One of the least technical but most important takeaways from this reading, from an executive management perspective, is the cost considerations during contingency planning. A competent information security team with an unlimited budget would keep the organization’s equipment up-to-date at all times, have multiple alternate hot sites, back up all the enterprise’s data, keep a large group or security specialists on-staff full-time, and pay for the latest and greatest training to stay on top of the latest information security threats. The reason that no organization implements 100% of all available contingency planning measures is that no organization has an unlimited budget. Hence, when contingency planning, the security team must be able to identify the controls that offer the highest benefit-to-cost ratio. Executive management will only dedicate resources to measures that will maintain critical business operations (and save money) enough to outweigh the cost of implementation.
One of the key conclusions I have come to by reading the Federal Information Systems Contingency Planning Guidelines is the clear distinction between contingency plans and continuity plans. Contingency plans relate to plans specific to the information system itself, while continuity plans relate to plans specific to the organization’s mission/business processes. From the overall perspective of incident and disaster response, these two types of plans (as well as more types of plans not yet mentioned, e.g., COOP, Crisis Communications, etc.) must be integrated without duplication or omission of taking the necessary steps to continue business as usual, so even though they are clearly different, the teams that develop such plans need to communicate well and frequently.
The purpose of the guidance is to help agencies establish a comprehensive and coordinated emergency response strategy to ensure rapid and effective recovery of information system services in the event of an outage. The Federal Information Systems Emergency Planning Guide is an important document that provides federal agencies with detailed guidance on how to plan and implement information systems emergency plans. By following the guidelines’ recommendations and best practices, organizations can establish comprehensive and effective emergency plans to ensure timely response and recovery of information system services in the face of emergencies or disasters.
Contingency plans should contain well-thought-out plans, procedures and technical measures that should result in the effective recovery of the system as soon as possible after a service disruption. Contingency plans typically include strategies for restoring the information system using standby equipment, performing some or all of the affected business processes using standby processing (manual) means, resuming the operation of the information system at the standby location, and implementing the relevant contingency plan controls in accordance with the security impact level of the information system. The guidance also highlights the need for the contingency plan development process to take into account the specific needs of the organization. At the same time, contingency plans need to be coordinated with other business continuity plans and risk management plans to ensure that, in the event of an emergency, the organization can respond quickly and effectively to protect the safety of personnel, minimize property damage, and resume business operations as soon as possible.
The Federal Information Systems Emergency Planning Guide, also known as NIST Special Publication 800-34, provides guidance for federal agencies and organizations in developing effective emergency response and contingency plans for their information systems. This document is published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and serves as a comprehensive resource for preparing and responding to various types of incidents and disasters that may impact information systems.
The document provides guidance on how to establish a disaster recovery plan (DRP) so that organizations can recover and restore their information system functions, infrastructure, and data processing capabilities. If an organization experiences a disaster such as a cybersecurity attack, natural disaster, or terrorist attack, not having a disaster recovery plan can prevent the organization from recovering effectively and efficiently. A disaster recovery plan is an important document because it Outlines strategies and steps to minimize the impact of a disaster so that an organization can continue its daily operations and functions. A few of the steps mentioned in the NIST SP 800 34r1 Federal Information Systems Emergency Planning Guide are collecting data, building a disaster recovery plan (DRP) and recovery strategy, testing and validating the DRP, and testing and updating the DRP
The Federal Information Systems Emergency Planning Guide, commonly referred to as NIST Special Publication 800-34, serves as a crucial resource for federal agencies and organizations in establishing a comprehensive and coordinated emergency response strategy. Its primary objective is to ensure rapid and effective recovery of information system services during outages, incidents, or disasters. By providing detailed guidance on planning and implementing emergency plans for information systems, this document promotes the adoption of best practices and recommendations that facilitate timely response and recovery. By leveraging the Federal Information Systems Emergency Planning Guide, organizations can ensure the resilience and availability of their critical information systems, minimizing the impact of emergencies and disasters on their operations.
NIST SP 800 34 R1 provides the guidelines for preparing and maintaining information system contingency plans. There is a seven-step contingency plan which includes developing the contingency planning policy statement, conducting a business impact analysis, identifying preventative controls, creating contingency strategies, developing an information system contingency plan, ensuring the planning of testing, training, and exercises, and ensuring plan maintenance. Of these seven I think conducting the business impact analysis the most important because the main purpose is to figure out the critical business processes of supporting systems.
