preso: Big 'R' Risk Management - from concept to pilot implementation

Here's the presentation (pdf) that I'm giving Monday at SIRAcon in Seattle.  This extends the ideas presented in the post "Risk Management: Out with the Old, In with the New!". This presentation presents some specifics on how to get started implementing the Big 'R' approach. It's even got a illustrative case toward the end featuring patch management and exceptions, shown in this figure (click to enlarge)

Example of Causal Dynamic Analysis, in this case Patch Management & Exceptions
(click to enlarge)

On the performance value of "cyber hygiene"

One idea that keeps coming up in the NIST Cyber Security Framework process is that we should be collectively promoting good "cyber hygiene" -- common things that everyone should be doing by habit to protect themselves on-line.  Analogies are made to personal health and hygiene and also personal safety (auto seat belts).  Vinton Cerf claims to have coined the term.  It is being widely promoted in cyber security awareness programs, including by outgoing DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano at this public event.  There are non-profit organizations focused on it, e.g. Stay Safe Online and Stop, Think, Connect. There's even a certificate in cyber hygiene offered.  These are often oriented at consumers and individuals, but the same ideas are being promoted for organizations, including those in critical infrastructure industries.

A real "cyber hygiene" promotion poster.  Let's all be smart chipmunks!

While most people seem to believe that it is possible to define "good cyber hygiene" and also worthwhile to promote it, not everyone agrees.  One commentator believes it puts too much burden on individuals and distracts us from the institutional and systematic forces that create or perpetuate the risks in the first place.

Of course, I have to try to answer these questions: where does "cyber hygiene" fit in to the proposed Ten Dimensions of Cyber Security Performance?  Can we define "good hygiene practices" in each dimension that serve as the common baseline for all organizations, as a minimum acceptable performance level, as a common entry level at the lowest level of maturity, or similar?

In my opinion, it is possible to define a common set of "cyber hygiene" practices for most individuals and most organizations.  They are good.  Do them.  But don't think you are achieving adequate or even minimum acceptable cyber security performance in an organization by simply implementing good "cyber hygiene".  At best, "cyber hygiene" is a set of practices that helps your organization be "anti-stupid".