Managing Information Risks

Using the factor analysis of information risk (FAIR) methodology developed over ten years and adopted by corporations worldwide, Measuring and Managing Information Risk provides a proven and credible framework for understanding, measuring, and analyzing information risk of any size or complexity. Intended for organizations that need to either build a risk management program from the ground up or strengthen an existing one, this book provides a unique and fresh perspective on how to do a basic quantitative risk analysis. Covering such key areas as risk theory, risk calculation, scenario modeling, and communicating risk within the organization, Measuring and Managing Information Risk helps managers make better business decisions by understanding their organizational risk. Uses factor analysis of information risk (FAIR) as a methodology for measuring and managing risk in any organization. Carefully balances theory with practical applicability and relevant stories of successful implementation. Includes examples from a wide variety of businesses and situations presented in an accessible writing style.

Managing Information Risks: Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Responses identifies and categorizes risks related to creation, collection, storage, retention, retrieval, disclosure and ownership of information in organizations of all types and sizes. It is intended for risk managers, information governance specialists, compliance officers, attorneys, records managers, archivists, and other decision-makers, managers, and analysts who are responsible for risk management initiatives related to their organizations’ information assets. An opening chapter defines and discusses risk terminology and concepts that are essential for understanding, assessing, and controlling information risk. Subsequent chapters provide detailed explanations of specific threats to an organization’s information assets, an assessment of vulnerabilities that the threats can exploit, and a review of available options to address the threats and their associated vulnerabilities. Applicable laws, regulations, and standards are cited at appropriate points in the text. Each chapter includes extensive endnotes that support specific points and provide suggestions for further reading. While the book is grounded in scholarship, the treatment is practical rather than theoretical. Each chapter focuses on knowledge and recommendations that readers can use to: heighten risk awareness within their organizations, identify threats and their associated consequences, assess vulnerabilities, evaluate risk mitigation options, define risk-related responsibilities, and align information-related initiatives and activities with their organizations’ risk management strategies and policies. Compared to other works, this book deals with a broader range of information risks and draws on ideas from a greater variety of disciplines, including business process management, law, financial analysis, records management, information science, and archival administration. Most books on this topic associate information risk with digital data, information technology, and cyber security. This book covers risks to information of any type in any format, including paper and photographic records as well as digital content.

Managing Risk and Information Security: Protect to Enable, an ApressOpen title, describes the changing risk environment and why a fresh approach to information security is needed. Because almost every aspect of an enterprise is now dependent on technology, the focus of IT security must shift from locking down assets to enabling the business while managing and surviving risk. This compact book discusses business risk from a broader perspective, including privacy and regulatory considerations. It describes the increasing number of threats and vulnerabilities, but also offers strategies for developing solutions. These include discussions of how enterprises can take advantage of new and emerging technologies—such as social media and the huge proliferation of Internet-enabled devices—while minimizing risk. With ApressOpen, content is freely available through multiple online distribution channels and electronic formats with the goal of disseminating professionally edited and technically reviewed content to the worldwide community. Here are some of the responses from reviewers of this exceptional work: “Managing Risk and Information Security is a perceptive, balanced, and often thought-provoking exploration of evolving information risk and security challenges within a business context. Harkins clearly connects the needed, but often-overlooked linkage and dialog between the business and technical worlds and offers actionable strategies. The book contains eye-opening security insights that are easily understood, even by the curious layman.” Fred Wettling, Bechtel Fellow, IS&T Ethics & Compliance Officer, Bechtel “As disruptive technology innovations and escalating cyber threats continue to create enormous information security challenges, Managing Risk and Information Security: Protect to Enable provides a much-needed perspective. This book compels information security professionals to think differently about concepts of risk management in order to be more effective. The specific and practical guidance offers a fast-track formula for developing information security strategies which are lock-step with business priorities.” Laura Robinson, Principal, Robinson Insight Chair, Security for Business Innovation Council (SBIC) Program Director, Executive Security Action Forum (ESAF) “The mandate of the information security function is being completely rewritten. Unfortunately most heads of security haven’t picked up on the change, impeding their companies’ agility and ability to innovate. This book makes the case for why security needs to change, and shows how to get started. It will be regarded as marking the turning point in information security for years to come.” Dr. Jeremy Bergsman, Practice Manager, CEB “The world we are responsible to protect is changing dramatically and at an accelerating pace. Technology is pervasive in virtually every aspect of our lives. Clouds, virtualization and mobile are redefining computing – and they are just the beginning of what is to come. Your security perimeter is defined by wherever your information and people happen to be. We are attacked by professional adversaries who are better funded than we will ever be. We in the information security profession must change as dramatically as the environment we protect. We need new skills and new strategies to do our jobs effectively. We literally need to change the way we think. Written by one of the best in the business, Managing Risk and Information Security challenges traditional security theory with clear examples of the need for change. It also provides expert advice on how to dramatically increase the success of your security strategy and methods – from dealing with the misperception of risk to how to become a Z-shaped CISO. Managing Risk and Information Security is the ultimate treatise on how to deliver effective security to the world we live in for the next 10 years. It is absolute must reading for anyone in our profession – and should be on the desk of every CISO in the world.” Dave Cullinane, CISSP CEO Security Starfish, LLC “In this overview, Malcolm Harkins delivers an insightful survey of the trends, threats, and tactics shaping information risk and security. From regulatory compliance to psychology to the changing threat context, this work provides a compelling introduction to an important topic and trains helpful attention on the effects of changing technology and management practices.” Dr. Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar Professor, Stanford Law School Co-Director, Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC), Stanford University “Malcolm Harkins gets it. In his new book Malcolm outlines the major forces changing the information security risk landscape from a big picture perspective, and then goes on to offer effective methods of managing that risk from a practitioner's viewpoint. The combination makes this book unique and a must read for anyone interested in IT risk." Dennis Devlin AVP, Information Security and Compliance, The George Washington University “Managing Risk and Information Security is the first-to-read, must-read book on information security for C-Suite executives. It is accessible, understandable and actionable. No sky-is-falling scare tactics, no techno-babble – just straight talk about a critically important subject. There is no better primer on the economics, ergonomics and psycho-behaviourals of security than this.” Thornton May, Futurist, Executive Director & Dean, IT Leadership Academy “Managing Risk and Information Security is a wake-up call for information security executives and a ray of light for business leaders. It equips organizations with the knowledge required to transform their security programs from a “culture of no” to one focused on agility, value and competitiveness. Unlike other publications, Malcolm provides clear and immediately applicable solutions to optimally balance the frequently opposing needs of risk reduction and business growth. This book should be required reading for anyone currently serving in, or seeking to achieve, the role of Chief Information Security Officer.” Jamil Farshchi, Senior Business Leader of Strategic Planning and Initiatives, VISA “For too many years, business and security – either real or imagined – were at odds. In Managing Risk and Information Security: Protect to Enable, you get what you expect – real life practical ways to break logjams, have security actually enable business, and marries security architecture and business architecture. Why this book? It's written by a practitioner, and not just any practitioner, one of the leading minds in Security today.” John Stewart, Chief Security Officer, Cisco “This book is an invaluable guide to help security professionals address risk in new ways in this alarmingly fast changing environment. Packed with examples which makes it a pleasure to read, the book captures practical ways a forward thinking CISO can turn information security into a competitive advantage for their business. This book provides a new framework for managing risk in an entertaining and thought provoking way. This will change the way security professionals work with their business leaders, and help get products to market faster. The 6 irrefutable laws of information security should be on a stone plaque on the desk of every security professional.” Steven Proctor, VP, Audit & Risk Management, Flextronics

