Crisis Management In Projects

🚨 Mastering IT Risk Assessment: A Strategic Framework for Information Security In cybersecurity, guesswork is not strategy. Effective risk management begins with a structured, evidence-based risk assessment process that connects technical threats to business impact. This framework — adapted from leading standards such as NIST SP 800-30 and ISO/IEC 27005 — breaks down how to transform raw threat data into actionable risk intelligence: 1️⃣ System Characterization – Establish clear system boundaries. Define the hardware, software, data, interfaces, people, and mission-critical functions within scope. 🔹 Output: System boundaries, criticality, and sensitivity profile. 2️⃣ Threat Identification – Identify credible threat sources — from external adversaries to insider risks and environmental hazards. 🔹 Output: Comprehensive threat statement. 3️⃣ Vulnerability Identification – Pinpoint systemic weaknesses that can be exploited by these threats. 🔹 Output: Catalog of potential vulnerabilities. 4️⃣ Control Analysis – Evaluate the design and operational effectiveness of current and planned controls. 🔹 Output: Control inventory with performance assessment. 5️⃣ Likelihood Determination – Assess the probability that a given threat will exploit a specific vulnerability, considering existing mitigations. 🔹 Output: Likelihood rating. 6️⃣ Impact Analysis – Quantify potential losses in terms of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information assets. 🔹 Output: Impact rating. 7️⃣ Risk Determination – Integrate likelihood and impact to determine inherent and residual risk levels. 🔹 Output: Ranked risk register. 8️⃣ Control Recommendations – Prioritize security enhancements to reduce risk to acceptable levels. 🔹 Output: Targeted control recommendations. 9️⃣ Results Documentation – Compile the process, findings, and mitigation actions in a formal risk assessment report for governance and audit traceability. 🔹 Output: Comprehensive risk assessment report. When executed properly, this process transforms IT threat data into strategic business intelligence, enabling leaders to make informed, risk-based decisions that safeguard the organization’s assets and reputation. 👉 Bottom line: An organization’s resilience isn’t built on tools — it’s built on a disciplined, repeatable approach to understanding and managing risk. #CyberSecurity #RiskManagement #GRC #InformationSecurity #ISO27001 #NIST #Infosec #RiskAssessment #Governance

A new study published in Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology emphasizes the urgent need for deep-structure cultural adaptations in suicide prevention. Unlike surface changes (e.g., images or wording), deep adaptations reshape the foundation of interventions by embedding cultural strengths, incorporating culture into crisis planning, and challenging cultural myths. Through focus groups with Black youth, caregivers, providers, and community leaders, researchers identified eight essential strategies for culturally adapted care: 1️⃣ Use wellness- and collective-focused language 2️⃣ Prioritize mutual trust and safe spaces 3️⃣ Reframe cultural myths about mental health 4️⃣ Integrate Black-focused content to validate identity 5️⃣ Affirm protective factors alongside stressors 6️⃣ Set relevant, attainable goals for youth and families 7️⃣ Infuse culture into crisis planning 8️⃣ Build Black-centered communities of care Implication: Suicide prevention for Black youth must move beyond one-size-fits-all approaches. By centering racial socialization, trust, and community strengths, we can design interventions that truly resonate and save lives. Kim Gryglewicz, PhD, MSW, Margaret Phipps-Bennett, Michelle Vance, PhD, MSW, John Williams III PhD, Isis Bey, LCSW, CCTP II, TTS, Rehaana Herbert, Marc Karver, Sarah Dennis. 📖 Read more: https://lnkd.in/eFZ7AGvz #BlackYouth #MentalHealthEquity #SuicidePrevention

