Ask Torvald F, Knox Benjamin J, Lugo Ricardo G, Helgetun Ivar, Sütterlin Stefan
Department of Information Security and Communication Technology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Gjøvik, Norway.
Faculty for Health, Welfare and Organization, Østfold University College, Halden, Norway.
Front Hum Neurosci. 2023 Jan 5;16:1092056. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.1092056. eCollection 2022.
Cyber operations unfold at superhuman speeds where cyber defense decisions are based on human-to-human communication aiming to achieve a shared cyber situational awareness. The recently proposed Orient, Locate, Bridge (OLB) model suggests a three-phase metacognitive approach for successful communication of cyber situational awareness for good cyber defense decision-making. Successful OLB execution implies applying cognitive control to coordinate self-referential and externally directed cognitive processes. In the brain, this is dependent on the frontoparietal control network and its connectivity to the default mode network. Emotional reactions may increase default mode network activity and reduce attention allocation to analytical processes resulting in sub-optimal decision-making. Vagal tone is an indicator of activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal node of the frontoparietal control network and is associated with functional connectivity between the frontoparietal control network and the default mode network. The aim of the present study was to assess whether indicators of neural activity relevant to the processes outlined by the OLB model were related to outcomes hypothesized by the model. Cyber cadets ( = 36) enrolled in a 3-day cyber engineering exercise organized by the Norwegian Defense Cyber Academy participated in the study. Differences in prospective metacognitive judgments of cyber situational awareness, communication demands, and mood were compared between cyber cadets with high and low vagal tone. Vagal tone was measured at rest prior to the exercise. Affective states, communication demands, cyber situational awareness, and metacognitive accuracy were measured on each day of the exercise. We found that cyber cadets with higher vagal tone had better metacognitive judgments of cyber situational awareness, imposed fewer communication demands on their teams, and had more neutral moods compared to cyber cadets with lower vagal tone. These findings provide neuroergonomic support for the OLB model and suggest that it may be useful in education and training. Future studies should assess the effect of OLB-ing as an intervention on communication and performance.
网络行动以超人的速度展开，网络防御决策基于人际沟通，旨在实现共享的网络态势感知。最近提出的定位、定向、搭桥（OLB）模型提出了一种三阶段元认知方法，用于成功传达网络态势感知，以做出良好的网络防御决策。成功执行OLB意味着应用认知控制来协调自我参照和外部导向的认知过程。在大脑中，这依赖于额顶叶控制网络及其与默认模式网络的连接。情绪反应可能会增加默认模式网络的活动，并减少对分析过程的注意力分配，从而导致决策次优。迷走神经张力是额顶叶控制网络背外侧前额叶节点活动的一个指标，与额顶叶控制网络和默认模式网络之间的功能连接有关。本研究的目的是评估与OLB模型所概述的过程相关的神经活动指标是否与该模型假设的结果相关。参加挪威国防网络学院组织的为期3天的网络工程演习的36名网络学员参与了该研究。比较了高迷走神经张力和低迷走神经张力的网络学员在网络态势感知、沟通需求和情绪方面的前瞻性元认知判断差异。在演习前休息时测量迷走神经张力。在演习的每一天测量情感状态、沟通需求、网络态势感知和元认知准确性。我们发现，与低迷走神经张力的网络学员相比，高迷走神经张力的网络学员对网络态势感知有更好的元认知判断，对团队施加的沟通需求更少，情绪更中性。这些发现为OLB模型提供了神经工效学支持，并表明它可能在教育和培训中有用。未来的研究应该评估将OLB作为一种干预措施对沟通和表现的影响。