Describing OCTAVE (Operationally Critical Threat, Asset and Vulnerability Evaluation), a method of evaluating information security risk, this text should be of interest to risk managers.

How well does your organization manage the risks associated with information quality? Managing information risk is becoming a top priority on the organizational agenda. The increasing sophistication of IT capabilities along with the constantly changing dynamics of global competition are forcing businesses to make use of their information more effectively. Information is becoming a core resource and asset for all organizations; however, it also brings many potential risks to an organization, from strategic, operational, financial, compliance, and environmental to societal. If you continue to struggle to understand and measure how information and its quality affects your business, this book is for you. This reference is in direct response to the new challenges that all managers have to face. Our process helps your organization to understand the "pain points" regarding poor data and information quality so you can concentrate on problems that have a high impact on core business objectives. This book provides you with all the fundamental concepts, guidelines and tools to ensure core business information is identified, protected and used effectively, and written in a language that is clear and easy to understand for non-technical managers. Shows how to manage information risk using a holistic approach by examining information from all sources Offers varied perspectives of an author team that brings together academics, practitioners and researchers (both technical and managerial) to provide a comprehensive guide Provides real-life case studies with practical insight into the management of information risk and offers a basis for broader discussion among managers and practitioners

Security Risk Management is the definitive guide for building or running an information security risk management program. This book teaches practical techniques that will be used on a daily basis, while also explaining the fundamentals so students understand the rationale behind these practices. It explains how to perform risk assessments for new IT projects, how to efficiently manage daily risk activities, and how to qualify the current risk level for presentation to executive level management. While other books focus entirely on risk analysis methods, this is the first comprehensive text for managing security risks. This book will help you to break free from the so-called best practices argument by articulating risk exposures in business terms. It includes case studies to provide hands-on experience using risk assessment tools to calculate the costs and benefits of any security investment. It explores each phase of the risk management lifecycle, focusing on policies and assessment processes that should be used to properly assess and mitigate risk. It also presents a roadmap for designing and implementing a security risk management program. This book will be a valuable resource for CISOs, security managers, IT managers, security consultants, IT auditors, security analysts, and students enrolled in information security/assurance college programs. Named a 2011 Best Governance and ISMS Book by InfoSec Reviews Includes case studies to provide hands-on experience using risk assessment tools to calculate the costs and benefits of any security investment Explores each phase of the risk management lifecycle, focusing on policies and assessment processes that should be used to properly assess and mitigate risk Presents a roadmap for designing and implementing a security risk management program

Revised and updated with the latest data in the field, the Second Edition of Managing Risk in Information Systems provides a comprehensive overview of the SSCP® Risk, Response, and Recovery Domain in addition to providing a thorough overview of risk management and its implications on IT infrastructu

This second edition provides a comprehensive overview of the SSCP Risk, Response, and Recovery Domain in addition to providing a thorough overview of risk management and its implications on IT infrastructures and compliance. Written by industry experts, and using a wealth of examples and exercises, this book incorporates hands-on activities to walk the reader through the fundamentals of risk management, strategies and approaches for mitigating risk, and the anatomy of how to create a plan that reduces risk. It provides a modern and comprehensive view of information security policies and frameworks; examines the technical knowledge and software skills required for policy implementation; explores the creation of an effective IT security policy framework; discusses the latest governance, regulatory mandates, business drives, legal considerations, and much more. --