In regard to feasibility and cost-benefit analysis, what are the factors that help to determine the cost of safeguarding information?
Explain the individuals who are responsible for incident response (IR) planning.
Describe the three sets of incident handling procedures that are classified in tandem as IR procedures.
Full Answer Section
- The size of the organization. The larger the organization, the more it will cost to safeguard its information. This is because larger organizations have more data to protect and more employees to train on security procedures.
- The industry sector. The industry sector that the organization operates in can also affect the cost of safeguarding information. For example, financial institutions are subject to more stringent security regulations than other industries, which means that they have to spend more money on security.
- The level of risk. The level of risk that the organization faces can also affect the cost of safeguarding information. For example, an organization that operates in a high-risk environment, such as a war zone, will need to spend more money on security than an organization that operates in a low-risk environment.
In addition to these factors, the cost of safeguarding information can also be affected by the following:
- The cost of technology. The cost of security technology, such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and data encryption, has been declining in recent years. However, the cost of these technologies can still be a significant factor in the overall cost of safeguarding information.
- The cost of training. The cost of training employees on security procedures can also be a significant factor in the overall cost of safeguarding information. This is especially true for large organizations with a large number of employees.
- The cost of consulting. The cost of hiring security consultants to help develop and implement a security program can also be a significant factor in the overall cost of safeguarding information.
The individuals who are responsible for incident response (IR) planning typically include the following:
- The Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). The CISO is the senior-most IT security official in an organization and is responsible for developing and implementing the organization's security program.
- The Information Security Team. The information security team is responsible for implementing the organization's security program and responding to security incidents.
- The Legal Department. The legal department is responsible for providing legal advice on security matters and ensuring that the organization complies with all applicable laws and regulations.
- The Human Resources Department. The human resources department is responsible for investigating security incidents and taking disciplinary action against employees who violate security policies.
The IR planning process typically includes the following steps:
- Identifying potential threats and vulnerabilities. The first step in IR planning is to identify the potential threats and vulnerabilities that the organization faces. This includes threats from both internal and external sources.
- Developing a response plan. Once the potential threats and vulnerabilities have been identified, the next step is to develop a response plan. The response plan should include procedures for responding to different types of security incidents.
- Testing the response plan. Once the response plan has been developed, it should be tested to ensure that it works effectively. This can be done through simulated security incidents.
- Communicating the response plan. The response plan should be communicated to all employees so that they know what to do in the event of a security incident.
The IR planning process is an ongoing process that should be updated regularly to reflect changes in the organization's security environment.