Unit 2 Notes
Unit 2 Notes
Successfully managing entity security risks and protecting people, information and
assets requires an understanding of what needs protecting, what the threat is and how
assets will be protected. Security planning is designing, implementing, monitoring,
reviewing and continually improving practices for security risk management.
A security risk management process (see Annex A) manages risks across all areas of
security (governance, information, personnel and physical) to determine sources of
threat and risk (and potential events) that could affect government or entity business.
Security risk management includes:
When implementing the core requirement to detail threats, risks and vulnerabilities that affect
the protection of people, information and assets, entities:
A security risk is something that could result in the compromise, loss, unavailability or
damage to information or assets, or cause harm to people. Security risk is the effect of
uncertainty on objectives and is often measured in terms of its likelihood and
consequences. The causes are generally people, systems, processes, procedures, crime,
attacks or natural events. An:
Entities are encouraged to consider where security risks intersect with other risks
including fraud, privacy and business continuity. Entities are encouraged to treat risk
holistically across its operations. For example, there may be opportunities to treat
multiple risks with one mitigation control.
Risk is defined as the effect of uncertainty on objectives. An effect is a deviation from the
expected–positive or negative.
The security risk management process addresses the strategic, operational and security
risk management contexts. Defining the frame of reference provides the scope for risk
management activities. The security risk management process is used to determine all
applicable sources of risk and potential events that could impact government or entity
business.
Security context
a. purpose and scope of security in supporting or achieving the entity's business objectives
b. criteria for evaluating the significance of security risks
c. risk appetite and tolerance criteria and threshold levels for the entity (see
section Security plan – tolerance to security risks for information on risk tolerances)
d. threat and risk environment (areas of concern, specific threats identified, known
vulnerabilities)
e. decision-makers (when and by whom)
f. critical asset statement (what are you looking to protect)
g. interdependencies and links to other plans or security procedures
h. details of any shared risk
i. constraints and assumptions.
Security risk assessment is the process of risk identification, analysis and evaluation to
understand the risks, their causes, consequences and probabilities. The aim is to
generate a comprehensive list of threats and risks that effect the protection of the
entity's people, information and assets and identify the sources, exposure and potential
consequences of these threats and risks. Consideration is also given to the entity's
prevailing and emerging risk environment.
Identifying security risks generates a clear, comprehensive and concise list of potential
sources of risk and threats (referred to as a risk register, see example below) that could
impact government, entity operations or continuous delivery of services. This is achieved
by mapping the sources of risk (threat assessment), determining the importance of
organisational assets (criticality of assets) and the manner in which these elements may
facilitate or inhibit this interaction (vulnerability).
In preparing a list of security risks, consider questions like:
Criticality assessment
Criticality assessment identifies and assigns importance to all resources (something that
has value to the entity including personnel, information and physical assets or processes
that support them) that are critical to the ongoing operation of the entity or to the
national interest. Asset identification and security risk management documents can form
part of the security plan or be standalone and inform the security plan.
The criticality assessment will be different depending on the entity's purpose, business
objectives and risk environment. Criticality assessments include:
a. criticality ratings – the scale of the resources' importance to the entity (eg a
numerical scale 1-5 or importance value scale such as catastrophic, significant,
moderate, low, insignificant). Alternatively, a business impact level can be applied
by assessing the impact on the entity if the integrity or availability of the resource
was compromised (applying a business impact level to the confidentiality of an
resource means applying a security classification. See the PSPF policy: Sensitive
and classified information)
b. consequence of loss, compromise or harm – a description of what the
consequence is
c. category – consequences can also be expressed across categories such as
people, information, property, reputation, financial, business operations or
services.
Threat assessment
A threat assessment identifies the source of harm and is used to inform the entity's risk
assessment. Threats are assessed by determining the intent to cause harm, damage or
disruption and the capability (the potential that exists to actually cause harm or carry
out intentions) of the threat source.
