliance and Assurance Purposes
To Fill the Vacuum Caused by Our Inability to Measure Security
To Support the Information Security Manager
For Profit!
For Various Other Reasons
Summary

The Art and Science of Security Metrics
Metrology, the Science of Measurement
Governance and Management Metrics
Information Security Metrics
Financial Metrics (for Information Security)
(Information Security) Risk Management Metrics
     Software Quality (and Security) Metrics
     Information Security Metrics Reference Sources
     Douglas Hubbard "How to Measure Anything" (Hubbard 2010)
     Andrew Jaquith: Security Metrics (Jaquith 2007)
      NIST SP 800-55: Performance Measurement Guide for Information Security (NIST 2008)
     Debra Herrmann: Complete Guide to Security and Privacy Metrics (Herrmann 2007)
     Krag Brotby: Information Security Management Metrics (Brotby 2009a)
     Lance Hayden: IT Security Metrics (Hayden 2010)
     Caroline Wong "Security Metrics: A Beginner’s Guide" (Wong 2012)
     ISO/IEC 27004: Information Security Management–Measurement (ISO/IEC 27004 2009) 3.7.9 CIS Security Metrics (CIS 2010)
     ISACA
Specifying Metrics
Metrics Catalogs and a Serious Warning About SMD
Other (Information Security) Metrics Resources
Summary

Audiences for Security Metrics
Metrics Audiences Within the Organization
     Senior Management
     Middle and Junior Management
     Security Operations
     Others with Interest in Information Security
Metrics Audiences From Without the Organization
Summary

Finding Candidate Metrics
Preexisting/Current Information Security Metrics
Other Corporate Metrics
Metrics Used in Other Fields and Organizations
Information Security Metrics Reference Sources
Other Sources of Inspiration for Security Metrics
     Security Surveys
     Vendor Reports and White Papers
     Security Software
Roll-Your-Own Metrics
Metrics Supply and Demand
Summary

Metametrics and the PRAGMATIC Approach
Metametrics
Selecting Information Security Metrics
PRAGMATIC Criteria
6.3.1 P = Predictive
6.3.2 R = Relevant
6.3.3 A = Actionable
6.3.4 G = Genuine
6.3.5 M = Meaningful
6.3.6 A = Accurate
6.3.7 T = Timely
6.3.8 I = Independent
6.3.9 C = Cost
Scoring Information Security Metrics against the PRAGMATIC Criteria
Other Uses for PRAGMATIC Metametrics
Classifying Information Security Metrics
6.6.1 Strategic/Managerial/Operational (SMO)Metrics Classification
6.6.2 Risk/Control Metrics Classification
6.6.3 Input–Process–Output (Outcome) Metrics Classification
6.6.4 Effectiveness and Efficiency Metrics Classification
6.6.5 Maturity Metrics Classification
6.6.6 Directness Metrics Classification
6.6.7 Robustness Metrics Classification
6.6.8 Readiness Metrics Classification
6.6.9 Policy/Practice Metrics Classification
Summary

150+ Example Security Metrics
Information Security Risk Management Example Metrics
Information Security Policy Example Metrics
Security Governance, Management, and Organization Example Metrics
     Information Security Financial Management Metrics
     Information Security Control-Related Metrics
     Metrics for Business Alignment and Relevance of Controls
     Control Monitoring and Testing Metrics
     Financial Information Security Metrics
Information Asset Management Example Metrics
Human Resources Security Example Metrics
Physical Security Examples
IT Security Metric Examples
Access Control Example Metrics
Software Security Example Metrics
Incident Management Example Metrics
Business Continuity Management Examples
Compliance and Assurance Metrics Examples
Summary

Designing PRAGMATIC Security Measurement System
Brief History of Information Security Metrics
Taking Systems Approach to Metrics
Information Security Measurement System Lifecycle
Summary

Advanced Information Security Metrics
High-Reliability Metrics
Indicators and Proxies
Key Indicators
     Key Goal Indicators (KGIs)
     Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
     Key Risk Indicators (KRIs)
     Critical Success Factors (CSFs)
Targets, Hurdles, Yardsticks, Goals, Objectives, Benchmarks, and Triggers
Summary

Downsides of Metrics
Numbers Don’t Always Tell the Whole Story
Scoring Political Points through Metrics
Implausible Deniability
Metrics Gaps
On Being Good Enough
What Not to Measure
Summary