🚨Incoming: Key Insights from CISA's FY23 Risk and Vulnerability Assessment: Strengthening Critical Infrastructure Security🚨 As America's Cyber Defense Agency, CISA's FY23 Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (RVA) report, based on over 100 RVAs, provides essential insights into the cyber threats facing federal agencies and critical infrastructure. 🔑 Key Attack Vectors: 🔹Phishing & Default Credentials: "Assessors completed their most successful attacks via common methods, such as phishing, valid accounts, and default credentials," demonstrating the ongoing risk of fundamental cyber hygiene failures. 🔹Valid Accounts: "The number of valid accounts used in privilege escalation and lateral movement increased significantly," highlighting how attackers exploit identity mismanagement to gain deeper network access. 🔹Misconfigurations: "CISA assessment personnel used common vulnerabilities facilitated by shortcomings in secure-by-design and default principles and other misconfigurations to compromise systems." 🔐 Entities should implement mitigations-centered intrusion prevention, such as: 🔹Deploying a centralized cyber threat intelligence platform to monitor and log critical data and use the platform to detect and remediate abnormal behavior promptly. 🔹Implementing a secure network security architecture with multiple layers of protection—using next-generation firewalls, granular access controls, network segmentation, SIEM/SOAR, robust encryption, and secure communication. 🔹Enhanced protection mechanisms alongside strong credential policies, such as phishing-resistant MFA, to safeguard sensitive accounts. 📊 This report, based on over 100 assessments, closely aligns with NIST SP 800-207 on Zero Trust Architecture and CISA’s Zero Trust Maturity Model. The insights emphasize the importance of identity-centric security, segmentation, and least-privilege access—vital information for any cyber defender seeking to safeguard their environment against sophisticated threats. #cybersecurity #criticalInfrastructure #zerotrust #CISA #RiskManagement

During my time as a Navy SEAL, precision and thorough analysis were not just practices but NECESSITIES! The "Five Whys" method exemplifies this approach outside the battlefield, presenting a clear path to problem-solving. Here's how it worked for the Lincoln Memorial's unexpected challenge: 1️⃣ Why is the memorial dirty?Because of bird droppings. 2️⃣ Why are there bird droppings?Birds are attracted to the area. 3️⃣ Why are birds attracted? They eat the spiders there. 4️⃣ Why are there spiders? Spiders eat the insects 5️⃣ Why are there insects? They're attracted to the lights left on at night. The solution? Adjust the lighting to reduce the insects to deter the spiders and birds, directly addressing the root of the cleanliness issue. This method isn't just for maintaining national monuments; it's a powerful tool for any leader or problem-solver in any field. The next time you're faced with a challenge, I urge you to employ the "Five Whys." Get deep. Understand the problem fully before jumping to solutions. By sharing this method, you're not just passing along a problem-solving tool; you're empowering others to think critically and act decisively. Be the one to inspire change, to lead by example.

One of the biggest mistakes communicators make? Waiting for a crisis to plan communications for non-English speaking audiences in Australia. It’s something I’ve seen over and over again during the past 14 years. A lack of planning means content is often rushed, unsuitable for translation, and ends up missing the mark. But imagine if your resources were ready to go before a crisis hit. Let's take COVID. We couldn’t predict the specifics of that pandemic—but we absolutely can plan for pandemics and epidemics. With a strategy in place, generic resources could have been prepared in advance and easily tailored when needed. Instead of starting from scratch, you’d already have the tools ready to mobilise. Or consider floods, fires, or storms. You can’t predict exactly where these events will occur, but you can create general resources about what to do in such disasters ahead of time. By planning early, you can take the time to co-design materials with communities. You can ensure resources reflect cultural nuances and account for differences in knowledge or experience. And most importantly, you can build trust by creating communications with communities—not just for them. This proactive approach makes all the difference. It leads to better outcomes and puts you in a position to act confidently—not react frantically. At Ethnolink, this is what we do every day. We work with clients to plan strategically, consult with communities, and co-design resources that are impactful and meaningful. The mistakes of the past don’t have to be repeated. Let’s start planning today—before the next crisis hits. #translation #CALD #multicultural #communications #culturaldiversity