Vulnerability assessment
Risk analysis involves assessing the likelihood and potential consequence of each
identified risk, determining the level of risk rating and assessing whether additional
controls are required.
Determine control effectiveness – whether the existing control measures are adequate
or effective in managing identified risks.
Define the likelihood and consequence of the event. This is achieved by considering the:
Assign the level of risk rating based on the likelihood and consequence risk matrix. The
overall risk rating is determined by combining the likelihood and consequence
estimations. Risk rating allows the security risk to be prioritised in order of decreasing
risk levels. This helps with deciding the tolerability of risk in the evaluation step. The
Attorney-General's Department recommends adopting a risk-rating-matrix approach for
determining the levels of risk.
Prioritise risks for subsequent evaluation of tolerance or the need for further treatment.
Provide an improved understanding of the vulnerability of critical assets to identified
risks.
Risk evaluation involves making decisions based on the outcomes of risk analysis about
whether risks are:
strategies for risk treatment. This includes a six-step process where entities:
Treatment plans:
Exploit the risk, by taking or increasing the risk in order to realise the benefit that an
opportunity affords by ensuring the event occurs.
Reduce the risk, by changing the likelihood or consequence (or both) by:
i. implementing new treatments or controls to reduce, deter, delay or detect the
threat or event
ii. improving business processes, training or practices
iii. establishing or improving audit and compliance arrangements, contractual
arrangements, communication channels etc.
i. the risk has no single owner but is shared with another party or parties (eg
through shared services, entities co-located in the same building, inter-entity
taskforce, partnership or joint venture)
ii. the risk may have no apparent owner.
Implementation
Implementation involves deciding on the resources required and who is responsible for
implementing the risk treatments. In addition, implementation details the ongoing
resources needed to maintain the required level of protective security and identifies
resources that may be needed to take additional precautions if the threat level
increases.
Security risk management requires monitoring to ensure the entity is able to adapt or
respond to incidents and changes in their threat or risk environment, prevent further
exposure to hazards, maintain a positive risk culture and deliver against the PSPF.
Making decisions and implementing risk treatments is not the end of risk management.
The security planning cycle is continuous. Reviewing the external and internal
environments and reconsidering the context allows the entity to determine how
effectively their protective security controls and measures are performing and how they
are achieving the objectives.
The TCSEC was used to evaluate, classify, and select computer systems being
considered for the processing, storage, and retrieval of sensitive or classified
information. The TCSEC, frequently referred to as the Orange Book, is the centerpiece
of the DoD Rainbow Series publications.
For the risk management framework to be considered effective, the following principles shall be
applied:
A. Risk management shall be an essential part of governance and leadership, and fundamental
to how the organisation is directed, managed and controlled at all levels.
B. Risk management shall be an integral part of all organisational activities to support decision-
making in achieving objectives.
C. Risk management shall be collaborative and informed by the best available information and
expertise.
a. risk identification and assessment to determine and prioritise how the risks should be
managed;
b. the selection, design and implementation of risk treatment options that support achievement
of intended outcomes and manage risks to an acceptable level;
c. the design and operation of integrated, insightful and informative risk monitoring; and d.
timely, accurate and useful risk reporting to enhance the quality of decision-making and to
support management and oversight bodies in meeting their responsibilities.
Risk management shall be an essential part of governance and leadership, and fundamental to
how the organization is directed, managed and controlled at all levels.
Supporting Principles for Governance and Leadership
1.Each public sector organization should establish governance arrangements appropriate to its
business, scale and culture. Human behavior and culture significantly influence all aspects of risk
management at each level and stage. To support the appropriate risk culture, the accounting
officer should ensure that expected values and behaviors are communicated and embedded at
all levels.
2.The accounting officer, supported by the board, should periodically assess whether the
leadership style, opportunities for debate and human resource policies support the desired risk
culture, incentivize expected behaviors and sanction inappropriate behaviors. Where they are
not satisfied, they should direct and manage corrective actions and seek assurances that the
desired risk culture and behaviors are promoted.