Using PRAGMATIC Metrics in Practice
Gathering Raw Data
     Sampling
     Automated Data Sources
     Observations, Surveys, and Interviews
     Online or In-Person Surveys
     Scoring Scales
     Audits, Reviews, and Studies
Data Analysis and Statistics
Data Presentation
     General Considerations
     Analytical Tools and Techniques
     Reporting Tools and Techniques
     Presentational Tools and Techniques
     Graphs, Figures, Diagrams, and Illustrations
     Drawing Attention to Specific Issues
Using, Reacting to, and Responding to Metrics
     Periodic versus Event-Driven Reporting
Summary

Case Study
The Context: Acme Enterprises, Inc.
Information Security Metrics for C-Suite
     Information Security Metrics for the CEO
     Information Security Metrics for the CIO
     Information Security Metrics for the CISO
     Information Security Metrics for the CFO
     Information Security Metrics for the VP of Production
     Information Security Metrics for the VP of Marketing
Information Security Metrics for Management and Operations
Information Security Metrics for External Stakeholders
Acme’s Information Security Measurement System
Summary

Conclusions
Take-Home Lessons from This Book
     On Pragmatism and Being PRAGMATIC
     On Giving You the Confidence and Skills to Have a Go
     On Improving the Quality of Your Management Information through Metametrics
     On Improving Metrics of All Sorts
Your Chance to Advance the Profession and the Practice of Metrics
An Action Plan to Take Away
Summary

Appendix A: PRAGMATIC Criteria
Appendix B: Business Model of Information Security (BMIS)
Appendix C: Capability Maturity Model (CMM)
     Level 1–Initial
     Level 2–Repeatable
     Level 3–Defined
     Level 4–Managed
     Level 5–Optimizing
Appendix D: Example Opinion Survey Form
     Security Awareness Survey on Malware
Appendix E: SABSA Security Attributes Table
Appendix F: Prototype Metrics Catalog
Appendix G: Effect of Weighting the PRAGMATIC Criteria
Appendix H: ISO27k Maturity Scale Metrics
Appendix I: Sample Management Survey
Appendix J: Observer Bias
Appendix K: Observer Calibration
Appendix L: Bibliography

Biography

Krag Brotby has 30 years of experience in the area of enterprise computer security architecture, governance, risk, and metrics and is a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) and Certified in the Governance of Enterprise Information Technology qualifications. Krag is a CISM trainer and has developed a number of related courses in governance, metrics, governance-risk-compliance (GRC), and risk and trained thousands on five continents during the past decade.
Krag's experience includes intensive involvement in current and emerging security architectures, IT and information security metrics, and governance. He holds a foundation patent for digital rights management and has published a variety of technical and IT security-related articles and books. Brotby has served as principal author and editor of the Certified Information Security Manager Review Manual (ISACA 2012) since 2005, and is the researcher and author of the widely circulated Information Security Governance: Guidance for Boards of Directors and Executive Management (ITGI 2006), and Information Security Governance: Guidance for Information Security Managers (ITGI 2008a) as well as a new approach to Information Security Management Metrics (Brotby 2009a) and Information Security Governance; A Practical Development and Implementation Approach (Brotby 2009b). Krag has served on ISACA's Security Practice Development Committee. He was appointed to the Test Enhancement Committee, responsible for testing development, and to the committee developing a systems approach to information security called the Business Model for Information Security (BMIS). He received the 2009 ISACA John W. Lainhart IV Common Body of Knowledge Award for noteworthy contributions to the information security body of knowledge for the benefit of the global information security community.

Krag is a member

Like all books on metrics, PRAGMATIC Security Metrics: Applying Metametrics to Information Security makes the statement that "you can't manage what you can't measure".  The authors claim that other books on information security metrics discuss number theory and statistics in academic terms. This title promises to be light on mathematics and heavy on utility and is meant as a how-to-do-it guide for security metrics.

As to the title, PRAGMATIC is an acronym for the basis of the method of the book, in using metrics that are predictive, relevant, actionable, genuine, meaningful, timely, independent and cost. After reading the first chapter, PRAGMATIC Security Metrics: Applying Metametrics to Information Security looks like it may live up to its promise of being able to use metrics not only to track and report performance but to identify problem areas and opportunities, and drive information security improvements. If so, this could be the metrics book a lot of information security professionals have been waiting for.
—Ben Rothke, CISSP, CISM, Information Security Manager, Wyndham Worldwide; and author of Computer Security: 20 Things Every Employee Should Know, writing on the RSA Conference Blog, www.rsaconference.com