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Cyber Electronic Warfare – The effects of team dynamics, cognitive load and team mental models

The humans that operate a computer network are a significant element of modern defence systems, and possibly the weakest link from a security perspective. Structures and procedures for how humans control and interact with a computer network are at least as important as the architecture of the network. The aim of this project is to examine the interaction between several human factors with respect to how they impact upon team performance in the cyber security domain.

This project focuses on computer network security training. The success of a cyber security team will be dependent on a number of factors, ranging from the capabilities and personalities of individuals in the team, to the operational structure and processes of the team. The effects of several of these factors on team performance have been well researched in the human factors domain. What is unclear, particularly in the cyber security domain, is how these factors interact, especially when elements of the system and the team may be geographically distributed. Information about the state of the system may be available to a cyber security team through a variety of means, and the team will be required to assimilate that information in a manner that enables decisions regarding the system as a whole. How to collect and combine information from a variety of sources in a manner that can be processed by the team whilst preventing cognitive overload is still an under-specified problem.

This project will establish the role of several human factors on the cyber security of a computer network, including both individual and group based factors. This project will result in best-practice guidelines for constructing and training teams for effective and resilient cyber defence in an “under attack” operational scenario. As such, this project addresses four key Human Science Defence priorities:

  1. Information exchange and management;
  2. Sensory, perceptual and cognitive processes;
  3. Decision making; and
  4. Stressors on human performance.

Funding agency

Defence Science and Technology Group – CERA grant

Researchers

Professor Craig Speelman
Oliver Guidetti (Research Assistant)

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