3.The board should make a strategic choice about the style, shape and quality of risk
management and should lead the assessment and management of opportunity and risk. The
board should determine and continuously assess the nature and extent of the principal risks3
that the organization is exposed to and is willing to take to achieve its objectives - its risk
appetite – and ensure that planning and decision-making reflectsthis assessment. Effective risk
management should support informed decision-making in line with this risk appetite, ensure
confidence in the response to risks and ensure transparency over the principal risks faced and
how these are managed.
4.The board should ensure that roles and responsibilities for risk management are clear, to
support effective governance and decision-making at each level with appropriate escalation,
aggregation and delegation.
5.The board should agree the frequency and scope of its discussions to review how
management is responding to the principal risks and how this is integrated with other matters,
including planning and performance management processes.
6.Regular reports to the board should provide a balanced assessment of the principal risks and
the effectiveness of risk management. The accounting officer, supported by the Audit and Risk
Assurance Committee, should monitor the quality of the information they receive and ensure
that it is sufficient to allow effective decision-making
7.The accounting officer, supported by the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee, should
establish the organization’s overall approach to risk management.
8.The accounting officer should designate an individual to be responsible for leading the
organization’s overall approach to risk management, who should be of sufficient seniority and
should report to a level within the organization that allows them to influence effective decision-
making.
9.The accounting officer should ensure the allocation of appropriate resources for risk
management, which can include, but is not limited to, people, skills, experience and
competence.
10.The accounting officer, supported by senior management, must demonstrate leadership and
articulate their continual commitment to, and the value of, risk management through
developing and communicating a policy or statement to the organization and other
stakeholders, which should be periodically reviewed.
Integration
Risk management shall be an integral part of all organisational activities to support decision-
making in achieving objectives.
Supporting Principles
1.The assessment and management of opportunity and risk should be an embedded part of, and
not separate from:
• prioritizing resources;
• managing performance;
2.Effective appraisal supports the assessment of the costs, benefits and risks of alternative ways
to meet objectives.
4.The board, and those setting strategy and policy, should use horizon scanning and scenario
planning collectively and collaboratively to identify and consider the nature of emerging risks,
threats and trends. The Government Office for Science ensures that government policies and
decisions are informed by the best scientific evidence and strategic long-term thinking.[7] Some
other common horizon scanning issues are informed by the Civil Contingencies Secretariat
through the National Risk Assessment (NRA).
5.Government has an inherent role in protecting and assuring the public, which includes taking
cost-effective action to reduce risk to a tolerable level and providing accurate and timely
information about risks to the public.[9] Policy leads should take explicit steps to involve the
public, understand what they are concerned about and why and communicate good information
about risk that is targeted to the needs of the audiences involved. Government will:
• be open and transparent about its understanding of the nature of risks to the public and about
the process it is following in handling them;
• base decisions for intervention on relevant evidence, including expert risk assessment; and
• place responsibility for managing risks to those best able to control them.
Risk management shall be collaborative and informed by the best available information and
expertise.
Supporting Principles
1.The accounting officer, supported by the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee, should
establish risk management activities that cover all types and source of risk . There may be many
different, but aligned, risk management processes that are applied at different levels within an
organization and across those involved in the end to end delivery of public services.
2.Informative and transparent management information should enable departments and arm’s
length bodies to promote transparency and understanding in achieving the effective
management of risks, including the timely escalation of risks, as necessary, based on agreed
criteria.
4.Those assessing and managing risks should consult with appropriate external and internal
stakeholders to facilitate the factual, timely, relevant, accurate and understandable exchange of
information and evidence, while considering the confidentiality and integrity of this information.
5.Communication and consultation should also assist relevant stakeholders in understanding the
risks faced, the basis on which decisions are made and the reasons why particular actions are
required and taken.
Communication and consultation should:
• bring together different functions and areas of professional expertise in the management of
risks;
• ensure that different views are appropriately considered when defining risk criteria and when
analyzing risks (see Section D);
• provide sufficient information and evidence to facilitate risk oversight and decision making;
and • build a sense of inclusiveness and ownership among those affected by risk.
