The Cascade Vulnerability Problem: the detection problem and a simulated annealing approach for its correction

Abstract The Cascade Vulnerability Problem is a potential problem which must be faced when using the interconnected accredited system approach of the Trusted Network Interpretation. It belongs to a subset of the problem set that addresses the issue of whether the interconnection of secure systems via a secure channel results in a secure distributed system. The Cascade Vulnerability Problem appears when an adversary can take advantage of network connections to compromise information across a range of sensitivity levels that is greater than the accreditation range of any of the component systems s/he must defeat to do so. The general Cascade Vulnerability Problem is presented, the basic properties of the most important detection algorithms are described, a brief comparative analysis is conducted, and a new approach based on simulated annealing for its correction is presented.

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