search menu icon-carat-right cmu-wordmark

Assessing Information Security Risk Using the OCTAVE Approach

In this three-day course, participants learn to perform information security risk assessments using the Operationally Critical Threat, Asset, and Vulnerability Evaluation (OCTAVE) Allegro method.

The OCTAVE Allegro approach provides organizations a comprehensive methodology that focuses on information assets in their operational context. Risks are identified and analyzed based on where they originate, at the points where information is stored, transported, and processed. By focusing on operational risks to information assets, participants learn to view risk assessment in the context of the organization's strategic objectives and risk tolerances.

For organizations required to be compliant with PCI-DSS v2.0, OCTAVE Allegro satisfies the requirement for an annual risk assessment outlined in paragraph 12.1.2 of the standard.

Through lectures, class exercises, and discussions, the course covers the OCTAVE-prescribed activities for risk identification, analysis, and response. After completing the course, attendees will be able to use OCTAVE Allegro to

  • gather and organize risk information via interviews, documentation reviews, and technical analysis
  • create risk evaluation criteria to assess risk commensurate with the organization's risk appetite and tolerances
  • identify, analyze, and prioritize information security risks
  • improve vulnerability management activities by viewing them in a risk context
  • understand why managing operational risk is important to managing enterprise risk
  • develop risk response strategies appropriate for the organization's business requirements

Audience

  • Individuals who would like an in-depth understanding of the OCTAVE Allegro Risk Assessment Methodology
  • Security professionals, business continuity planners, compliance personnel, risk managers, and other professionals requiring the knowledge and skills to understand operational risk and perform risk assessments
  • Personnel needing to perform formal risk assessment to satisfy PCI-DSS requirements

Objectives

This course will help participants to

  • gain a foundational overview of the various elements of operational risk
  • make the connection between information security, business continuity, IT operations and operational risk management
  • obtain a working knowledge of operational risk, threat, vulnerabilities, impact, services, and their related assets
  • understand the purpose of the OCTAVE Allegro structured risk management approach
  • understand what is required to prepare an organization for a risk assessment using OCTAVE Allegro
  • understand how to get started and when to tailor the process to meet unique organizational needs

Topics

  • introduction to OCTAVE Allegro as a structured, repeatable risk assessment method that can be used across the organization
  • the importance of risk evaluation criteria in the risk management process
  • a starting set of impact categories and guidance is provided to establish your organization's risk tolerances
  • profiling high-value information assets and understanding their role in service delivery
  • the role of threat and vulnerability identification in risk management
  • prioritization of risk response based on organizational impact

Materials

Participants will receive:


Prerequisites

This course has no prerequisites.

Course Fees [USD]

  • U.S. Industry: $1,900.00
  • U.S. Govt/Academic: $1,525.00
  • International: $3,800.00

Schedule

This three-day course meets at the following times:

Day 1, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Day 2, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Day 3, 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Eastern Time

This course may be offered by special arrangement at customer sites. For details, please email course-info@sei.cmu.edu or telephone at +1 412-268-1817.




Course Questions?

Email: course-info@sei.cmu.edu
Phone: 412-268-7388

Related Courses

  • Introduction to the CERT Resilience Management Model

    2 - Day Course

    This two-day course introduces a model-based process improvement approach to managing operational resilience using the CERT® Resilience Management Model (CERT-RMM) v1.2. CERT-RMM is a maturity model that promotes the convergence of security, business continuity, and IT operations activities to help organizations actively direct, control, and...

    Learn More

Training courses provided by the SEI are not academic courses for academic credit toward a degree. Any certificates provided are evidence of the completion of the courses and are not official academic credentials. For more information about SEI training courses, see Registration Terms and Conditions and Confidentiality of Course Records.