6.Functions within and across organizations should play an integral part in identifying, assessing
and managing the range of risks than can arise and threaten successful delivery against
objectives.
Function leads should provide expert judgement to advise the accounting officer to: • set
feasible and affordable strategies and plans;
• identify and assess risks that can arise and impact the successful achievement of objectives;
• determine the nature and extent of the risks that the organization is willing to take to achieve
its objectives;
• design and operate internal controls in line with good practice; and
a. risk identification and assessment to determine and prioritize how the risks should be
managed;
b. the selection, design and implementation of risk treatment options that support achievement
of intended outcomes and manage risks to an acceptable level;
c. the design and operation of integrated, insightful and informative risk monitoring; and d.
timely, accurate and useful risk reporting to enhance the quality of decision-making and to
support management and oversight bodies in meeting their responsibilities.
Supporting Principles
1.The accounting officer, supported by their nominated individual responsible for leading the
organization’s overall approach to risk management, should ensure the adequate design and
systematic implementation of policies, procedures and practices for risk identification and
assessment, treatment, monitoring and reporting.
Risk identification activities should produce an integrated and holistic view of risks, often
organized by taxonomies or categories of risk.
4.The purpose of risk analysis is to support a detailed consideration of the nature and level of
risk. The risk analysis process should use a common set of risk criteria to foster consistent
interpretation and application in defining the level of risk, based on the assessment of the
likelihood of the risk occurring and the consequences should the event happen.
5.Risk analysis can be undertaken with varying degrees of detail and complexity, depending on
the purpose of the analysis, the availability and reliability of evidence and the resources
available.
6.Risk evaluation should involve comparing the results of the risk analysis with the nature and
extent of risks that the organization is willing to take - its risk appetite - to determine where and
what additional action is required.
avoiding the risk, if feasible, by deciding not to start or continue with the activity that gives rise
to the risk; Options may involve one or more of the following:
Risk treatment
1.Selecting the most appropriate risk treatment option(s) involves balancing the potential
benefits derived in enhancing the achievement of objectives against the costs, efforts or
disadvantages of proposed actions. Justification for the design of risk treatments and the
operation of internal control is broader than solely economic considerations and should take
into account all of the organisation’s obligations, commitments and stakeholder views.
As part of the selection and development of risk treatments, the organisation should specify
how the chosen option(s) will be implemented, so that arrangements are understood by those
involved and effectiveness can be monitored. This should include:
The rationale for selection of the option(s), including the expected benefits to be gained;
• the key performance measures and control indicators, including early warning indicators;
• the constraints; • when action(s) are expected to be undertaken and completed; and
Risk monitoring
10.Monitoring should play a role before, during and after implementation of risk treatment.
Ongoing and continuous monitoring should support understanding of whether and how the risk
profile is changing and the extent to which internal controls are operating as intended to
provide reasonable assurance over the management of risks to an acceptable level in the
achievement of organizational objectives.
11.The results of monitoring and review should be incorporated throughout the organisation’s
wider performance management, measurement and reporting activities. Recording and
reporting aims to:
transparently communicate risk management activities and outcomes across the organisation;
• assist interaction with stakeholders, including those with responsibility and accountability for
risk management activities.
12.The “three lines of defence” model sets out how these aspects should operate in an
integrated way to manage risks, design and implement internal control and provide assurance
through ongoing, regular, periodic and ad-hoc monitoring and review.
Risk reporting
13.The board, supported by the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee, should specify the nature,
source, format and frequency of the information that it requires. It should ensure that the
assumptions and models underlying this information are clear so that they can be understood
and, if necessary, challenged. Factors to consider for reporting include, but are not limited to:
14.The information should support the board to assess whether decisions are being made within
its risk appetite to successfully achieve objectives, to review the adequacy and effectiveness of
internal controls, and to decide whether any changes are required to re-assess strategy and
objectives, revisit or change policies, reprioritise resources, improve controls, and/or alter their
risk appetite.
