A security risk assessment is a procedure that helps organizations identify, analyze, and implement security controls in the workplace. It prevents vulnerabilities and threats from infiltrating the organization and protects physical and informational assets from unauthorized users.
The process for assessing security risks varies depending on the needs of a company. It relies on the type of business operation, assessment scope, and user requirements. Generally, it can be conducted with the following steps.
Step 1: Identify
• Identify the business needs and critical assets of technology infrastructure that may affect the overall security direction.Step 2: Review
• Review existing security policies, standards, guidelines, and procedures.Step 3: Evaluate
• Assess and analyze assets, threats, and vulnerabilities including their impact, likelihood, and risk rating. • Perform technical and procedural review and investigation of network architecture, protocols, and other components to ensure it is implemented according to security policies already in place. • Evaluate and assess configuration, implementation, and usage of remote access systems, servers, firewalls, and other external network connections. • Check access control systems for authorized users and other authentication policies. • Check physical assets including access cards for staff and visitors. • Check the perimeter protection and inspect the operational condition of CCTV cameras and alarm systems. Determine if the current systems are sufficient or do more need to be installed for optimal protection. • Ensure housekeeping is properly observed.Step 4: Mitigate
• Review and analyze assessment reports and determine how to effectively allocate time and resources towards risk mitigation. • Implement technical actions to address the vulnerabilities identified and reduce the level of security risk. • Assign corrective actions and recommendations to appropriate personnel to enforce security controls for each risk.Step 5: Prevent
• Conduct regular security assessments, monitor updates, and communicate risk assessment reports to an authorized person. • Streamline reporting processes to minimize threats and vulnerabilities from occurring.Performing risk assessments is a crucial task for security company. It is a far-reaching review of anything that could pose a risk to the security of an organization. For an obligation free risk assessment, contact our TRSS team.