Adaptive security

Biological systems use immune systems to dynamically respond to threats, while stem cells can be used as a foundation to 'repair' other body elements, Weise noted. Additionally, the human body can discriminate between 'self' features and foreign bodies like liver transplants, which may be rejected.

From a macro perspective, survival of the ecological system does not depend upon the survival of any individual entity. "Ecosystems are by definition diverse and this contributes to their resilience," Weise said.

Weise said that in the same way, IT systems may be designed to adaptively respond to different threats, with self-regulating, self-healing and self-protecting abilities. "This includes the ability to 'know' normal conditions and detect abnormal system behaviors."

Specifically, adaptive security seeks to reduce threat amplification, area vulnerable to attack and system recovery time in the event of an attack, Weise said. Other objectives include ensuring availability and reliability of data and processing resources, as well as reducing attack speed.