15.Clear, informative and useful reports or dashboards should promote key information for each
principal risk to provide visibility over the risk, compare results against key performance/risk
indicators, indicate whether these are within risk appetite, assess the effectiveness of key
management actions and summarize the assurance information available.
16.Principal risks should be subject to “deep dive” reviews by the board and Audit and Risk
Assurance Committee, with those responsible for the management of risks and with appropriate
expertise present at an appropriate frequency depending on the nature of the risk and the
performance reported.
Continual Improvement
Risk management shall be continually improved through learning and experience
Supporting Principles
1.The organisation should continually monitor and adapt the risk management framework to
address external and internal changes. The organisation should also continually improve the
suitability, adequacy and effectiveness of the risk management framework. This should be
supported by the consideration of lessons based on experience and, at least annually, review of
the risk management framework and the performance outcomes achieved. Annex 3 contains
questions that may assist in assessing the efficient and effective operation of the risk
management framework.
2.All strategies, policies, programmes and projects should be subject to comprehensive but
proportionate evaluation where practicable to do so. Learning from experience helps to avoid
repeating the same mistakes and helps spread improved practices to benefit current and future
work, outputs and outcomes.
A security policy comprises a set of objectives for the company, rules of behavior for users and
administrators, and requirements for system and management that collectively ensure
the security of network and computer systems in an organization. ... It should specify the
mechanisms that you need to meet these requirements.
An information security policy (ISP) is a set of rules, policies and procedures designed to
ensure all users and networks within an organization meet minimum IT security and data
protection security requirements.
Security Policies
Security policies are a formal set of rules which is issued by an organization to ensure
that the user who are authorized to access company technology and information assets
comply with rules and guidelines related to the security of information. It is a written
document in the organization which is responsible for how to protect the organizations
from threats and how to handles them when they will occur. A security policy also
considered to be a "living document" which means that the document is never finished,
but it is continuously updated as requirements of the technology and employee
changes.
We use security policies to manage our network security. Most types of security policies
are automatically created during the installation. We can also customize policies to suit
our specific environment. There are some important cybersecurity policies
recommendations describe below-
o It helps to detect, removes, and repairs the side effects of viruses and security
risks by using signatures.
o It helps to detect the threats in the files which the users try to download by
using reputation data from Download Insight.
2. Firewall Policy
o It blocks the unauthorized users from accessing the systems and networks that
connect to the Internet.
4. LiveUpdate policy
This policy can be categorized into two types one is LiveUpdate Content policy, and
another is LiveUpdate Setting Policy. The LiveUpdate policy contains the setting which
determines when and how client computers download the content updates from
LiveUpdate. We can define the computer that clients contact to check for updates and
schedule when and how often clients computer check for updates.
This policy protects a system's resources from applications and manages the peripheral
devices that can attach to a system. The device control policy applies to both Windows
and Mac computers whereas application control policy can be applied only to Windows
clients.
6. Exceptions policy
This policy provides the ability to exclude applications and processes from detection by
the virus and spyware scans.
This policy provides the ability to define, enforce, and restore the security of client
computers to keep enterprise networks and data secure. We use this policy to ensure
that the client's computers who access our network are protected and compliant with
companies? securities policies. This policy requires that the client system must have
installed antivirus.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Even though we allowed a party to access a resource, we need to ensure that they behave in accordance
with rules set.
DATA SECURITY
ACCOUNTABILITY:
Provides the means to trace activities in our environment back to their source.
• Depends on identification, authentication, and access control being present so that one can know
who a given transaction is associated with and what permissions were used to allow them to carry it
out.
• Providing sufficient controls in place to deter or prevent those that would break the rules and abuse
the resources they have access to
• NONREPUDIATION
Refers to a situation in which sufficient evidence exists to prevent an individual from successfully
denying that he or she has made a statement, or taken an action.
