Information Assurance Process Simplified

Information Assurance Process Simplified

Step 1: Classification of information assets

Classification is based on the importance of assets to the business

• Confidential: Information classified as confidential is considered highly sensitive and requires the highest level of protection.
• Internal Use Only: This classification is assigned to information that is intended for internal use within the organization
• Personal: Personal information relates to data that identifies or can be used to identify individuals.
• Proprietary: Proprietary information encompasses data or intellectual property that is unique to the organization
• Critical: Critical information assets are those that are essential for the organization's operations

Step 2: Risk assessment, analyzing vulnerability and threats

• Risk Assessment: Organizations conduct risk assessments to identify potential threats, vulnerabilities, and associated risks to their information systems and data.
• Security Policies and Procedures: Establishing clear and comprehensive security policies and procedures is essential for guiding employees
• Security Controls Implementation: Organizations implement various security controls and measures to protect their information assets.

Step 3: Risk analysis

• This involves examining various sources such as known vulnerabilities, historical data breaches, industry-specific risks, emerging threats, and internal organizational factors. This process may include reviewing security incidents, conducting vulnerability assessments, and staying updated with threat intelligence.
• Risk Prioritization: After assessing risks, they are prioritized based on their severity and significance. Risks with higher probabilities and potentially severe impacts are given greater priority, as they pose a higher level of threat to the organization. This prioritization helps in focusing resources and attention on addressing the most critical risks first.
• Risk Monitoring and Review: Risk analysis is an ongoing process, and it is crucial to monitor and review risks continuously. This includes monitoring changes in the threat landscape, technological advancements, and organizational changes that may introduce new risks or modify the existing ones.

Step 4: Risk management (i.e treatment against the risk)

• Incident Detection and Response: Organizations establish incident detection and response capabilities to identify and respond to security incidents promptly.
• Compliance and Regulatory Requirements: Organizations must comply with relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards pertaining to the protection of information. This includes privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA), industry-specific standards (e.g., PCI DSS for payment card data security), and government regulations (e.g., HIPAA for healthcare data).
• Continuous Monitoring and Assessment: IA is an ongoing process that requires continuous monitoring and assessment of security controls, systems, and policies.
• Incident Detection and Response: Organizations establish incident detection and response capabilities to identify and respond to security incidents promptly.

Step 5: Test and review

• Security Awareness and Training: Ensuring that employees and users are aware of security best practices and training on how to handle information securely is crucial. Regular security awareness programs educate individuals about common threats, social engineering techniques, safe browsing habits, and other security-related topics.
• Risk Mitigation Strategies: Once risks are prioritized, appropriate risk mitigation strategies are developed.

Key areas of assessment

Source of threats

The source of threats refers to the origin or cause of potential risks and vulnerabilities that can compromise the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of information systems and data.

Source of threats categories

• Human factors: Intentionally or unintentionally. This includes employees, contractors, and even malicious insiders who have access to sensitive information and systems. Human-related threats may involve unauthorized access, social engineering attacks, negligence, or human error.
• External Threats: External entities, such as hackers, cybercriminals, or state-sponsored actors. These attackers can exploit vulnerabilities in network infrastructure, software, or systems to gain unauthorized access, steal information, disrupt operations, or engage in other malicious activities.
• Malware: Malicious software, such as viruses, worms, Trojans, ransomware, or spyware, can infiltrate systems and compromise data integrity, confidentiality, or availability. Malware can be introduced through infected files, email attachments, malicious websites, or removable media.
• Physical Threats: Physical threats involve risks to physical assets, such as servers, data centers, networking equipment, or storage devices. These threats include theft, damage due to natural disasters, fire, power outages, or environmental factors that can impact the availability and continuity of information systems.
• Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs): APTs are sophisticated, targeted attacks carried out by skilled and persistent adversaries. These threats are typically well-funded, and they employ advanced techniques to infiltrate and remain undetected within an organization's network for an extended period. APTs often have specific objectives, such as espionage, intellectual property theft, or disruption of critical infrastructure.

With an effective Information Assurance process, organizations can proactively protect their information assets, minimize security risks, respond to incidents promptly, and maintain the trust of their stakeholders.