The Case of the Costly Error Once upon a time, a critical bug in a bustling software company was reported in their flagship product just days before a major release. Panic spread through the team like wildfire. The bug was complex, and time was running out. At first, the team tried the usual approach—frantic debugging and patching. But the bug kept reappearing like a stubborn ghost. As deadlines loomed closer, frustration mounted. That's when Jane, one of the senior developers, stepped in. She suggested a different approach: structured problem-solving. She gathered the team in a meeting room and laid out a plan: 01. Define the Problem: They dissected the bug, identified its specific behaviors, and defined the problem statement clearly. 02. Collect Data: They gathered data on when the bug occurred, what actions triggered it, and the system conditions at that moment. 03. Generate Hypotheses: The team brainstormed potential causes, generating multiple hypotheses. 04. Test Hypotheses: They systematically tested each hypothesis individually, isolating variables and gathering more data. 05. Analyze Results: Based on the data collected, they analyzed the results of each test and eliminated hypotheses that didn't hold up. 06. Implement Solution: Finally, they identified the root cause and implemented a solution that fixed the bug once and for all. The bug was squashed, and the release went off without a hitch. What could have been a disaster turned into a valuable lesson. Structured problem-solving saved the day! → When faced with a daunting challenge, don't rush into solutions. Take a structured approach. #dhandhekafunda ps: Structured problem-solving approach acts as a compass when you are not emotionally trapped in the situation. If you are, have another competent individual take the lead. At least be that structured ;)

“The biggest threat to critical infrastructure? Thinking it’s secure.” False confidence is the most dangerous vulnerability in the room. 📖 STORY: The Comfort That Almost Cost Millions Last year, a utilities operator proudly told us, “Our systems are air-gapped. We’re not worried about attackers.” But when we started our assessment, here’s what we found: A forgotten remote access port exposed to the internet An unmanaged engineering laptop still using default credentials Third-party contractors bypassing basic authentication The illusion of protection had replaced actual protection. And they were one phishing email away from operational shutdown. 🛑 THE REAL PROBLEM: Security Posture ≠ Security Reality In critical infrastructure, it’s not the threats you see that destroy trust; it’s the ones you assume you’ve already mitigated. And that’s the mission for June: Break the illusion. Test what’s true. Expose what’s vulnerable. Because too many systems are secure on paper but wide open in practice. 💡 INSIGHT: Illusion Feels Safe; Until It Isn’t Ransomware doesn’t care about heatmaps. Nation-state actors don’t check your audit logs. And recovery plans that have never been tested don’t work when it matters most. The strongest leaders don’t ask, “Are we secure?” They ask, “What are we assuming is true that might no longer be?” 🔄 MINDSET SHIFT ❌ “We’ve got the certifications” ✅ “When was the last time we actually simulated a breach?” ❌ “No one’s ever breached our OT” ✅ “Have we tested the pathways they could use tomorrow?” June isn’t about adding more controls. It’s about testing the ones you think are working. ✅ TAKEAWAYS 🔸 Don’t trust what hasn’t been validated 🔸 Run red teams. Simulate pressure. Learn where the gaps really are 🔸 Don’t wait for attackers to test your environment. Do it yourself 🔸 In OT/ICS, assumptions kill resilience 📩 CTA: Mission June Starts Now This month, my team and I are challenging critical infrastructure leaders to test their defenses; openly, aggressively, and honestly. 📩 DM me for our Critical Infrastructure Risk Reality Kit including red team checklists, breach path simulations, and false-confidence scenarios we’ve seen first-hand. 👇 What’s the last assumption your team challenged and what did it reveal? #MissionJune #CriticalInfrastructure #CyberRealityCheck #Microminder #OTSecurity #ICSResilience #SecurityPosture #CyberLeadership #SecurityAssumptions #RedTeamReady #SecurityIsNotCompliance

