In case of a major cyber incident, organizations usually rely on external providers of Cyber Incident Response (CIR) services. CIR consultants operate in a dynamic and constantly changing environment in which they must actively engage in information management and problem solving while adapting to complex circumstances. In this challenging environment CIR consultants need to make critical decisions about what to advise clients that are impacted by a major cyber incident. Despite its relevance, CIR decision making is an understudied topic. The objective of this preliminary investigation is therefore to understand what decision-making strategies experienced CIR consultants use during challenging incidents and to offer suggestions for training and decision-aiding. A general understanding of operational decision making under pressure, uncertainty, and high stakes was established by reviewing the body of knowledge known as Naturalistic Decision Making (NDM). The general conclusion of NDM research is that experts usually make adequate decisions based on (fast) recognition of the situation and applying the most obvious (default) response pattern that has worked in similar situations in the past. In exceptional situations, however, this way of recognition-primed decision-making results in suboptimal decisions as experts are likely to miss conflicting cues once the situation is quickly recognized under pressure. Understanding the default response pattern and the rare occasions in which this response pattern could be ineffective is therefore key for improving and aiding cyber incident response decision making. Therefore, we interviewed six experienced CIR consultants and used the critical decision method (CDM) to learn how they made decisions under challenging conditions. The main conclusion is that the default response pattern for CIR consultants during cyber breaches is to reduce uncertainty as much as possible by gathering and investigating data and thus delay decision making about eradication until the investigation is completed. According to the respondents, this strategy usually works well and provides the most assurance that the threat actor can be completely removed from the network. However, the majority of respondents could recall at least one case in which this strategy (in hindsight) resulted in unnecessary theft of data or damage. Interestingly, this finding is strikingly different from other operational decision-making domains such as the military, police and fire service in which there is a general tendency to act rapidly instead of searching for more information. The main advice is that training and decision aiding of (novice) cyber incident responders should be aimed at the following: (a) make cyber incident responders aware of how recognition-primed decision making works; (b) discuss the default response strategy that typically works well in several scenarios; (c) explain the exception and how the exception can be recognized; (d) provide alternative response strategies that work better in exceptional situations.
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Critical incident response (CIR) has evolved to require a high level of cultural competence, customization, and adaptability to meet the needs of client organizations while incorporating clinical best practices and current research. The Critical Incident Outcome Measure (CIOM) is a timely and pioneering evidence-based evaluative tool developed by Morneau Shepell over the course of a four-year period. The CIOM tool, based on the Workplace Outcomes Suite (WOS) tool originally developed in 2010, was developed in 2016 [Herlihy et.al., 2018]; beta tests and modifications, along with the publication of a validation paper, were completed in 2017; further feedback was incorporated and an implementation plan developed in 2018; and full program implementation began in 2019.
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Cybersecurity threat and incident managers in large organizations, especially in the financial sector, are confronted more and more with an increase in volume and complexity of threats and incidents. At the same time, these managers have to deal with many internal processes and criteria, in addition to requirements from external parties, such as regulators that pose an additional challenge to handling threats and incidents. Little research has been carried out to understand to what extent decision support can aid these professionals in managing threats and incidents. The purpose of this research was to develop decision support for cybersecurity threat and incident managers in the financial sector. To this end, we carried out a cognitive task analysis and the first two phases of a cognitive work analysis, based on two rounds of in-depth interviews with ten professionals from three financial institutions. Our results show that decision support should address the problem of balancing the bigger picture with details. That is, being able to simultaneously keep the broader operational context in mind as well as adequately investigating, containing and remediating a cyberattack. In close consultation with the three financial institutions involved, we developed a critical-thinking memory aid that follows typical incident response process steps, but adds big picture elements and critical thinking steps. This should make cybersecurity threat and incident managers more aware of the broader operational implications of threats and incidents while keeping a critical mindset. Although a summative evaluation was beyond the scope of the present research, we conducted iterative formative evaluations of the memory aid that show its potential.
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Computer security incident response teams (CSIRTs) respond to a computer security incident when the need arises. Failure of these teams can have far-reaching effects for the economy and national security. CSIRTs often have to work on an ad hoc basis, in close cooperation with other teams, and in time constrained environments. It could be argued that under these working conditions CSIRTs would be likely to encounter problems. A needs assessment was done to see to which extent this argument holds true. We constructed an incident response needs model to assist in identifying areas that require improvement. We envisioned a model consisting of four assessment categories: Organization, Team, Individual and Instrumental. Central to this is the idea that both problems and needs can have an organizational, team, individual, or technical origin or a combination of these levels. To gather data we conducted a literature review. This resulted in a comprehensive list of challenges and needs that could hinder or improve, respectively, the performance of CSIRTs. Then, semi-structured in depth interviews were held with team coordinators and team members of five public and private sector Dutch CSIRTs to ground these findings in practice and to identify gaps between current and desired incident handling practices. This paper presents the findings of our needs assessment and ends with a discussion of potential solutions to problems with performance in incident response. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02179 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickvanderkleij1/
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Recent years have seen a global rise in the failure of tailings dams. Studies investigating the causes of slope failure often recognise high intensity rainfall events to significantly contribute to liquefaction, erosion and overtopping. This study aims to investigate the influence of alternative physical and geohydrological processes that, under tension saturation conditions, contribute to slope instability in tailings dams. It has been suggested that the generation of transient pressure wave mechanisms by high intensity rainfall events, surface ponding and wetting front advancement result in the formation of an induced pressure head that triggers the mobilization of pre-event water. In order to quantify these physical processes, this study included the analysis of rapid transmission conditions in a silica fines mix, with similar physical and hydraulic characteristics as platinum tailings. A tall leak-proof soil column, containing the soil sample compacted to in-situ dry bulk density, was fitted with seven observation ports. Each port consisted of a pore air pressure probe, a mini tensiometer and a time domain reflectometry probe. After set-up and initial stabilisation, three separate artificial high intensity rainfall events were applied to the surface. Monitoring of hydraulic state variables was recorded at thirty second intervals by automatic logging, thereby enabling the analysis of measured outcomes. Observations showed instant spikes in pore air pressure ahead of the wetting front, as well as a number of delayed responses. The interpretation of lab results led to the conclusion that pressure diffusion mechanisms throughout the porous medium, could result in the rapid release and mobilisation of previously stagnant antecedent moisture, thereby enabling phreatic levels to rising rapidly and in excess to the amount of surface infiltration. Also, since an increase in pore water pressure is likely to cause a reduction in shear strength, it is suggested that these physical and geohydrological processes could have an adverse impact on the stability of tailings dams.
