University Of The Cumberlands School Of Computer And 274047

University Of The Cumberlands school Of Computer And Information Scienc

Faced with the need to deliver risk ratings for your organization, you will have to substitute the organization’s risk preferences for your own. For, indeed, it is the organization’s risk tolerance that the assessment is trying to achieve, not each assessor’s personal risk preferences.

1. What is the risk posture for each particular system as it contributes to the overall risk posture of the organization?

2. Explain two of the attacks – its protections if any, in the presence (or absence) of active threat agents and their capabilities, methods, and goals through each situation—add up to a system’s particular risk posture?

Paper For Above instruction

Risk management is an essential component of an organization's security strategy, aimed at understanding, evaluating, and mitigating potential threats to information systems. The risk posture of each individual system directly influences the organization's overall security stance. It is imperative to assess each system's risk posture within the context of organizational risk appetite and capacity to ensure comprehensive protection.

Assessing the Risk Posture of Individual Systems and the Organization

The risk posture of a system refers to its inherent vulnerabilities, the threats it faces, and the existing controls designed to mitigate those risks. For instance, a web server exposed to the internet typically has a higher risk posture due to increased attack surface and exposure to various threats such as SQL injection, session hijacking, or distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. Conversely, an internal database server with restricted access and robust security controls might present a lower risk posture. Each system's risk posture contributes cumulatively to the overall organizational risk posture, which reflects the aggregate of individual system risks and the effectiveness of the overall security framework.

To illustrate, consider a financial institution’s online banking platform. If it has multi-factor authentication, intrusion detection systems, and encryption, its risk posture might be lower despite being a high-value target. However, if these controls are absent or ineffective, the system's risk posture would elevate, posing greater threats to the organization’s security. The collective risk posture derives from these individual assessments, informing strategic decisions such as resource allocations, security investments, and incident response planning.

Impact of Attacks and the Role of Protections in Risk Posture

Analyzing specific types of attacks provides insight into system vulnerabilities, attack methods, and the effectiveness of protections, which collectively shape the system’s risk posture. Two notable attack scenarios include phishing and ransomware attacks.

Phishing Attacks

Phishing attacks involve cybercriminals impersonating trusted entities to deceive users into revealing sensitive information, such as login credentials or financial data. In the presence of active threat agents with phishing capabilities, the effectiveness of protections like email filters, user awareness training, and multifactor authentication critically determines the system’s resilience. When defenses like email filtering and user education are robust, the risk posture diminishes as these measures reduce successful phishing attempts. Conversely, the absence of such protections heightens vulnerability, increasing the risk of successful attacks that can lead to credential theft, unauthorized access, or data breaches.

Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware involves malicious software encrypting vital data and demanding payment for its release. Systems lacking adequate protections such as regular backups, malware detection, and endpoint security are highly susceptible. When active threat agents possess capabilities for distributing ransomware through phishing, exploit kits, or malicious email attachments, the risk posture worsens. If organizations implement layered protections—advanced endpoint security, intrusion detection, and user awareness—their risk posture is mitigated, reducing the likelihood and impact of ransomware infections. Thus, the attack type and the presence or absence of defenses directly influence the system's overall risk profile.

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding the risk posture of individual systems and their contribution to the organization's overarching security stance is vital for effective risk management. Attack scenarios such as phishing and ransomware exemplify how threat agent capabilities, combined with organizational protections, shape the risk landscape. Organizations must adopt comprehensive security controls and regularly assess their risk posture to align with organizational risk appetite and enhance resilience against evolving cyber threats.

References

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