NIST SP 800 34 R1 provides the guidelines for preparing and maintaining information system contingency plans. There is a seven-step contingency plan which includes developing the contingency planning policy statement, conducting a business impact analysis, identifying preventative controls, creating contingency strategies, developing an information system contingency plan, ensuring the planning of testing, training, and exercises, and ensuring plan maintenance. Of these seven I find conducting the business impact analysis the most important because the main purpose is to figure out the critical business processes of supporting systems.
The NIST SP 800 34r1 section 5.1 detailed some common technical considerations when developing the contingency plans. Those considerations including:
Use of information gathered from the BIA process, development of data security, integrity, and backup policies and procedures, protection of equipment and system resources, adherence and compliance with security controls in NIST SP 800-53, development of primary and alternate sites with appropriately sized and configured power management systems and environmental control and use of high availability.
The key point that stood out to me in this reading is the difference between the continuing of operations plan (COOP) and the information system contingency plan (ISCP). The reading states the COOP plans address national, primary, or mission essential functions while the ISCP specifically address federal information systems. As such, not all government mission/business processes fall within the scope of COOP. However, all ISCPs apply to all information systems in federal organizations.
The document discusses essential contingency plan elements and processes, highlights specific considerations and concerns associated with contingency planning for various types of information system platforms, and provides examples to assist.
The document introduces the concepts and importance of Business Continuity Plan (BCP) and Continuity of Operations (COOP) plan. BCP focuses on sustaining the organization’s mission/business processes and can be written for individual business units or the entire organization, with a focus on ensuring coordination with information systems. COOP plan, on the other hand, emphasizes the restoration of mission-critical functions at alternate locations and their execution for up to 30 days, with standard elements including plans and procedures, continuity communications, risk management, etc. It also notes that federal directives mandate organizations to develop COOP plans, distinguishing them from other plans like BCPs.
NIST SP 800-34r1 provides comprehensive guidance on contingency planning for federal information systems, emphasizing the importance of preparing for and responding to disruptions in system availability. it is emphasis on creating and maintaining a contingency planning policy and framework tailored to the organization’s specific needs. This underscores the proactive approach necessary for effective contingency planning, which includes identifying potential risks, assessing their impact, and developing strategies to mitigate them. Additionally, the document highlights the importance of regular testing and updating of contingency plans to ensure their effectiveness in real-world scenarios. Overall, NIST SP 800-34r1 serves as a valuable resource for organizations looking to enhance their resilience against disruptions to their information systems.
In order for an organization to operate in a sustainable and stable manner, it must have a well-constructed contingency plan and strong resilience built in advance. This means that the organization not only needs to be able to withstand the various threats that may arise during operations, but also needs to consider the impact of external factors such as the environment. Rather than waiting until a problem arises to find a solution, organizations need to build a flexible infrastructure in advance to minimize potential operational disruptions and negative impacts.
To ensure the effectiveness of contingency plans, organizations need to conduct an in-depth Business Impact Analysis (BIA) based on the FIPS 199 standard. This analysis centers on assessing the performance of information and information systems in terms of confidentiality, integrity, and availability, and explores their potential impact on the organization’s operations, assets, and individuals.
The benefit of a BIA is that it provides organizations with a clear framework for assessing the value of their assets, helping businesses to better target resources and prioritize the protection of those critical assets that have the greatest impact on the business. Additionally, while high-availability options are critical to ensuring organizational operations, due to their high setup, operation, and maintenance costs, organizations should choose carefully and target investments only to those high-impact information systems that require a high level of assurance. For relatively low-impact information systems, more cost-effective contingency options can be utilized and moderate downtime accepted to allow for recovery or restoration of data, if necessary.
A key lesson to be learned from this reading is to weigh the costs of downtime and recovery equally. The cost of downtime increases with the duration of the disturbance. The cost of downtime is decreased by a quicker recovery time, but the implementation of recovery solutions is more costly. Finding a balance between these expenses offers an ideal spot between interruption and recovery costs, but it can also prove to be a very difficult undertaking given that downtime costs and recovery costs vary throughout firms.
The Federal Information Systems Emergency Planning Guidelines are an important resource for federal agencies and organizations to develop a comprehensive, coordinated emergency response strategy. I pay more attention to the disaster recovery plan, which is one of the most important plans in the enterprise. Every organization must implement a disaster recovery plan in case a disaster strikes. According to NIST, a disaster recovery plan is an information system designed to restore the operability of a target system, application, or computer infrastructure at an alternate site after an emergency. The most important aspects of disaster recovery are resources and equipment, recovery time, and who is responsible for ensuring that operations are carried out according to plan.
