Information Assurance

8.1. Introduction

Information and communication technologies (ICT) are tightly interwoven in every aspect of our modern society. The paradigm of ubiquitous computing and communication touches upon every activity in our everyday lives. High-capacity networks and web services have turned the Internet into today’s main area for information interchange and electronic commerce. The Internet plays an increasingly important role in supporting critical applications. In summary, we have to trust ICT-based systems for the economical, social, and physical well-being of individuals and organizations. Hence, being able to analyze and quantify the trustworthiness of ICT systems is of utmost importance.

As indicated in Figure 8.1, trustworthiness is determined ...