Mathematical Model Helps Estimate Optimal Timing of Cyber Attack

sciencehabit writes "Have you been missing the grim mathematical war games that strategists once used to map out possible nuclear confrontations? Don't worry, the games are back — this time applied to computer security. Researchers have now mathematically formalized the strategy of computer hacking, potentially enabling anyone — governments, activist hackers, cybermafia — to determine the optimal timing of attacks."

Obvious

[Akratist]

While this is not quite what the article is talking about, right around the holidays is probably the best time to stage an attack, as I think the BBC (?) found out already. Where I work, the place was running on a skeleton crew, with the IT staff at a bare minimum and handling service calls instead of doing any network monitoring or maintenance (what do you deal with first -- system maintenance or someone in sales who can't connect to the server and is making a big stink about it?). Social engineering probably works great in the week or so before the holidays...figure out where the company Christmas party is going to be, then crash it. Find someone who's sloshed and start talking them up. If not that, people are still busy and distracted, gifts are often delivered, and so on. Everyone in a company, and especially IT managers, really need to step up their awareness during this time of year, not get lax about it.