Mehmet Sahinoglu

This book provides a scientific modeling approach for conducting metrics-based quantitative risk assessments of cybersecurity vulnerabilities and threats. This book provides a scientific modeling approach for conducting metrics-based quantitative risk assessments of cybersecurity threats. The author builds from a common understanding based on previous class-tested works to introduce the reader to the current and newly innovative approaches to address the maliciously-by-human-created (rather than by-chance-occurring) vulnerability and threat, and related cost-effective management to mitigate such risk. This book is purely statistical data-oriented (not deterministic) and employs computationally intensive techniques, such as Monte Carlo and Discrete Event Simulation. The enriched JAVA ready-to-go applications and solutions to exercises provided by the author at the book’s specifically preserved website will enable readers to utilize the course related problems. • Enables the reader to use the book's website's applications to implement and see results, and use them making ‘budgetary’ sense • Utilizes a data analytical approach and provides clear entry points for readers of varying skill sets and backgrounds • Developed out of necessity from real in-class experience while teaching advanced undergraduate and graduate courses by the author Cyber-Risk Informatics is a resource for undergraduate students, graduate students, and practitioners in the field of Risk Assessment and Management regarding Security and Reliability Modeling. Mehmet Sahinoglu, a Professor (1990) Emeritus (2000), is the founder of the Informatics Institute (2009) and its SACS-accredited (2010) and NSA-certified (2013) flagship Cybersystems and Information Security (CSIS) graduate program (the first such full degree in-class program in Southeastern USA) at AUM, Auburn University’s metropolitan campus in Montgomery, Alabama. He is a fellow member of the SDPS Society, a senior member of the IEEE, and an elected member of ISI. Sahinoglu is the recipient of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing Curriculum (TCC) award and the author of Trustworthy Computing (Wiley, 2007).

When I submitted my college textbook, "Trustworthy Computing" in 2005, and newly, the "Cyber-Risk Informatics" in 2014, Wiley editor asked me both times what was so special about my book proposals. Rather, what were they doing that others were not accomplishing, or what void did the book fill? I recall I made my points quite fully, not only explaining but also supporting with statistical findings and website charts to justify the need for a new book-to-be, which was not currently available in the literature. I will now ask myself the same question about how this book is different. I may say that the book will be about a foreign scholar's storytelling while strolling the globe about what hardships and challenges he went through, and during which stages of his life; how he contributed to the life immediately around him or far away from and in the United States of America? All contained in the book will be speaking the plain truth, by recounting memoirs, nothing more or nothing less and no fiction and all facts. However, the interpretation of these facts will be left to the readers' judgments. While writing her legendary book, 'To Kill a Mocking Bird', which was not at all easy, the late Harper Lee went through a lot of difficult and unnerving periods to conclude her book in the way that she wanted to craft it to perfection, therefore leading to a timeless document for ages to come. One day while being assisted in New York City by seasoned coaches such as Truman Capote, also hailing from the Deep South; Lee angrily tossed her almost finished manuscript out of the window into the snow laden street; the only copy those days when electronic copying was non-existent. Luckily, waking up from a nightmare, she retrieved it safely. I had moments like this especially toward the end of this book-writing by questioning myself. "Why are you writing this?" But then, maybe someone else may see even a distant need to associate with yours to reminisce their slice of life; why not? Also if a Martian( ) visited the earth and wanted to read a typical world citizen's life story to see what challenges the earthlings on the average suffer through, and concurrently learn about the distant past and the near future of this planet, he or she could select my book, why not I liken this book to a planetarium. You observe plenty distinct, glittering and blinking stars (memoirs) but yet coherent through cosmos (an interconnecting theme), not chaos or deluge. My North-star, however, is the plain truth, and my Sun is the power of knowledge. I used to read in 1990s, how-to-write books, one of which was titled "Anybody Can Write" by R. Jean Bryant (who wrote: "There is no magic Dreamers dream, writers write...") all pleasantly advised everyone to pour your excitement and enthusiasm relentlessly without looking back and full of adrenaline, alive onto the dead papyrus, nowadays replaced by a flat non-living computer flat screen. I can only hope that it brings nothing but fun and knowledge and experience that you come to find out through other folks' lives. This book in a way is something similar to that tradition of carrying on friendly talks with my readers about the world and North America from a dual citizen's perspective with a genuine heart and a candid smile, and a positive attitude, in the least. I believe that every book created after an incubation period in human mind is as vivid and influential as the human beings who create them. That is why a book becomes a person's best friend. It lives even a longer life than humans if books influence, foretell, guide and inspire positively. We have runic or cuneiform-inscribed tablet books from 5000 B. C. and 1000 year-old printed books, priceless and still influential. This book will borrow your leisure time to inspire you to spontaneously enjoy it. As God whispered to his subjects before God released them, "We agree to disagree." Let's set sail for life's soul-ports. Visit less your Mall, more yo