Evaluating the Performance of NIST’s Framework Cybersecurity Controls Through a Constructivist Multicriteria Methodology

Abstract

This paper aims to show how creating a risk plan can be solved with the help of the constructivist multicriteria method. A case study using Multicriteria Decision Aid Constructivist (MCDA-C) was applied, with cybersecurity framework’s controls as a reference. The study was conducted in a large Brazilian bank in Brazil. The relevance of this work is the need to show that the application of multicriteria methods can be applied in the context of information security, which recommends the use of such methods to assist in risk analysis. The methodology used in this study was both quantitative and qualitative, obtaining primary data through brainstorming with decision-makers and forms answered by experts. The secondary data were obtained through the Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity, created by NIST - the National Institute of Standards and Technology of the United States. The problem was structured according to the constructivist method, and the data collected were processed and calculated. The study concluded that the category of Security Continuous Monitoring controls stood out compared to other categories. It also shows the importance of applying the constructivist method for the management of cyber risks by unravelling a problem and providing a basis for decision making. Our work contributes to a better understanding of risk management, encouraging the adoption of the constructivist method as a form of risk management best practice.

Keywords

• Cybersecurity
• constructivist
• MCDA-C
• MCDM
• multicriteria
• NIST