A risk assessment is one of the first steps in implementing your information security program, which will help provide an overview of your entire business. You’ll use it to track what assets you have, what the risks are to your company, and what the possible consequences could be if a breach occurred.
Importantly, the assessment gets your organization on the path to reducing risk.
Like any strong plan, you’ll need a strong team to make it work. Create a risk assessment team with people in your company who are familiar with computer security, technology and the day-to-day operations of the organization. There should be a member of senior management who has the authority to make decisions about the company’s risk posture. In addition, it is essential you include people who understand both your technology and business operations.
This exercise will allow you to understand better all aspects of your assets. As well as the risks that could harm your business.
Document Everything
It can be easy to lose track of all of your assets and potential risks. For this reason, it is essential to document your findings. In fact, you can use a spreadsheet. It will allow you to track all the information you need in a central location. If you or someone on your team is skilled with using spreadsheets, you can use formulas to help expedite the process of calculating risk and impacts.
A risk assessment document should include three separate sheets: a logging sheet, asset register, and the risk assessment itself.
- The logging sheet will help document your basic information and you can track here updates or changes to the document and record the dates of your risk assessment.
- The asset register is for tracking all your assets in one location.
- The risk assessment sheet is where you will evaluate each asset and all risks associated with it.
5 Steps to Creating a Risk Assessment
Step 1: Establish the scope of your assessment:
Before beginning a risk assessment review, outline all parameters and assets that you need to cover.
Step 2: Performing the risk assessment
Work through the assessment and gather the required information with your team.
Step 3: Risk evaluation:
Once all assets and threats have been outlined, conduct an evaluation of the risk of the threat on the asset.
Step 4: Risk treatment:
Management in the organization should select one of the treatment options for each risk your team identified.
Step 5: Risk monitoring and review:
Companies are not static and are continually changing and evolving over time. Due to this the assets, risks, threats, and strategies outlined in your initial assessment may or may not be the same in a year.
Because the threat landscape is constantly changing, you’ll want your InfoSec program to have a plan for when and how often you’ll go through this process. Once your team knows how to do this, it will be easier to repeat in the future.
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