Understanding Intrusion Detection through Visualization

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xx

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2. Introduction

   Pages 1-14

3. An Introduction to Intrusion Detection

   Pages 15-29

4. The Base-Rate Fallacy and the Difficulty of Intrusion Detection

   Pages 31-47

5. Visualizing Intrusions: Watching the Webserver

   Pages 49-67

6. Combining a Bayesian Classifier with Visualization: Understanding the IDS

   Pages 69-87

7. Visualizing the Inner Workings of a Self Learning Classifier: Improving the Usability of Intrusion Detection Systems

   Pages 89-109

8. Visualization for Intrusion Detection—Hooking the Worm

   Pages 111-127

9. Epilogue

   Pages 129-132

10. Back Matter

    Pages 133-145

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This monograph is the outgrowth of Stefan Axelson's PhD Dissertation at Chalmers University in Göteborg, Sweden. The dissertation, in turn collects a number of research efforts performed over a period of six years or so into a coherent whole. It was my honor to serve as the "opponent" at Dr. Axelsson's examination. In the Swedish system, it is the job of the opponent to place the candidate's work into a broader perspective, demonstrating its significance and contributions to the field and then to introduce the work to the attendees at the examination. This done, the candidate presents the technical details of the work and the opponent critiques the work giving the candidate the opportunity to defend it^. This forward is adapted from the introduction that I gave at the examination and should serve to acquaint the reader, not only with the work at hand, but also with the field to which it applies. The title of the work, "Under­ standing Intrusion Detection Through Visualization," is particularly telling. As is the case with any good piece of research, we hope to gain an understanding of a problem, not just a recipe or simple solution of immediate, but limited utility. For much of its formative period, computer security concentrated on devel­ oping systems that, in effect, embodied a fortress model of protection.

• Protection
• Webserver
• computer security
• information
• information visualization
• intrusion detection
• privacy
• security
• visualization

• Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden

  Stefan Axelsson, David Sands

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