DETERRENCE
If those monitored are aware that they are monitored and has been communicated to them that there
will be penalties for acting against the rules, these individuals may think twice before straying outside
the lines.
Example implementation of alerts based on unusual activities in our environment and check
information we have logged on a regular basis.
ADMISSIBILITY OF RECORDS:
It is often much easier to prove admissibility when records are produced from a regulated and
consistent tracking system. This means the organization can provide a solid and documented chain of
custody for said evidence such as showing where evidence was at all times, how exactly it passed from
one person to another, how it was protected while it was stored and so on.
AUDITING:
Password
• Policies must be implemented to dictate how passwords are constructed and use
Software Licensing
• Systems owned by the organization that all software used is appropriately licensed
Internet Usage
LOGGING:
Gives history of the activities that have taken place in the environment being logged.
• Logging mechanisms can be setup to log anything from solely critical events to every action carried out
by the system or software such as :
• Hardware failures
• Resource access
LOGGING:
Available to administrators for review and are usually not modifiable by the users of the system.
• Logs must be regularly reviewed in order to catch anything unusual in their contents.
MONITORING:
Subset of auditing and tends to focus on observing about the environment being monitored in order to
discover undesirable conditions such as failures, resource shortages, security issues, and trends that
might signal the arrival of such conditions.
Typically watching specific items of data collected such as :
• Network latency
• Attacks occurring repeatedly against servers with network interfaces exposed to the Internet
• CLIPPING LEVEL – activities are occurring levels above what is normally expected
ASSESSMENTS:
A more active route of determining whether everything is as it should be and compliant with relevant
laws, regulations, policies by examining the environment for vulnerabilities.
• APPROACHES
• Vulnerability Assessment
• Penetration Testing
VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT:
• NESSUS
• Vulnerability scanning tool checking target systems to discover which ports are open and then
interrogating each open port to find out exactly which service is listening on the port in question. • With
the information collected, it checks its database of vulnerability information to determine whether any
vulnerability may be presernt.
PENETRATION TESTING:
DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS
Document Security: The protection of documents against the deliberate or accidental access of
unauthorized persons.
Main reason why organization need to address the security of electronically shared documents:
Regulatory requirements
◦ Information security
Regulatory requirements
Many companies are directly or indirectly affected by government mandates and regulations
for providing consumer privacy.
Return on investment (ROI):
Information security
Thefts of proprietary information are increasing, which can jeopardize revenue, competitive advantage,
and customer relationships; generate negative publicity; and result in significant penalties and fines for
failure to comply with privacy laws.
Authorization—What permissions does the user have for working with the document? –
Document control
Digital signatures
Document Control
2.Decryption is the reverse process that transforms ciphertext back to the original plaintext.
3.Cryptography refers to the two processes S of encryption and decryption and its implementation is
referred to as a cryptosystem.
Digital signatures:
When enterprises distribute documents electronically, it is often important that recipients can verify:
◦ That the document is coming from the actual person who sent it (authenticity)
◦ That an individual who has signed the document cannot deny the signature(non-repudiation).
SIGNATURE PROCESS:
Network Security:
Define Network:
Define Security:
Security is “Freedom from risk or danger.“ The ability of a system to protect information and system
resources with respect toconfidentialityand integrity.
Network security:
Target- variety of threats and stops them from entering or spreading on your network.
Firewalls:
Basic problem – many network applications and protocols have security problems
that are fixed over time
– Difficult for users to keep up with changes and keep host secure
– Solution
• Administrators limit access to end hosts by using a firewall
• Firewall is kept up-to-date by administrators
A firewall is like a castle with a drawbridge
– Only one point of access into the network
– This can be good or bad
Can be hardware or software
– Ex. Some routers come with firewall functionality
– ipfw, ipchains, pf on Unix systems, Windows XP and Mac OS X have built in
firewalls
Intrusion Detection:
Dictionary Attack:
Denial of Service:
Packet Sniffing:
Social Problems: