Modelling, validating, and ranking of secure service compositions. (7th July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Brucker, Achim D.; Zhou, Bo; Malmignati, Francesco; Shi, Qi; Merabti, Madjid
• Is Part Of: Software, practice & experience. Volume 47:Number 12(2017)
• Page Start: 1923
• Page End: 1943
• Publication Date: 2017-07-07
• Subjects: human‐centred service compositions -- SecureBPMN -- secure service composition -- service availability -- service deployment -- service ranking -- Service design -- service modelling; Computer software -- Periodicals; Computer programming -- Periodicals; Computer programs -- Periodicals; 005.3
• DOI: 10.1002/spe.2513
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0038-0644

Abstract

Summary: In the world of large‐scale applications, software as a service (SaaS) in general and use of microservices, in particular, is bringing service‐oriented architectures to a new level: Systems in general and systems that interact with human users (eg, sociotechnical systems) in particular are built by composing microservices that are developed independently and operated by different parties. At the same time, SaaS applications are used more and more widely by enterprises as well as public services for providing critical services, including those processing security or privacy of relevant data. Therefore, providing secure and reliable service compositions is increasingly needed to ensure the success of SaaS solutions. Building such service compositions securely is still an unsolved problem. In this paper, we present a framework for modelling, validating, and ranking secure service compositions that integrate both automated services as well as services that interact with humans. As a unique feature, our approach for ranking services integrates validated properties (eg, based on the result of formally analysing the source code of a service implementation) as well as contractual properties that are part of the service level agreement and, thus, not necessarily ensured on a technical level.