Cyber risk assessment of networked assets using probabilistic model checking
The risk of cyber-attack in a network infrastructure is often determined by scanning the devices in the network to detect existing vulnerabilities. The risk is then mitigated by patching the vulnerable software with the latest security patches. Since software patching is associated with device downtime, this process is generally conducted outside of business hours so as not to impact daily business operations. This limited time window to install security patches on the devices is a challenge for security administrators and may result in unpatched vulnerabilities in the network which raise serious security concerns. To reduce security risks, network administrations use different techniques to identify the devices that need to be prioritized patching.