NIST SP 800-34r1, also known as the “Contingency Planning Guide for Federal Information Systems,” is a publication issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) that provides guidance for contingency planning for federal information systems. This guide is specifically designed to assist federal agencies in developing and implementing coordinated strategies to ensure the recovery of their information systems, operations, and data in the event of a disruption.
The guide emphasizes the importance of having a comprehensive contingency plan that addresses various types of disruptions, including those caused by natural disasters, cyberattacks, or technological failures. It outlines the key elements of a contingency plan, including plans, procedures, and technical measures that enable the recovery of information systems, operations, and data.
Some of the key features and recommendations of the NIST SP 800-34r1 include:
Identification of critical systems and components: The guide recommends identifying and prioritizing critical systems and components that support critical business functions and operations. This helps agencies focus their contingency planning efforts on the most important areas.
Assessment of vulnerabilities and risks: Agencies are encouraged to conduct thorough assessments of their information systems to identify vulnerabilities and risks that could lead to service disruptions. This assessment should consider both internal and external threats, as well as the impact of disasters on the agency’s infrastructure and operations.
Development of recovery strategies: The guide outlines various recovery strategies that agencies can employ to restore their information systems, operations, and data in the event of a disruption. These strategies may include the use of backup devices, alternative processing methods, or relocating operations to alternative locations.
Coordination and communication: The guide emphasizes the importance of establishing effective coordination and communication mechanisms within the agency to ensure a rapid and coordinated response during a disruption. This includes having clearly defined roles and responsibilities, as well as established communication channels and protocols.
Testing and maintenance: The guide recommends regularly testing and maintaining contingency plans to ensure their effectiveness and readiness. This includes conducting mock exercises and simulations to identify any gaps or issues with the plan and making necessary updates and improvements.
Overall, the NIST SP 800-34r1 provides federal agencies with a comprehensive framework for contingency planning that can help them ensure the availability, integrity, and security of their information systems during times of crisis.
NIST SP 800-34r1 provides comprehensive guidance for emergency planning of federal information systems, emphasizing the importance of preparing for and responding to system availability disruptions. It emphasizes the development and maintenance of emergency planning policies and frameworks that are suitable for the specific needs of the organization. This highlights the proactive methods required for effective emergency planning, including identifying potential risks, assessing their impact, and developing strategies to mitigate risks. In addition, the document emphasizes the importance of regularly testing and updating emergency plans to ensure their effectiveness in the real world. Overall, NIST SP 800-34r1 is an important resource for organizations seeking to enhance their resilience to information system interruptions.
One part I learned from this guideline is the policy of backup methods and offsite storage. It is based on the backup frequency and scope according to the criticality of the data and the frequency of the updated data. Commercial data storage facilities are elements specifically designed to archive media and protect data from threats. The data backup policy should be based on geographic area, accessibility, security, environment, and cost to specify the location of the stored data, file naming conventions, media rotation frequency, and the method of data transmission in different places.
1. Disaster Recovery Plan is the key to a complete information security plan. the DRP serves as a useful complement to a business continuity plan, ensuring that appropriate technical controls are in place to keep the business running and to restore services after a disruption.
2. the organisation’s Disaster Recovery Plan is the single most important document under the supervision of security professionals and provides safeguards for staff responsible for ensuring continuity of operations in the event of a disaster. While restoring the primary site to an operational state, the DRP provides an orderly sequence of activation of alternate site events. Once the DRP has been successfully developed, train the appropriate users to ensure accurate records are kept and regular checks are made to ensure that responders have a clear understanding of the plan.
3. When a disaster disrupts a company’s business, the disaster recovery plan should be able to function almost automatically and begin to support recovery operations. The disaster recovery plan should be designed in such a way that the first employee at the site of the disaster is able to start recovery efforts in an organised and immediate manner, even if the official DRP team member does not arrive on site.
Disaster recovery plan (DRP) is a documented and structured approach that describes how an organization can recover and restore system functionality, data, and infrastructure to quickly resume work after an unplanned incident. Absence of a disaster recovery plan will pose many risks such as: inability for the company to operate effectively, inability to recover systems and data in the event of a disaster, inability to recover from financial loss, and reputational damage for poor handling of the disaster. DRP plan is important as it contains strategies to minimize the effects of a disaster so the organization can continue its operations.
The NIST SP 800 34r1 “Federal Information System Emergency Plan Guidelines” provide standard procedures for the development of disaster recovery plans in three stages (activation and notification, recovery and restructuring).