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The growing sophistication, frequency and severity of cyberattacks targeting all sectors highlight their inevitability and the impossibility of completely protecting the integrity of critical computer systems. In this context, cyber-resilience offers an attractive alternative to the existing cybersecurity paradigm. We define cyber-resilience as the capacity to withstand, recover from and adapt to the external shocks caused by cyber-risks. This article seeks to provide a broader organizational understanding of cyber-resilience and the tensions associated with its implementation. We apply Weick's (1995) sensemaking framework to examine four foundational tensions of cyber-resilience: a definitional tension, an environmental tension, an internal tension, and a regulatory tension. We then document how these tensions are embedded in cyber-resilience practices at the preparatory, response and adaptive stages. We rely on qualitative data from a sample of 58 cybersecurity professionals to uncover these tensions and how they reverberate across cyber-resilience practices.
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This study analyses how the social construction of integrity takes place within the context of football in the Netherlands. Combining a contextual approach to sports integrity with the analytic lens of sensemaking, this qualitative multi-method case study analyses – in one extreme case in Dutch youth amateur football – why and when the ‘incident’ was perceived as an ‘integrity issue’, and how the meaning of (the) integrity (issue) was socially constructed by (interactions between) stakeholders involved in the case. Our findings show why, when, and how moral norms and values are (not) debated and at stake, and that the social construction of sports integrity is intertwined with the institutional context and the role of secondary stakeholders. It provides insights that can help sports organizations to identify risks in their moral sports culure and to develop measures or policies to safeguard integrity in sport.
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Background and objective Public involvement in palliative care is challenging and difficult, because people in need of palliative care are often not capable of speaking up for themselves. Patient representatives advocate for their common interests. The aim of our study was to examine in depth the current practice of public involvement in palliative care. Setting and sample The study was conducted in the province of Limburg in the Netherlands, with six palliative care networks. Study participants were 16 patient representatives and 12 professionals. Method This study had a descriptive design using qualitative methods: 18 in-depth interviews and three focus groups were conducted. The critical incident technique was used. The data were analysed using an analytical framework based on Arnstein’s involvement classification and the process of decision making. Impact categories as well as facilitators and barriers were analysed using content analysis. Findings and conclusion The perceived impact of public involvement in palliative care in terms of citizen control and partnership is greatest with regard to quality of care, information development and dissemination, and in terms of policymaking with regard to the preparation and implementation phases of decision making. The main difference in perceived impact between patient representatives and professionals relates to the tension between operational and strategic involvement. Patient representatives experienced more impact regarding short-term solutions to practical problems, while professionals perceived great benefits in long-term, strategic processes. Improving public involvement in palliative care requires positive attitudes, open communication, sufficient resources and long-term support, to build a solid basis for pursuing meaningful involvement in the entire decision-making process.
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Thermal comfort is determined by the combined effect of the six thermal comfort parameters: temperature, air moisture content, thermal radiation, air relative velocity, personal activity and clothing level as formulated by Fanger through his double heat balance equations. In conventional air conditioning systems, air temperature is the parameter that is normally controlled whilst others are assumed to have values within the specified ranges at the design stage. In Fanger’s double heat balance equation, thermal radiation factor appears as the mean radiant temperature (MRT), however, its impact on thermal comfort is often ignored. This paper discusses the impacts of the thermal radiation field which takes the forms of mean radiant temperature and radiation asymmetry on thermal comfort, building energy consumption and air-conditioning control. Several conditions and applications in which the effects of mean radiant temperature and radiation asymmetry cannot be ignored are discussed. Several misinterpretations that arise from the formula relating mean radiant temperature and the operative temperature are highlighted, coupled with a discussion on the lack of reliable and affordable devices that measure this parameter. The usefulness of the concept of the operative temperature as a measure of combined effect of mean radiant and air temperatures on occupant’s thermal comfort is critically questioned, especially in relation to the control strategy based on this derived parameter. Examples of systems which deliver comfort using thermal radiation are presented. Finally, the paper presents various options that need to be considered in the efforts to mitigate the impacts of the thermal radiant field on the occupants’ thermal comfort and building energy consumption.
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