Data-Driven Cybersecurity: Reducing Risk with Proven Metrics

Measure, improve, and communicate the value of your security program.

Every business decision should be driven by data—and cyber security is no exception. In Data-Driven Cybersecurity, you'll master the art and science of quantifiable cybersecurity, learning to harness data for enhanced threat detection, response, and mitigation. You’ll turn raw data into meaningful intelligence, better evaluate the performance of your security teams, and proactively address the vulnerabilities revealed by the numbers.

Data-Driven Cybersecurity will teach you how to:

• Align a metrics program with organizational goals
• Design real-time threat detection dashboards
• Predictive cybersecurity using AI and machine learning
• Data-driven incident response
• Apply the ATLAS methodology to reduce alert fatigue
• Create compelling metric visualizations

Data-Driven Cybersecurity teaches you to implement effective, data-driven cybersecurity practices—including utilizing AI and machine learning for detection and prediction. Throughout, the book presents security as a core part of organizational strategy, helping you align cyber security with broader business objectives. If you’re a CISO or security manager, you’ll find the methods for communicating metrics to non-technical stakeholders invaluable.

Foreword by Joseph Steinberg.

About the technology

A data-focused approach to cybersecurity uses metrics, analytics, and automation to detect threats earlier, respond faster, and align security with business goals.

About the book

Data-Driven Cybersecurity shows you how to turn complex security metrics into evidence-based security practices. You’ll learn to define meaningful KPIs, communicate risk to stakeholders, and turn complex data into clear action. You’ll begin by answering the important questions: what makes a “good” security metric? How can I align security with broader business objectives? What makes a robust data-driven security management program? Python scripts and Jupyter notebooks make collecting security data easy and help build a real-time threat detection dashboards. You’ll even see how AI and machine learning can proactively predict cybersecurity incidents!

What's inside

• Improve your alert system using the ATLAS framework
• Elevate your organization’s security posture
• Statistical and ML techniques for threat detection
• Executive buy-in and strategic investment

About the reader

For readers familiar with the basics of cybersecurity and data analysis.

About the author

Mariano Mattei is a professor at Temple University and an information security professional with over 30 years of experience in cybersecurity and AI innovation.

Table of Contents

Part 1 Building the foundation
1 Introducing cybersecurity metrics
2 Cybersecurity analytics toolkit
3 Implementing a security metrics program
4 Integrating metrics into business strategy
Part 2 The metrics that matter
5 Establishing the foundation
6 Foundations of cyber risk
7 Protecting your assets
8 Continuous threat detection
9 Incident management and recovery
Part 3 Beyond the basics: Advanced analytics, machine learning and AI
10 Advanced cybersecurity metrics
11 Advanced statistical analysis
12 Advanced machine learning analysis
13 Generative AI in cybersecurity metrics

Mariano Mattei is VP of Cybersecurity and AI at Azzur Solutions with over 30 years of software engineering experience. As a Certified Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO), he specializes in AI integration for advanced threat detection and predictive security measures within the biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical device sectors.

Joseph Steinberg is a 30-year veteran of the cybersecurity industry. He spends most of his time serving as an expert witness, helping to ensure that justice is served in cyber-related matters. He also lectures at Columbia University, and is the author of several influential books, including the best-selling "Cybersecurity For Dummies," and the official study guide used by many Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) for their certification exams; his cybersecurity inventions are cited in over 550 US patent filings. A former columnist for Forbes, Inc., and Newsweek magazines, his independent column receives millions of monthly views, making it one of the most-read publications in his field. He holds multiple advanced information security certifications, and serves in advisory capacities for numerous organizations, including as a member of the Computer Crime & Digital Evidence Committee of The International Association of Chiefs of Police, and as a member of the editorial review board of (ISC)2, the world’s largest information-security organization.