Risk Assessment Summary 4 Risk

Risk Assessment Summary 4risk

RISK ASSESSMENT SUMMARY 4 Risk Assessment Summary Student’s Name: Professor’s Name: Date: Executive Summary Scope The particular risk assessment was carried out in order to find out an threats or susceptibilities that are related to the Department of IT in a Motor Vehicle firm. This was pertaining to the motor vehicle registration online system which was identified to be a potential risk system in the department. The motor vehicle registration online system included various components. For instance, the external interface, for instance the customer, contains a series of web pages that permitted the operator to punch in data as well as receive information from the application. This online application was developed and maintained by the DMV and was built by use of the Microsoft Internet Information Server as well as uses the Active Server Pages.

This application also contains an interface together with the database of the motor vehicle registration together with Paylink. Since the DMV department houses the application, its components are physically at any of its data centers. Results According to the risk assessment, we were able to notice that the passwords were a threat since they could be guessed by effective hackers. Another risk concerned the cross site scripting which was a threat to the organization if the hackers found a way to use it against the company. Moreover, we realized that data could be taken out inappropriately and altered in the DMV by commands being entered in the SQL into input fields by hackers or any other sort of criminals especially those with SQL injections.

We also noticed something to do with the web servers together with the application server be capable of running services that are unnecessary to the organization, which might incur various threats. This would be a risk in all activities since they don’t have any significance rather than utilizing our resources. Another important risk factor we realized was concerning the absence of a disaster recovery plan which is major risk. We were able to form a committee that would discuss the various threats and come up with recommended controls that would assist the company to prevent any further disasters. On the issue of passwords, we recommended that all the passwords to be created a fresh and contain special characters in between.

We also agreed that all headers, cookies, form fields, query strings as well as hidden fields must be validated against a demanding requirement of what is permitted. We also decided to always guarantee that every parameter is validated before use. Also, each parameter should always be checked versus a stringent design which stipulates what input is permitted. Moreover, we planned to reconfigure the systems in order to do away with the unnecessary services and also to create a competent disaster recovery plan for the organization. Cost/Benefit Analysis Before we decided to follow up on this minor project, we calculated the cost-benefit of the project towards the benefits of the company.

We realized that without this risk assessment, we would incur much costs, more than what we would use to complete this assessment and prevent any future threats from taking place. With the areas in the IT department that we scrutinized, we realized that we would have undergone a very huge lose if we encountered any of the risks that we actually prevented because of this assessment. From the use of very weak passwords, we noticed that a ransomware that we would have incurred if any hacker decided to lock us out of our own data would have been hectic to come out of. Leave alone the lack of a disaster recovery plan which will help us in case of a very huge disaster that might strike our organization.

It was a benefit and not a loss when we decided to undertake this path. As an organization that is trying to get back to its feet, I would like to say that it was not that easy to conduct all the necessary adjustments at once. First of all, getting the required amount of money was also a bit of a problem since it was also very difficult to convince the stakeholders to fund the project. However, we were promised a good sum of money after every three months, which we were tasked to plan on how to spend it. We agreed that we would begin with the most dangerous risks such as the creation of the disaster recovery plan as well as the generation of robust passwords which will protect the company from any minor threats such as spoofing, system intrusion and identity theft. Apart from those, we would be very okay with the agreement that we made with the stakeholders. References: Itsecurityedu. (2015). IT Security & Policy Office |. Kenton W. (2016, November 8). How cost-benefit analysis process is performed . Investopedia. Worksmart.org.uk. (2019). What are the five steps to risk assessment? WorkSmart: The career coach that works for everyone.

Paper For Above instruction

The importance of comprehensive risk assessment in IT systems cannot be overstated, particularly within organizations handling sensitive operations like motor vehicle registration. This paper critically analyzes a recent risk assessment conducted in the Department of IT for a motor vehicle firm, focusing on identifying vulnerabilities, potential threats, and corresponding mitigation strategies to enhance system security and resilience.

The scope of the assessment centered on the online motor vehicle registration system, a critical component that interfaces with customers and internal databases via web applications maintained at the department’s data centers. The system’s architecture involved web pages that allowed users to input data and receive information, developed using Microsoft Internet Information Server and Active Server Pages (ASP). Its component integration with databases and Paylink facilitated online transactions, making it indispensable yet vulnerable to various security threats.

One prominent vulnerability identified was weak password management. Despite the seemingly straightforward requirement for user authentication, passwords were susceptible to guessing attacks by hackers employing brute force or guessing techniques. Enhancing password security by enforcing complex passwords containing special characters was recommended. Such measures are vital for protecting sensitive data and preventing unauthorized access.

Another significant threat was Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), wherein malicious scripts could be injected into web pages and executed in the browsers of unsuspecting users. If exploited, XSS could lead to hijacking user sessions, theft of sensitive information, and potentially compromise the entire system. The mitigation strategies included rigorous validation of all headers, cookies, form fields, query strings, and hidden fields to ensure only permitted inputs are processed.

SQL injection emerged as a particularly dangerous vulnerability because malicious actors can insert or manipulate SQL commands within input fields, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, data modification, or data destruction. To address this, input validation protocols were established to ensure every parameter was scrutinized and matched against strict design specifications before being processed. Such measures limit SQL injection attacks’ feasibility, safeguarding database integrity.

Furthermore, the assessment revealed that unnecessary web server and application server services were running, which posed additional security risks without any organizational benefit. Reconfiguring systems to disable non-essential services minimizes attack surfaces and conserves server resources. These steps contribute to a more secure and efficient infrastructure.

A critical risk identified was the absence of a disaster recovery plan (DRP). The lack of a formalized strategy jeopardizes organizational resilience in the face of major disruptions, such as cyberattacks, system failures, or natural disasters. Developing a comprehensive DRP, including backup procedures, failover mechanisms, and recovery processes, was prioritized to ensure business continuity.

The risk assessment also underscored the importance of ongoing staff training and awareness, especially regarding cybersecurity best practices like password complexity, input validation, and recognizing phishing attempts. Human factors often constitute the weakest link in security chains, making staff education crucial.

The cost-benefit analysis of the project underscored the significant savings and risk mitigation capacity achieved through the assessment. Although initial implementation required investment, the potential costs of data breaches, ransomware attacks, or system downtime far outweigh these expenses. For instance, weak password vulnerabilities can lead to ransomware infections, which could cripple operations and result in data loss and financial damage. Implementing robust security measures, therefore, is justified economically and strategically.

Despite challenges such as securing funding and balancing resource allocation, the project’s benefits substantiate the investment in risk mitigation. Prioritizing critical vulnerabilities like disaster recovery and password security provided immediate protective gains, enhancing the organizational security posture and operational resilience.

In conclusion, comprehensive risk assessment and proactive mitigation strategies are essential for safeguarding critical IT infrastructure. This case demonstrates how identifying vulnerabilities, validating inputs, disabling unnecessary services, and establishing disaster recovery mechanisms contribute significantly to minimizing risks and ensuring long-term organizational stability in the digital age.

References

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• Kenton W. (2016, November 8). How cost-benefit analysis process is performed. Investopedia. Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com
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