Scenario: The PMI Board Of Directors (BOD) Recently Attended

Scenariothe Pmi Board Of Directors Bod Recently Attended A Conferenc

Scenario The PMI board of directors (BOD) recently attended a conference where a speaker talked about the need to have a business continuity and disaster recovery plan. Many on the board were confused, as they thought these two methods were the same. While the BOD has an entry-level understanding of the need to protect their data and resources, they do not have a firm grasp of the big picture in regard to the risks associated with technology. As the chief technical officer, you have been tasked with designing a PowerPoint™ presentation for the next BOD meeting so they have a better understanding of the risks and types of attacks that must be planned for and protected against.

Based on your research, develop a 12- to 15-slide presentation that will address the risks and types of attacks that must be planned for and protected against so the BOD has a better understanding of the proposed project.

Paper For Above instruction

The recent conference attended by the PMI Board of Directors highlighted a fundamental misconception regarding the distinction between business continuity planning and disaster recovery (DR). As technology becomes increasingly integral to organizational operations, understanding the specific roles and scopes of these two critical components is essential for effective risk management. The following presentation aims to clarify these concepts and provide a comprehensive overview of the various risks and attacks that organizations must prepare for to safeguard their technological assets.

Introduction to Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery

Business continuity (BC) involves creating systems of prevention and recovery to ensure that critical business functions continue during and after a disaster. It encompasses planning for various disruptions, including natural disasters, cyberattacks, and system failures (Herbane, 2010). Disaster recovery (DR), on the other hand, focuses specifically on restoring IT infrastructure and data access after an incident occurs. It is a subset of business continuity planning that deals with technological recovery strategies (Gordon et al., 2010). Clarifying the distinction between BC and DR enables organizations to allocate appropriate resources and develop comprehensive strategies for resilience.

Key Risks Facing Organizations

Organizations face numerous risks that threaten their operational stability. These include natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods; human-made incidents like terrorism and sabotage; and technological threats including cyberattacks and system failures (Bada et al., 2019). Understanding these risks allows organizations to prioritize their planning efforts and implement safeguards that mitigate potential damages.

Types of Cyber Attacks and Threats

• Malware: Malicious software such as viruses, worms, and ransomware that can damage or hold hostage critical data (Kaspersky, 2021).
• Phishing: Deceptive emails or messages designed to trick users into revealing confidential information (Verizon, 2022).
• Denial of Service (DoS) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS): Attacks that inundate systems with traffic, rendering services unavailable (Cloudflare, 2023).
• Insider Threats: Malicious or negligent actions by employees or contractors (Greitzer & Frincke, 2010).
• Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs): Sophisticated, targeted attacks often carried out by state-sponsored actors (Mandiant, 2021).

Technological Vulnerabilities

Beyond external threats, organizations must address vulnerabilities within their systems, such as unpatched software, weak passwords, and inadequate access controls. These weaknesses can be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized access or disrupt operations (Cardenas et al., 2019).

Protective Measures and Strategies

• Regular Patch Management: Keeping software updated to fix security flaws.
• Employee Training: Educating staff about cybersecurity best practices to prevent phishing and social engineering attacks.
• Firewall and Intrusion Detection Systems: Monitoring and controlling incoming and outgoing network traffic.
• Data Encryption: Protecting data in transit and at rest.
• Backup and Recovery Solutions: Implementing reliable backup systems to restore data quickly after an attack (Rittinghouse & Ransome, 2016).

Developing an Effective Incident Response Plan

An incident response plan involves predefined procedures for identifying, containing, eradicating, and recovering from security incidents. Regular drills and updates are vital to ensure preparedness (Karnouskos et al., 2020).

Conclusion and Recommendations

To safeguard organizational assets, leadership must understand the distinctions between business continuity and disaster recovery, recognize the spectrum of risks and attack vectors, and implement layered security measures. Regular training, thorough planning, and investment in technological safeguards are essential for resilience against evolving threats.

References

• Bada, A., Sasse, M. A., & Nurse, J. R. (2019). "Cyber Security Awareness Campaigns: Why do they fail to change behaviour?" International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 139, 102401.
• Cardenas, A. A., et al. (2019). "Vulnerabilities and Exploits in Critical Infrastructure." Journal of Cybersecurity, 5(3), 1-16.
• Gordon, D., et al. (2010). "Disaster Recovery: Planning for the Inevitable." CRC Press.
• Greitzer, F. L., & Frincke, D. A. (2010). "Combining Traditional Cyber Security Audit Data with Psychosocial Data to Improve Insider Threat Detection." USENIX Security Symposia.
• Herbane, B. (2010). "Small Business Continuity Management: Further Development of an Effective Business Continuity Management Framework." Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 18(2), 99–110.
• Karnouskos, S., et al. (2020). "Incident Response Strategies in Cyber-Physical Systems." IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics, 16(4), 2344-2354.
• Kaspersky. (2021). "Cyberthreats and Trends Report." Kaspersky Lab.
• Mandiant. (2021). "M-Trends Report: APT Trends and Insights." Mandiant.
• Rittinghouse, J. W., & Ransome, J. F. (2016). "Cybersecurity Operations Handbook." CRC Press.
• Verizon. (2022). "2022 Data Breach Investigations Report." Verizon.
• Cloudflare. (2023). "Understanding DDoS Attacks." Cloudflare Security.