CISM Risk Assessment Process

Importance of Conducting a Formal Risk Assessment

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Question

Before conducting a formal risk assessment of an organization's information resources, an information security manager should FIRST:

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A. B. C. D.

A.

Risk mapping or a macro assessment of the major threats to the organization is a simple first step before performing a risk assessment.

Compiling all available sources of risk information is part of the risk assessment.

Choices C and D are also components of the risk assessment process, which are performed subsequent to the threats-business mapping.

Before conducting a formal risk assessment of an organization's information resources, an information security manager should first review available sources of risk information.

The primary objective of conducting a risk assessment is to identify, analyze, and evaluate risks that could impact the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of an organization's information resources. Before conducting a formal risk assessment, it is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of the existing threats, vulnerabilities, and risks to the organization. By reviewing available sources of risk information, such as internal policies, guidelines, and procedures, industry best practices, and regulatory requirements, the information security manager can gain a better understanding of the risks associated with the organization's information resources.

Once the information security manager has reviewed available sources of risk information, the next step is to identify the value of the critical assets. Critical assets refer to information resources that are essential to the organization's operations, and their loss, theft, or damage could have a significant impact on the organization's ability to achieve its objectives. Identifying critical assets helps the information security manager to focus on protecting the most critical assets first.

After identifying critical assets, the information security manager should map the major threats to business objectives. This step involves identifying the various threats that could impact the organization's information resources, such as natural disasters, cyber-attacks, and insider threats. By mapping the major threats to business objectives, the information security manager can prioritize risks based on their likelihood and potential impact on the organization's business objectives.

Finally, the information security manager should determine the financial impact if threats materialize. This step involves quantifying the financial impact of various threats and risks to the organization's information resources. By determining the financial impact, the information security manager can justify the cost of implementing security controls to protect the organization's information resources.

In summary, reviewing available sources of risk information is the first step that an information security manager should take before conducting a formal risk assessment. This step provides a comprehensive understanding of the risks associated with the organization's information resources, enabling the information security manager to identify critical assets, map major threats to business objectives, and determine the financial impact if threats materialize.