Information Technology Security Assessment

Information Technology Security Assessment (IT Security Assessment) is an explicit study to locate IT security vulnerabilities and risks.

Background

In an assessment, the assessor should have the full cooperation of the organization being assessed. The organization grants access to its facilities, provides network access, outlines detailed information about the network, etc. All parties understand that the goal is to study security and identify improvements to secure the systems. An assessment is potentially the most useful of all security tests.

Methodology

The following methodology outline is put forward as the effective means in conducting security assessment.
* Requirement Study and Situation Analysis
* Document Review
* Risk Identification
* Vulnerability Scan
* Data Analysis
* Report & Briefing

ample Report

Security Assessment Report should include the following information:
* Introduction/background information
* Executive and Management summary
* Assessment scope and objectives
* Assumptions and limitations
* Methods and assessment tools used
* Current environment or system description with network diagrams, if any
* Security requirements

* Summary of findings and recommendations
* The general control review result
* The vulnerability test results
* Risk assessment results including identified assets, threats, vulnerabilities, impact and likelihood assessment, and the risk results analysis
* Recommended safeguards

Criticisms and Shortcomings

IT security risk assessments like many risk assessments in IT, are not actually quantitative and do not represent risk in any actuarially-sound manner. Measuring risk quantitatively can have a significant impact on prioritizing risks and getting investment approval (Doug Hubbard "Hurdling Risk", CIO Magazine 1998).

Quantitative risk analysis has been applied to IT security in a major US government study in 2000. The [http://www.cio.gov Federal CIO Council] commission a study of the $100 million IT security investment for the Dept. of Veterans Affairs with results shown quantitatively. [http://www.cio.gov/documents/aie_report_final.pdf]

Professional Certifications

There are common vendor-neutral professional certifications for performing security assessment.
* CISSP
* CISA
* BS7799 Lead Auditor - ISO/IEC 27001:2005 Auditor/Lead Auditor

External links

* [https://www.isc2.org ISC2]
* [http://www.isaca.org Informations Systems Audit and Control Association]
* [http://www.eccouncil.org EC-Council]
* [http://www.sans.org SANS Institute]

References

Casas III, Victoriano. 2006. "An Information Security Risk Assessment Model for Public and University Administrators." Applied Research Project. Texas State University. http://ecommons.txstate.edu/arp/109/