Applying the fuzzy-weighted-average approach to evaluate network security systems

Imprecise or vague importance as well as satisfaction levels of criteria may characterize the evaluation of alternative network security systems and may be treated by the fuzzy set theory. As fuzzy numbers are adopted, the fuzzy weighted averages (FWAs) may become a suitable computation for the fuzzy criteria ratings and fuzzy weightings. In this paper, we propose to use the FWA approach that operates on the fuzzy numbers and obtains the fuzzy weighted averages during the evaluations of network security systems. The algorithm constructs a benchmark adjustment solution approach for FWA. A case study of the evaluation of network security systems is provided and demonstrates the usefulness of this study. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.