Measuring the sustainable-security of web applications through a fuzzy-based integrated approach of AHP and TOPSIS

Abstract

Ensuring sustainable-security of web applications for minimizing security breaches and enhancing users' trust and satisfaction is the foremost priority of all security experts and web developers. However, sustainable-security is multidimensional, emergent, and an irreducible concept. Also, designing sustainable-security of web application is a complex process because it is a multi-attribute approach which is based on the users' needs and organization's policies. In this context, the decision making process could be an effective means to quantitatively evaluate sustainable-security of web application design. In this research study, the authors have used a technique that involves integrating Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (Fuzzy AHP) and Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (Fuzzy TOPSIS) approaches for the assessment of sustainable-security of web applications. The efficacy of this technique has then been tested on a web application designed specifically to cater to the requisites of an academic institution, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University in India. Given the sensitivity of web application, this paper has used different versions of a University web application. The results thus obtained and the approach employed in this study would definitely aid the future researchers and developers in designing web applications with higher sustainable-security.