Information systems are vital elements in most mission/business processes. Because information system resources are so essential to an organization’s success, it is critical that identified services provided by these systems are able to operate effectively without excessive interruption. Contingency planning supports this requirement by establishing thorough plans, procedures, and technical measures that can enable a system to be recovered as quickly and effectively as possible following a service disruption.
Contingency planning is unique to each system, providing preventive measures, recovery strategies, and technical considerations appropriate to the system’s information confidentiality, integrity, and availability requirements and the system impact level.
An organization must have the ability to withstand all hazards and sustain its mission through environmental changes. These changes can be gradual, such as economic or mission changes, or sudden, as in a disaster event. Rather than just working to identify and mitigate threats, vulnerabilities, and risks, organizations can work toward building a resilient infrastructure, minimizing the impact of any disruption on mission essential functions.
NIST SP 800-34r1 (National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800-34r1) is a document published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the United States. It is titled “Contingency Planning Guide for Federal Information Systems.”
This guide provides a comprehensive framework to assist federal agencies and information system managers in developing and implementing contingency plans. Contingency planning is a set of strategies and processes used to ensure business continuity in the event of information system failures, attacks, or unexpected events.
The main objectives of NIST SP 800-34r1 are to help organizations:
1. Assess risks: The guide provides a method for evaluating and analyzing the threats and risks that may impact information systems. This helps organizations identify the measures needed to mitigate potential risks and their impacts on systems.
2. Develop contingency plans: The guide provides a detailed overview of various aspects of contingency planning, including the goals, scope, organization, and coordination of contingency plans. It provides detailed instructions on the tasks and activities required to develop a plan, including risk analysis, business impact analysis, backup and recovery strategies, testing and drills, training, and communication.
3. Implement and test plans: The guide provides recommendations on implementing and testing contingency plans. This includes ensuring the availability of the necessary resources and tools, developing testing plans and procedures, and periodically evaluating and revising the plans.
4. Relevance and compliance: The guide links contingency planning closely to other information security frameworks and compliance requirements, such as NIST’s Risk Management Framework (RMF) and the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). It highlights that contingency plans should be integrated with other security, risk management, and compliance efforts to ensure a comprehensive information security program.
NIST SP 800-34r1 is a guide for federal Information Systems contingency Planning to develop, implement, test, and maintain contingency plans for their information systems to ensure rapid recovery of critical business operations and services in the face of a variety of potential threats and emergencies. Develop an appropriate contingency plan based on NIST SP 800-34r1’s guidance, combined with your business needs and risk profile. These plans need to be updated and tested on a regular basis to ensure effective execution in real emergency situations, safeguarding continuity of critical business operations and data integrity. By following these guidelines and methodologies, federal agencies can more effectively respond to potential threats and emergencies, ensuring business continuity and data security.
In this reading, I found that equipment replacement is also crucial. If the information system is damaged or destroyed or the primary site is unavailable, necessary hardware and software will need to be activated or procured quickly and delivered to the alternate location. Three basic strategies exist to prepare for equipment replacement: 1. Vendor Agreements. 2. Equipment Inventory. 3. Existing Compatible Equipment. When evaluating the choices, the ISCP Coordinator should consider that purchasing equipment when needed is cost-effective but can add significant overhead time to recovery while waiting for shipment and setup; conversely, storing unused equipment is costly, but allows recovery operations to begin more quickly. When selecting the most appropriate strategy, note that the availability of transportation may be limited or temporarily halted in the event of a catastrophic disaster. Based on impacts discovered through the BIA, consideration should be given to the possibility of a widespread disaster entailing mass equipment replacement and transportation delays that would extend the recovery period. Regardless of the strategy selected, detailed lists of equipment needs and specifications should be maintained within the contingency plan.
This chapter focuses on contingency planning and deals primarily with common technologies that can be used to support contingency capabilities, presenting contingency planning principles for the following common platform types: client/server systems, telecommunications systems, and mainframe systems. First, it gives me background information on contingency planning, including the purpose of various security and emergency management-related programs, how they relate to the ISCP, and how they can be integrated into an organization’s overall resiliency strategy in a framework (RMF) by implementing the six steps of risk management. Next, it discusses the basic planning principles needed to develop an effective emergency response capability. Third, it breaks down the development of an information systems contingency plan to document the contingency strategy and develop the ISCP, and finally, it informs me of contingency planning issues for the three common platform types listed in Section 1.3, Scope.
