Using Extended Reality to Support Cyber Security

Cyber security is a constantly evolving area of interest. Many solutions are currently available and new methods and technologies are emerging. Although some solutions already exist in extended reality, a lack of engagement and storytelling is available, with a consequence of decreasing the probability of dissemination and awareness of the risks involved in cybersecurity. This chapter gives an overview of an extended reality platform that can be potentially used for the simulation of security threats and that combines artificial intelligence and game design principles. The main goal of this research is to develop an extended reality solution to simulate a story involving virtual characters and objects for the entertainment industry, with possible applications in other sectors such as education and training. After an introduction to extended reality, the chapter focuses on an overview on the available extended reality technologies in the context of cybersecurity.

Cyber Intelligence and Security

Knowledge society is characterized by a hyper-dynamic knowledge, continuously subject to review and discussion, shared, cross-media-based, with multiple reference points and an overload of information. What types of information are at risk? So many, such as power delivery, communications, aviation, financial services, medical records, criminal records, business plans. The threat posed to nations from terrorists is no longer just physical but also expands to our digital world. The benefits of the information age are numerous, but nascent threats like transnational cyber terrorism and information warfare exist alongside the positive aspects of globalization. A new challenge has emerged for free societies: democracies must find ways to strike a balance between allowing internet freedom on one hand and maintaining adequate early warning and monitoring systems on the other. These systems, combined with expanded cybersecurity cooperation across borders, will be integral in detecting suspicious digital activities and countering attempted acts of cyber warfare and cyber terrorism.

Measures of Success for Intelligence Analysis and Products

The chapter analyzed the concept of threat vs. risk, focusing on possible risks identification criteria and the main analytical approaches for risk management. It proposes an evaluation of sources as strength or weakness points, and application of cognitive biases in the intelligence analysis, and ethical issues in the intelligence activities such as politicization and secrecy issues. This research intends to put key questions and related criticalities of policy-making school, proposing a conceptual interpretation, possible strategies, and tools to manage, which can attempt to explain how intelligence analysis happens, which typically adopt company productions or cyclic modes of analysis, reducing them to a rational, objective process of steps and stages, especially to govern emergencies.

Policy Making, Crisis Management, and Leadership Intelligence

Leadership analysts support policymakers by producing and delivering written and oral assessments of foreign leaders and key decision-makers. This chapter explores how the foreign policy of a state is strongly influenced by the personality of the president and the type of government in office. Some case studies are referred and analyzed, such as the Gulf War of 1991. The authors apply a new framework of analysis, called Orientism Management (OM), that proposes 10 different knowledge management types.

Intelligence Analysis Sources

Intelligence is a tool, a goal, a means of assessing the weaknesses of a state in order to protect its security. Intelligence organizations support the policy process because policymakers and decision-makers constantly need tailored and timely intelligence that will provide background, context, information, and warning, as well as an assessment of the risks, benefits, and the likely outcomes. They avoid strategic unexpected threats, forces, events, and developments that are capable of threatening a nation's existence and provide long-term expertise and stability to political appointees and decision-makers. They maintain the secrecy of information, needs, and methods from disclosure to competitors or counterparts. Government agencies are allowed by law to obtain information through interception and other technical measures. This chapter focuses on the intelligence collection, the different sectors of applications, and methods.

Intelligence Analysis, Uncertainty, and Risk Analysis

Today we live with new threats, for the end of traditional military threats (territory and national sovereignty), the complexity of economic and commercial relations, and because the defense became “global” and implemented through information actions. Examples of new threats are telematic terrorism, international terrorism, religious fanaticism, toxic waste disposal, trafficking of sex, illegal people trafficking, and as an extension, organized crime, eversion, national economic security. Examples of new wars are cultural wars, bacteriological wars, technological wars. The chapter analyzed the concept of threat vs. risk, focusing on possible risks identification criteria and the main analytical approaches for risk management.

Policy-Decision Environment and Cognitive Biases

Cognitive biases are a mistake in reasoning, evaluating, remembering, or other cognitive processes. They are mental errors caused by our simplified information processing strategies, and can be cultural, emotional, or intellectual predispositions toward a certain judgment, organizational bias, and bias that results from one's self-interest. The chapter explores some case studies in the foreign policy decision-making, distinguished in groupthink and polythink types, such as Pearl Harbor, Cuba Missile Crisis, Iraq Invasion of 2003, and post-9/11 environment.

Policymakers and Intelligence Analysts as Decision-Making Agents

Decision making is a process of choosing among alternative courses of action to attain a goal(s). Specifically, managerial decision-making is a complex task in today's political/business environment. Information analysis is gathered by an intelligence analyst, as someone who is primarily responsible for the analysis, processing, and distribution of strategic and tactical intelligence. The chapter explores the main approaches to both policy cycle and intelligence cycle to make decisions.