To follow on from the previous post, an application ontology is a structured representation of knowledge within a specific application domain. It captures the concepts, relationships, and properties relevant to the domain and provides a common understanding of the data and its context. If we consider the broad Risk and Threat Domains application ontologies are able to focus on very specific areas within these domains. Here are three example Use Cases of where Application Ontologies can provide decisions support.
- Risk, Situation Awareness and Contextual Dependency:
The interpretation and significance of an incident depend on the specific context in which it occurs. The same event may be considered an incident in one situation while being considered normal in another. - Threat Observations and Indicators:
Incidents can be observed, detected, or reported through various means such as monitoring systems, sensors, human observation, or incident response mechanisms. The ability to understand the meaning of certain Indicator types to detect and respond to incidents is crucial for managing and mitigating their effects. - Incident Response:
Incidents often trigger an incident response process aimed at identifying, analysing, containing, and resolving the issues caused by the incident. Incident response involves various actions, such as investigation, containment, recovery, and preventive measures to minimise the impact and prevent future incidents.
Application Ontologies will help to focus and restrict Smart City Cyber Security Decision making. Here are some examples of competence questions they will need to cover:-
- What are the critical assets and infrastructure within a smart city that require security measures?
- What are the potential threats and risks faced by a smart city in terms of cyberattacks, physical security breaches, and other security incidents?
- What are the vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the smart city’s technological systems and networks?
- What are the security controls and countermeasures in place to protect the smart city’s assets and infrastructure?
- How is access control managed within the smart city, including authentication, authorisation, and secure communication?
- What are the incident response procedures and protocols for detecting, mitigating, and responding to security incidents in a smart city?
- How is data privacy and protection ensured within the smart city, including handling personal and sensitive information?
- What are the compliance requirements and regulations that the smart city must adhere to in terms of security and privacy?
- How are security risks and threats assessed and evaluated within the smart city, including risk management processes?
- How is security awareness and training provided to individuals and organisations operating within the smart city ecosystem?
- How are security audits and assessments conducted to identify potential vulnerabilities and gaps in the smart city’s security measures?
- What are the partnerships and collaborations established with external entities to enhance the security posture of the smart city?
- How is ongoing monitoring and surveillance carried out to detect and respond to emerging security threats and risks?
- How is physical security addressed within the smart city, including surveillance systems, access controls, and emergency response plans?
- What are the best practices and lessons learned from previous smart city security incidents and implementations?
Smart City Cyber Security 