RA.L2-3.11.1
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Requirement
Periodically assess the risk to organizational operations (including mission, functions, image, or reputation), organizational assets, and individuals, resulting from the operation of organizational systems and the associated processing, storage, or transmission of CUI.
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Discussion
Clearly defined system boundaries are a prerequisite for effective risk assessments. Such risk assessments consider threats, vulnerabilities, likelihood, and impact to organizational operations, organizational assets, and individuals based on the operation and use of organizational systems. Risk assessments also consider risk from external parties (e.g., service providers, contractor operating systems on behalf of the organization, individuals accessing organizational systems, outsourcing entities). Risk assessments, either formal or informal, can be conducted at the organization level, the mission or business process level, or the system level, and at any phase in the system development life cycle. NIST SP 800-30 provides guidance on conducting risk assessments.
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Further Discussion
Risk arises from anything that can reduce an organizationās assurance of mission/business success; cause harm to image or reputation; or harm individuals, other organizations, or the Nation. Organizations assess the risk to their operations and assets at regular intervals. Areas where weakness or vulnerabilities could lead to risk may include:- poorly designed and executed business processes;
- inadvertent actions of people, such as disclosure or modification of information;
- intentional actions of people inside and outside the organization;
- failure of systems to perform as intended;
- failures of technology; and
- external events, such as natural disasters, public infrastructure and supply chain failures.
Example
You are a system administrator. You and your team members are working on a big government contract requiring you to store CUI. As part of your periodic (e.g., annual) risk assessment exercise, you evaluate the new risk involved with storing CUI [a,b]. When conducting the assessment you consider increased legal exposure, financial requirements of safeguarding CUI, potentially elevated attention from external attackers, and other factors. After determining how storing CUI affects your overall risk profile, you use that as a basis for a conversation on how that risk should be mitigated.Potential Assessment Considerations
- Have initial and periodic risk assessments been conducted [b]?
- Are methods defined for assessing risk (e.g., reviewing security assessments, incident reports, and security advisories, identifying threat sources, threat events, and vulnerabilities, and determining likelihood, impact, and overall risk to the confidentiality of CUI) [b]?
NIST 800-171A Assessment Guidance
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