Analyzing Cloud Network Security using PROMETHEE Multicriteria Decision-Making Approach

Abstract

Cloud computing has gained widespread popularity as a paradigm. Many new services have surfaced within cloud environments, with many people now using cloud networks. Given the coexistence of diverse hosts and network setups within a cloud network, safeguarding each component from potential threats is imperative. Cloud computing represents the next evolutionary step in network computing, as it facilitates providing software and hardware resources and services via the Internet on demand. Unquestionably, security stands out as a major apprehension in cloud computing. Virtualization constitutes a pivotal aspect of cloud computing. This paper focuses on bolstering the security of virtual networks operating within virtualized environments. To address this, we introduce an innovative framework designed to offer monitoring services tailored to expansive and dynamically changing cloud networks. As per prior research, evaluating security poses challenges that encompass assessing the security of the power control process and determining the security level associated with each control phase. To address these intricate challenges, an approach integrating the technique known as "order preference by similarity to ideal solution" (PROMETHEE) within a framework of multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) is introduced. This method is utilized to conduct a comprehensive security risk assessment for communication networks operating within energy management and control systems (EMCS). The methodology primarily revolves around quantifying security measures for each stage of control. To attribute significance to security vulnerability factors identified through the protection analysis model, a unified MCDM approach incorporating PROMETHEE is put forth. To illustrate this process, a hypothetical scenario involving six communication networks within a power management system is formulated to execute the security evaluation. The outcomes validate the efficacy of this particular approach to security assessment.