Security risk

Security Risk describes employing the concept of risk to the security risk management paradigm to make a particular determination of security orientated events.

According to CNSS Instruction No. 4009 dated 26 April 2010 by Committee on National Security Systems of United States of America[1] a risk is:

A measure of the extent to which an entity is threatened by a potential circumstance or event, and typically a function of 1) the adverse impacts that would arise if the circumstance or event occurs; and 2) the likelihood of occurrence.Note: Information system-related security risks are those risks that arise from the loss of confidentiality, integrity, or availability of information or information systems and reflect the potential adverse impacts to organizational operations (including mission, functions, image, or reputation), organizational assets, individuals, other organizations, and the Nation.

IETF RFC 2828 [2] define risk as:

An expectation of loss expressed as the probability that a particular threat will exploit a particular vulnerability with a particular harmful result.

Contents

Introduction

Security risk is the demarcation of risk, into the security silo, from the broader enterprise risk management framework for the purposes of isolating and analysing unique events, outcomes and consequences.[3]

Security risk is often, quantitatively, represented as any event that compromises the assets, operations and objectives of an organisation. 'Event', in the security paradigm, comprises those undertaken by actors intentionally for purposes that adversely affect the organisation.

The role of the 'actors' and the intentionality of the 'events', provides the differentiation of security risk from other risk management silos, particularly those of safety, environment, quality, operational and financial.

Common Approaches to Analysing Security Risk

Risk = Threat × Harm

Risk = Consequence × Threat × Vulnerability

Risk = Consequence × Likelihood

Risk = Consequence × Likelihood × Vulnerability Factor Analysis of Information Risk deeply analyze different risk factors and measure security risk.

There are a number of methodologies to analyse and manage security risk: see Category:Risk analysis methodologies

Usually after a cost benefit analysis a countermeasure is set to decrease the likelihood or the consequence of the threat. Security service is the name of countermeasure while transmitting the information.

Psychological Factors relating to Security Risk

Main article: Risk - Risk in Psychology

Given the strong influence affective states can play in the conducting of security risk assessment, many papers have considered the roles of affect heuristic[4] and biases in skewing findings of the process.[5]

See also

Computer Security portal
Business_and_economics portal

References

  1. ^ CNSS Instruction No. 4009 dated 26 April 2010
  2. ^ RFC 2828 Internet Security Glossary
  3. ^ Function of security risk assessments to ERM
  4. ^ Keller, C., Siegrist, M., & Gutscher, H. The Role of the Affect and Availability Heuristics in Risk Communication. Risk Analysis, Vol. 26, No. 3, 2006
  5. ^ Heuristics and risk perception – Risk assessments pitfalls

External links