Essential Cybersecurity Science

Chapter 2. Conducting Your Own Cybersecurity Experiments

This chapter delves deeper into the specific steps of the scientific method. Recall that there are five essential elements: asking a question, formulating a hypothesis, making predictions, experimental testing, and analysis. These details will help as you think about using the scientific method in your own situation. After seeing them described here, you’ll apply these steps in practice in the subsequent chapters.

Asking Good Questions and Formulating Hypotheses

Formulating a good question might sound easy, but it can often be harder than it sounds. Most infosec professionals see problems that need solving every day, even if they don’t keep track of them. Trying to think of a problem on the spot can be especially challenging. An economist friend of mine prefers to look for problems in proverbs. To create experimental questions, he asks when is it the case that “when the cat’s away, the mice will play” or “don’t put the cart before the horse?” These can help get you thinking about challenging the folk wisdom of cybersecurity.

Creating a Hypothesis

A hypothesis is a statement and suggested explanation. Based on this statement, you will use scientific experimentation, investigation, or observation to show support or rejection for the hypothesis. A hypothesis is temporary and unproven, but something you believe to be true. The hypothesis must be testable, and experiments can help you decide whether or not your hypothesis is true. ...