One of the least technical but most important takeaways from this reading, from an executive management perspective, is the cost considerations during contingency planning. A competent information security team with an unlimited budget would keep the organization’s equipment up-to-date at all times, have multiple alternate hot sites, back up all the enterprise’s data, keep a large group or security specialists on-staff full-time, and pay for the latest and greatest training to stay on top of the latest information security threats. The reason that no organization implements 100% of all available contingency planning measures is that no organization has an unlimited budget. Hence, when contingency planning, the security team must be able to identify the controls that offer the highest benefit-to-cost ratio. Executive management will only dedicate resources to measures that will maintain critical business operations (and save money) enough to outweigh the cost of implementation.
One of the key conclusions I have come to by reading the Federal Information Systems Contingency Planning Guidelines is the clear distinction between contingency plans and continuity plans. Contingency plans relate to plans specific to the information system itself, while continuity plans relate to plans specific to the organization’s mission/business processes. From the overall perspective of incident and disaster response, these two types of plans (as well as more types of plans not yet mentioned, e.g., COOP, Crisis Communications, etc.) must be integrated without duplication or omission of taking the necessary steps to continue business as usual, so even though they are clearly different, the teams that develop such plans need to communicate well and frequently.
The purpose of the guidance is to help agencies establish a comprehensive and coordinated emergency response strategy to ensure rapid and effective recovery of information system services in the event of an outage. The Federal Information Systems Emergency Planning Guide is an important document that provides federal agencies with detailed guidance on how to plan and implement information systems emergency plans. By following the guidelines’ recommendations and best practices, organizations can establish comprehensive and effective emergency plans to ensure timely response and recovery of information system services in the face of emergencies or disasters.
Contingency plans should contain well-thought-out plans, procedures and technical measures that should result in the effective recovery of the system as soon as possible after a service disruption. Contingency plans typically include strategies for restoring the information system using standby equipment, performing some or all of the affected business processes using standby processing (manual) means, resuming the operation of the information system at the standby location, and implementing the relevant contingency plan controls in accordance with the security impact level of the information system. The guidance also highlights the need for the contingency plan development process to take into account the specific needs of the organization. At the same time, contingency plans need to be coordinated with other business continuity plans and risk management plans to ensure that, in the event of an emergency, the organization can respond quickly and effectively to protect the safety of personnel, minimize property damage, and resume business operations as soon as possible.
The Federal Information Systems Emergency Planning Guide, also known as NIST Special Publication 800-34, provides guidance for federal agencies and organizations in developing effective emergency response and contingency plans for their information systems. This document is published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and serves as a comprehensive resource for preparing and responding to various types of incidents and disasters that may impact information systems.
The document provides guidance on how to establish a disaster recovery plan (DRP) so that organizations can recover and restore their information system functions, infrastructure, and data processing capabilities. If an organization experiences a disaster such as a cybersecurity attack, natural disaster, or terrorist attack, not having a disaster recovery plan can prevent the organization from recovering effectively and efficiently. A disaster recovery plan is an important document because it Outlines strategies and steps to minimize the impact of a disaster so that an organization can continue its daily operations and functions. A few of the steps mentioned in the NIST SP 800 34r1 Federal Information Systems Emergency Planning Guide are collecting data, building a disaster recovery plan (DRP) and recovery strategy, testing and validating the DRP, and testing and updating the DRP
The Federal Information Systems Emergency Planning Guide, commonly referred to as NIST Special Publication 800-34, serves as a crucial resource for federal agencies and organizations in establishing a comprehensive and coordinated emergency response strategy. Its primary objective is to ensure rapid and effective recovery of information system services during outages, incidents, or disasters. By providing detailed guidance on planning and implementing emergency plans for information systems, this document promotes the adoption of best practices and recommendations that facilitate timely response and recovery. By leveraging the Federal Information Systems Emergency Planning Guide, organizations can ensure the resilience and availability of their critical information systems, minimizing the impact of emergencies and disasters on their operations.
NIST SP 800 34 R1 provides the guidelines for preparing and maintaining information system contingency plans. There is a seven-step contingency plan which includes developing the contingency planning policy statement, conducting a business impact analysis, identifying preventative controls, creating contingency strategies, developing an information system contingency plan, ensuring the planning of testing, training, and exercises, and ensuring plan maintenance. Of these seven I think conducting the business impact analysis the most important because the main purpose is to figure out the critical business processes of supporting systems.
