Enterprise architecture modeling for cybersecurity analysis in critical infrastructures — A systematic literature review

Abstract

As digital landscapes become increasingly complex, safeguarding sensitive information and systems against cyber threats has become a paramount concern for organizations. This paper provides a comprehensive review of how enterprise architecture modeling is used in the context of cybersecurity assessment, particularly focusing on critical infrastructures. The use of enterprise architecture models for cybersecurity is motivated by the main purpose of enterprise architecture, namely to represent and manage business and IT assets and their interdependence. While enterprise architecture modeling originally served to assess Business/IT alignment, they are increasingly used to assess the cybersecurity of the enterprise. The research questions explored include the types of enterprise architecture models used for cybersecurity assessment, how security aspects are incorporated into these models, the theoretical frameworks and reference theories applied, the research methods used for evaluation, and the strengths and limitations of these models in supporting cybersecurity assessment. This review encompasses research papers published before 2024, focusing on high-quality research from peer-reviewed journals and reputable conferences, thereby providing a structured and comprehensive overview of the current state of research in this domain.