PROCESS MAPPING AND RISK MODELING
SUMMARY
This component allows an auditor to lead the host organization's staff in a series of
activities to identify and prioritize the processes that are critical for the organization to carry
out its work. These activities will also reveal the consequences if those critical processes
were interrupted or exposed to a malicious actor. This results in the staff creating a risk
matrix which is used as the foundation of the auditor's recommendations.
PURPOSE
Having the host organization central to the risk assessment process allows the auditor to
put their threats and recommendations into the host's own narrative. With greater
ownership of the process the staff will be more engaged in addressing the threats
identified when the audit is complete. 67 By engaging as many staff as possible the auditor
also is providing a framework for staff to examine future concerns when the auditor is
gone. The existing in/formal security practices captured during this process will be used to
remove organizational and psyco-social barriers to starting new practices.
THE FLOW OF INFORMATION
Information
Threats
Results
Threats
Activity
Actors
Actors
Capacity
Capacity
Activities
Activities
Vulnerabilities
Vulnerabilities
Barriers
Barriers
Assets
Assets
Risk Modeling Information Flow
GUIDING QUESTIONS
What are the critical organizational activities?
What threats does the organization, its programs, partners, and beneficiaries face?
What would the impact of these threats be if they were to occur?
What adversaries (people or groups) may attempt to carry out threats?
Are those adversaries capable of carrying out these threats?
APPROACHES
Process and/or data mapping exercises
One-on-One interviews with staff to supplement other group activities.
Risk identification based on process or data mappings
A classic group Risk Assessment Activity.
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