“Too many non-profits and funders still roll into communities with a clipboard and a mission to document everything "missing."Needs assessments have become a default tool for diagnosing deficits, reinforcing a saviour mentality where outsiders decide what's broken and needs fixing[…] People most impacted by crisis aren't blank slates waiting for external solutions; they're part of complex socio-, political-, cultural systems with adaptive capabilities that existed long before international actors arrived and will remain long after they've gone.[…] At the end of the day, any approach that isn't rooted in pedagogies of care, intersectionality, mutual learning, systems thinking, co-design, economic and environmental justice and will ultimately replicate the same power imbalances it claims to disrupt.” 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 https://lnkd.in/dexSrtRg

Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently released their FY 2023 Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (RVA) Report. The report combines findings from 143 RVA's across multiple critical infrastructure sectors. They overlaid the RVA's to MITRE ATT&CK, ultimately mapping real world activities to 11 of the 14 tactics. The information is very useful, and can be used to mitigate organizational risk , implement mitigations and understand technical attack paths. Some key themes: - Valid accounts were the MOST successful attack technique, involved in 41% of successful attacks This aligns with other reports which emphasize the role of compromised credentials in data breaches/incidents and the importance of identity as the new perimeter. - Exploiting public facing applications and externally exposed remote services was a core focus on APT's - End of life software and unpatched systems were a key target - A lack of network segmentation and weaknesses in network topologies and tooling helped facilitate lateral movement - An insane 94.4% of assessed entities had DEFAULT passwords in place These along with many other key takeaways are in the report, which is well organized and actionable. Check it out! 👇 #cyber #ciso #zerotrust

#RiskManagement #Security "The Vulnerability Assessment & Mitigation (VAM) methodology takes a top-down approach and seeks to uncover not only vulnerabilities that are known and exploited or revealed today but also the vulnerabilities that exist yet have not been exploited or encountered during operation. Thus, the methodology helps to protect against future threats or system failures while mitigating current and past threats and weaknesses. Also, sophisticated adversaries are always searching for new ways to attack unprotected resources (the “soft underbelly” of the information systems). Thus, the methodology can be valuable as a way to hedge and balance both current and future threats. Also, the complexity of information systems and their increasing integration with organizational functions requires additional considerations to ensure that design or architectural weaknesses are mitigated. " "An “object” is any part of the system that contributes to the function, execution, or management of the system. The partitioning of information system components into conceptual “objects” facilitates the consideration of components that can otherwise be neglected in security assessments (i.e., security breaches can arise from weaknesses in physical security, human limits and behavior, social engineering, or compromised infrastructure in addition to the more publicized compromises, such as network attacks). It also allows the separation of vulnerability attributes from the system component that may have that attribute. " (p.xv) "MAPPING SECURITY NEEDS TO CRITICAL ORGANIZATIONAL FUNCTIONS The methodology employs the following six steps: 1. Identify your organization’s essential information functions. 2. Identify essential information systems that implement these functions. 3. Identify vulnerabilities of these systems. 4. Identify pertinent security techniques to mitigate these vulnerabilities. 5. Select and apply techniques based on constraints, costs, and benefits. 6. Test for robustness and actual feasibilities under threat. Repeat steps 3–6 as needed. " (p.xvi) Anton, P. S., Anderson, R. H., Mesic, R., & Scheiern, M. (2004). Finding and fixing vulnerabilities in information systems: the vulnerability assessment and mitigation methodology. Rand Corporation._p.xvii #risk #risks #enterpriserisk #enterprisesecurityriskmanagement #intelligence #threatlintelligence #riskmanagement #riskanalysis #riskassessment #riskmanagementframework #operationalriskmanagement #projectriskmanagement #projectrisk #operationalresilience #resilience #operationalrisk #riskintelligence #governance #security #securityriskmanagement #securitymanagement #securityrisks #enterprisesecurity #cybersecurity #physicalsecurity #informationsecurity #digitalsecurity #securityoperations #enterprisesecurityriskmanagement #securityassessment #intelligence #threatlintelligence #risk #riskmanagement #safety #safetyfirst #safetymanagement #safetyassessment #safetyrisks