NIST SP 800 34 R1 provides the guidelines for preparing and maintaining information system contingency plans. There is a seven-step contingency plan which includes developing the contingency planning policy statement, conducting a business impact analysis, identifying preventative controls, creating contingency strategies, developing an information system contingency plan, ensuring the planning of testing, training, and exercises, and ensuring plan maintenance. Of these seven I find conducting the business impact analysis the most important because the main purpose is to figure out the critical business processes of supporting systems.
The NIST SP 800 34r1 section 5.1 detailed some common technical considerations when developing the contingency plans. Those considerations including:
Use of information gathered from the BIA process, development of data security, integrity, and backup policies and procedures, protection of equipment and system resources, adherence and compliance with security controls in NIST SP 800-53, development of primary and alternate sites with appropriately sized and configured power management systems and environmental control and use of high availability.
The key point that stood out to me in this reading is the difference between the continuing of operations plan (COOP) and the information system contingency plan (ISCP). The reading states the COOP plans address national, primary, or mission essential functions while the ISCP specifically address federal information systems. As such, not all government mission/business processes fall within the scope of COOP. However, all ISCPs apply to all information systems in federal organizations.
The document discusses essential contingency plan elements and processes, highlights specific considerations and concerns associated with contingency planning for various types of information system platforms, and provides examples to assist.
The document introduces the concepts and importance of Business Continuity Plan (BCP) and Continuity of Operations (COOP) plan. BCP focuses on sustaining the organization’s mission/business processes and can be written for individual business units or the entire organization, with a focus on ensuring coordination with information systems. COOP plan, on the other hand, emphasizes the restoration of mission-critical functions at alternate locations and their execution for up to 30 days, with standard elements including plans and procedures, continuity communications, risk management, etc. It also notes that federal directives mandate organizations to develop COOP plans, distinguishing them from other plans like BCPs.
NIST SP 800-34r1 provides comprehensive guidance on contingency planning for federal information systems, emphasizing the importance of preparing for and responding to disruptions in system availability. it is emphasis on creating and maintaining a contingency planning policy and framework tailored to the organization’s specific needs. This underscores the proactive approach necessary for effective contingency planning, which includes identifying potential risks, assessing their impact, and developing strategies to mitigate them. Additionally, the document highlights the importance of regular testing and updating of contingency plans to ensure their effectiveness in real-world scenarios. Overall, NIST SP 800-34r1 serves as a valuable resource for organizations looking to enhance their resilience against disruptions to their information systems.
In order for an organization to operate in a sustainable and stable manner, it must have a well-constructed contingency plan and strong resilience built in advance. This means that the organization not only needs to be able to withstand the various threats that may arise during operations, but also needs to consider the impact of external factors such as the environment. Rather than waiting until a problem arises to find a solution, organizations need to build a flexible infrastructure in advance to minimize potential operational disruptions and negative impacts.
To ensure the effectiveness of contingency plans, organizations need to conduct an in-depth Business Impact Analysis (BIA) based on the FIPS 199 standard. This analysis centers on assessing the performance of information and information systems in terms of confidentiality, integrity, and availability, and explores their potential impact on the organization’s operations, assets, and individuals.
The benefit of a BIA is that it provides organizations with a clear framework for assessing the value of their assets, helping businesses to better target resources and prioritize the protection of those critical assets that have the greatest impact on the business. Additionally, while high-availability options are critical to ensuring organizational operations, due to their high setup, operation, and maintenance costs, organizations should choose carefully and target investments only to those high-impact information systems that require a high level of assurance. For relatively low-impact information systems, more cost-effective contingency options can be utilized and moderate downtime accepted to allow for recovery or restoration of data, if necessary.
A key lesson to be learned from this reading is to weigh the costs of downtime and recovery equally. The cost of downtime increases with the duration of the disturbance. The cost of downtime is decreased by a quicker recovery time, but the implementation of recovery solutions is more costly. Finding a balance between these expenses offers an ideal spot between interruption and recovery costs, but it can also prove to be a very difficult undertaking given that downtime costs and recovery costs vary throughout firms.
The Federal Information Systems Emergency Planning Guidelines are an important resource for federal agencies and organizations to develop a comprehensive, coordinated emergency response strategy. I pay more attention to the disaster recovery plan, which is one of the most important plans in the enterprise. Every organization must implement a disaster recovery plan in case a disaster strikes. According to NIST, a disaster recovery plan is an information system designed to restore the operability of a target system, application, or computer infrastructure at an alternate site after an emergency. The most important aspects of disaster recovery are resources and equipment, recovery time, and who is responsible for ensuring that operations are carried out according to plan.
