CompTIA Security+
1 Threats, Attacks, and Vulnerabilities
1-1 Types of Threats
1-2 Types of Attacks
1-3 Vulnerabilities
1-4 Threat Actors and Motives
1-5 Threat Intelligence
1-6 Incident Response
1-7 Penetration Testing
1-8 Vulnerability Scanning
1-9 Threat Modeling
1-10 Security Controls
2 Technologies and Tools
2-1 Firewalls
2-2 Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS)
2-3 Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS)
2-4 Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
2-5 Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
2-6 Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR)
2-7 Endpoint Security
2-8 Network Security
2-9 Cloud Security
2-10 Mobile Device Security
2-11 Secure Coding Practices
2-12 Cryptography
2-13 Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
2-14 Certificate Management
2-15 Security Tools and Utilities
3 Architecture and Design
3-1 Security Models
3-2 Security Controls
3-3 Secure Network Design
3-4 Secure Systems Design
3-5 Secure Application Design
3-6 Secure Cloud Architecture
3-7 Secure Mobile Architecture
3-8 Secure IoT Architecture
3-9 Secure Data Storage
3-10 Secure Backup and Recovery
3-11 Security in DevOps
3-12 Security in Agile Development
3-13 Security in Continuous IntegrationContinuous Deployment (CICD)
3-14 Security in Configuration Management
3-15 Security in Identity and Access Management (IAM)
4 Identity and Access Management
4-1 Authentication Methods
4-2 Authorization Mechanisms
4-3 Identity and Access Management (IAM) Concepts
4-4 Single Sign-On (SSO)
4-5 Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
4-6 Federation
4-7 Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
4-8 Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC)
4-9 Identity as a Service (IDaaS)
4-10 Identity Lifecycle Management
4-11 Access Reviews and Audits
4-12 Privileged Access Management (PAM)
4-13 Identity Federation
4-14 Identity Provisioning and Deprovisioning
5 Risk Management
5-1 Risk Management Concepts
5-2 Risk Assessment
5-3 Risk Mitigation Strategies
5-4 Business Impact Analysis (BIA)
5-5 Risk Register
5-6 Risk Treatment
5-7 Risk Monitoring and Reporting
5-8 Risk Appetite and Tolerance
5-9 Risk Communication
5-10 Risk Transfer
5-11 Risk Acceptance
5-12 Risk Avoidance
5-13 Risk Reduction
5-14 Risk in Cloud Environments
5-15 Risk in Mobile Environments
5-16 Risk in IoT Environments
6 Cryptography and PKI
6-1 Cryptographic Concepts
6-2 Symmetric Encryption
6-3 Asymmetric Encryption
6-4 Hashing
6-5 Digital Signatures
6-6 Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
6-7 Certificate Management
6-8 Certificate Authorities (CAs)
6-9 Certificate Revocation
6-10 Key Management
6-11 Cryptographic Protocols
6-12 Cryptographic Attacks
6-13 Quantum Cryptography
6-14 Post-Quantum Cryptography
6-15 Cryptographic Use Cases
7 Security Operations
7-1 Security Operations Concepts
7-2 Security Policies and Procedures
7-3 Security Awareness and Training
7-4 Security Monitoring and Logging
7-5 Incident Response
7-6 Forensics
7-7 Disaster Recovery
7-8 Business Continuity
7-9 Physical Security
7-10 Personnel Security
7-11 Supply Chain Security
7-12 Third-Party Risk Management
7-13 Security Audits and Assessments
7-14 Compliance and Regulatory Requirements
7-15 Security Metrics and Reporting
7-16 Security Operations Center (SOC)
7-17 Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR)
7-18 Security in DevOps
7-19 Security in Agile Development
7-20 Security in Continuous IntegrationContinuous Deployment (CICD)
5.4 Business Impact Analysis (BIA) Explained

5.4 Business Impact Analysis (BIA) Explained

Key Concepts

Business Impact Analysis (BIA) is a critical process in business continuity planning that assesses the potential impact of disruptions to business operations. Key concepts include Identifying Critical Functions, Determining Maximum Tolerable Downtime (MTD), Assessing Financial and Operational Impacts, and Prioritizing Recovery Strategies.

Identifying Critical Functions

Identifying Critical Functions involves determining which business processes are essential for the organization's survival and continuity. These functions are those that must be maintained or restored quickly to prevent significant financial loss or operational failure.

Example: In a hospital, critical functions might include patient care, emergency services, and medical records management. Without these functions, the hospital cannot operate effectively, putting patient lives at risk.

Determining Maximum Tolerable Downtime (MTD)

Maximum Tolerable Downtime (MTD) is the maximum amount of time a business function can be unavailable without causing severe financial or operational consequences. MTD helps in setting recovery time objectives (RTOs) and recovery point objectives (RPOs).

Example: A financial services company may determine that its trading platform has an MTD of 15 minutes. Any downtime beyond this period could result in significant financial losses due to missed trading opportunities.

Assessing Financial and Operational Impacts

Assessing Financial and Operational Impacts involves evaluating the potential costs and consequences of business disruptions. This includes quantifying the financial losses, operational inefficiencies, and reputational damage that could result from a disruption.

Example: A retail store may assess that a prolonged power outage could lead to lost sales, spoilage of perishable goods, and damage to customer loyalty. The financial impact could be calculated based on lost revenue and the cost of replacing spoiled inventory.

Prioritizing Recovery Strategies

Prioritizing Recovery Strategies involves developing and prioritizing plans to restore critical functions within the MTD. This includes identifying the resources, technologies, and procedures needed to recover from a disruption.

Example: A manufacturing company may prioritize recovery strategies for its production line, such as having backup generators for power outages and maintaining spare parts inventory for quick repairs. These strategies ensure that production can resume promptly after a disruption.

Conclusion

Business Impact Analysis (BIA) is essential for understanding the potential impacts of disruptions on business operations and for developing effective continuity plans. By identifying critical functions, determining MTD, assessing financial and operational impacts, and prioritizing recovery strategies, organizations can ensure they are prepared to respond to and recover from disruptions, minimizing their impact on business continuity.