Visual analytics for cyber security domain: State-of-the-art and challenges

Abstract

Visual Analytics is a complex sub-field of data analytics that concentrates on the use of the information visualization methods for facilitating effective analysis of data by employing visual and graphical representation. In cyber security domain, Effective visualization of the data allows to infer valuable insights that enable domain analysts to construct successful strategies to mitigate cyber attacks and provide decision support. We perform a survey of the state-of-the-art in the cyber security domain, analyze main challenges and discuss future trends. We summarize a large number of cyber security and digital forensics visualization works using the Five Question Method of Five W’s and How (Why, Who, What, How, When, and Where) approach as a methodological background. We perform analysis of the works using J. Bertin’s Semiotic Theory of Graphics, and VIS4ML ontology as a theoretical foundation of visual analytics. As a result, we formulate the main challenges for the development of this area of research in the future.