NIST SP 800-34r1, also known as the “Contingency Planning Guide for Federal Information Systems,” is a publication issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) that provides guidance for contingency planning for federal information systems. This guide is specifically designed to assist federal agencies in developing and implementing coordinated strategies to ensure the recovery of their information systems, operations, and data in the event of a disruption.
The guide emphasizes the importance of having a comprehensive contingency plan that addresses various types of disruptions, including those caused by natural disasters, cyberattacks, or technological failures. It outlines the key elements of a contingency plan, including plans, procedures, and technical measures that enable the recovery of information systems, operations, and data.
Some of the key features and recommendations of the NIST SP 800-34r1 include:
Identification of critical systems and components: The guide recommends identifying and prioritizing critical systems and components that support critical business functions and operations. This helps agencies focus their contingency planning efforts on the most important areas.
Assessment of vulnerabilities and risks: Agencies are encouraged to conduct thorough assessments of their information systems to identify vulnerabilities and risks that could lead to service disruptions. This assessment should consider both internal and external threats, as well as the impact of disasters on the agency’s infrastructure and operations.
Development of recovery strategies: The guide outlines various recovery strategies that agencies can employ to restore their information systems, operations, and data in the event of a disruption. These strategies may include the use of backup devices, alternative processing methods, or relocating operations to alternative locations.
Coordination and communication: The guide emphasizes the importance of establishing effective coordination and communication mechanisms within the agency to ensure a rapid and coordinated response during a disruption. This includes having clearly defined roles and responsibilities, as well as established communication channels and protocols.
Testing and maintenance: The guide recommends regularly testing and maintaining contingency plans to ensure their effectiveness and readiness. This includes conducting mock exercises and simulations to identify any gaps or issues with the plan and making necessary updates and improvements.
Overall, the NIST SP 800-34r1 provides federal agencies with a comprehensive framework for contingency planning that can help them ensure the availability, integrity, and security of their information systems during times of crisis.
NIST SP 800-34r1 provides comprehensive guidance for emergency planning of federal information systems, emphasizing the importance of preparing for and responding to system availability disruptions. It emphasizes the development and maintenance of emergency planning policies and frameworks that are suitable for the specific needs of the organization. This highlights the proactive methods required for effective emergency planning, including identifying potential risks, assessing their impact, and developing strategies to mitigate risks. In addition, the document emphasizes the importance of regularly testing and updating emergency plans to ensure their effectiveness in the real world. Overall, NIST SP 800-34r1 is an important resource for organizations seeking to enhance their resilience to information system interruptions.
One part I learned from this guideline is the policy of backup methods and offsite storage. It is based on the backup frequency and scope according to the criticality of the data and the frequency of the updated data. Commercial data storage facilities are elements specifically designed to archive media and protect data from threats. The data backup policy should be based on geographic area, accessibility, security, environment, and cost to specify the location of the stored data, file naming conventions, media rotation frequency, and the method of data transmission in different places.
1. Disaster Recovery Plan is the key to a complete information security plan. the DRP serves as a useful complement to a business continuity plan, ensuring that appropriate technical controls are in place to keep the business running and to restore services after a disruption.
2. the organisation’s Disaster Recovery Plan is the single most important document under the supervision of security professionals and provides safeguards for staff responsible for ensuring continuity of operations in the event of a disaster. While restoring the primary site to an operational state, the DRP provides an orderly sequence of activation of alternate site events. Once the DRP has been successfully developed, train the appropriate users to ensure accurate records are kept and regular checks are made to ensure that responders have a clear understanding of the plan.
3. When a disaster disrupts a company’s business, the disaster recovery plan should be able to function almost automatically and begin to support recovery operations. The disaster recovery plan should be designed in such a way that the first employee at the site of the disaster is able to start recovery efforts in an organised and immediate manner, even if the official DRP team member does not arrive on site.
Disaster recovery plan (DRP) is a documented and structured approach that describes how an organization can recover and restore system functionality, data, and infrastructure to quickly resume work after an unplanned incident. Absence of a disaster recovery plan will pose many risks such as: inability for the company to operate effectively, inability to recover systems and data in the event of a disaster, inability to recover from financial loss, and reputational damage for poor handling of the disaster. DRP plan is important as it contains strategies to minimize the effects of a disaster so the organization can continue its operations.
Information system emergency plan is very necessary, and regular testing and emergency plan drill are indispensable.
The NIST SP 800 34r1 “Federal Information System Emergency Plan Guidelines” provide standard procedures for the development of disaster recovery plans in three stages (activation and notification, recovery and restructuring).
Information systems are vital elements in most mission/business processes. Because information system resources are so essential to an organization’s success, it is critical that identified services provided by these systems are able to operate effectively without excessive interruption. Contingency planning supports this requirement by establishing thorough plans, procedures, and technical measures that can enable a system to be recovered as quickly and effectively as possible following a service disruption.
Contingency planning is unique to each system, providing preventive measures, recovery strategies, and technical considerations appropriate to the system’s information confidentiality, integrity, and availability requirements and the system impact level.
An organization must have the ability to withstand all hazards and sustain its mission through environmental changes. These changes can be gradual, such as economic or mission changes, or sudden, as in a disaster event. Rather than just working to identify and mitigate threats, vulnerabilities, and risks, organizations can work toward building a resilient infrastructure, minimizing the impact of any disruption on mission essential functions.
NIST SP 800-34r1 (National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800-34r1) is a document published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the United States. It is titled “Contingency Planning Guide for Federal Information Systems.”
This guide provides a comprehensive framework to assist federal agencies and information system managers in developing and implementing contingency plans. Contingency planning is a set of strategies and processes used to ensure business continuity in the event of information system failures, attacks, or unexpected events.
The main objectives of NIST SP 800-34r1 are to help organizations:
1. Assess risks: The guide provides a method for evaluating and analyzing the threats and risks that may impact information systems. This helps organizations identify the measures needed to mitigate potential risks and their impacts on systems.
2. Develop contingency plans: The guide provides a detailed overview of various aspects of contingency planning, including the goals, scope, organization, and coordination of contingency plans. It provides detailed instructions on the tasks and activities required to develop a plan, including risk analysis, business impact analysis, backup and recovery strategies, testing and drills, training, and communication.
3. Implement and test plans: The guide provides recommendations on implementing and testing contingency plans. This includes ensuring the availability of the necessary resources and tools, developing testing plans and procedures, and periodically evaluating and revising the plans.
4. Relevance and compliance: The guide links contingency planning closely to other information security frameworks and compliance requirements, such as NIST’s Risk Management Framework (RMF) and the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). It highlights that contingency plans should be integrated with other security, risk management, and compliance efforts to ensure a comprehensive information security program.
NIST SP 800-34r1 is a guide for federal Information Systems contingency Planning to develop, implement, test, and maintain contingency plans for their information systems to ensure rapid recovery of critical business operations and services in the face of a variety of potential threats and emergencies. Develop an appropriate contingency plan based on NIST SP 800-34r1’s guidance, combined with your business needs and risk profile. These plans need to be updated and tested on a regular basis to ensure effective execution in real emergency situations, safeguarding continuity of critical business operations and data integrity. By following these guidelines and methodologies, federal agencies can more effectively respond to potential threats and emergencies, ensuring business continuity and data security.
In this reading, I found that equipment replacement is also crucial. If the information system is damaged or destroyed or the primary site is unavailable, necessary hardware and software will need to be activated or procured quickly and delivered to the alternate location. Three basic strategies exist to prepare for equipment replacement: 1. Vendor Agreements. 2. Equipment Inventory. 3. Existing Compatible Equipment. When evaluating the choices, the ISCP Coordinator should consider that purchasing equipment when needed is cost-effective but can add significant overhead time to recovery while waiting for shipment and setup; conversely, storing unused equipment is costly, but allows recovery operations to begin more quickly. When selecting the most appropriate strategy, note that the availability of transportation may be limited or temporarily halted in the event of a catastrophic disaster. Based on impacts discovered through the BIA, consideration should be given to the possibility of a widespread disaster entailing mass equipment replacement and transportation delays that would extend the recovery period. Regardless of the strategy selected, detailed lists of equipment needs and specifications should be maintained within the contingency plan.
This chapter focuses on contingency planning and deals primarily with common technologies that can be used to support contingency capabilities, presenting contingency planning principles for the following common platform types: client/server systems, telecommunications systems, and mainframe systems. First, it gives me background information on contingency planning, including the purpose of various security and emergency management-related programs, how they relate to the ISCP, and how they can be integrated into an organization’s overall resiliency strategy in a framework (RMF) by implementing the six steps of risk management. Next, it discusses the basic planning principles needed to develop an effective emergency response capability. Third, it breaks down the development of an information systems contingency plan to document the contingency strategy and develop the ISCP, and finally, it informs me of contingency planning issues for the three common platform types listed in Section 1.3, Scope.