CyberGreen: A fictional Case Study

In this case study, I am creating an organization called "CyberGreen," which is a non-profit that focuses on cybersecurity and digital resilience. CyberGreen relies heavily on technology to achieve its mission of promoting cyber hygiene and reducing cyber risk. The organization has 30 full-time employees, 20 contractors, and 10 volunteers who work together to develop and implement cyber risk assessments, vulnerability scans, and other cybersecurity measures. CyberGreen has a culture of transparency, collaboration, and trust, where employees are encouraged to share insights and collaborate to develop innovative solutions.

CyberGreen's IT environment consists of several systems, including a website, database, and cloud-based applications that are used to manage and store data related to its cyber risk assessments and other initiatives. The organization also uses social media and email to communicate with its stakeholders, partners, and volunteers. As a non-profit, CyberGreen is subject to several regulations, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which require the organization to protect the personal data of its users and stakeholders.

To enhance this case study, CyberGreen could further develop its partnerships with other non-profits, academic institutions, and government agencies to increase its reach and impact. The organization could also consider adopting more advanced cybersecurity technologies within its own operations to stay ahead of evolving cyber threats. Additionally, CyberGreen could expand its educational outreach programs to raise awareness of cyber risks and promote cyber hygiene among businesses, governments, and individuals. As we discuss this case study with other students, we can identify potential assets, threats, and vulnerabilities that CyberGreen may face in its operations and explore ways to address them.

IT Audit

As an IT auditor, the first step in assessing CyberGreen's IT infrastructure would be to gather information about the organization's assets, threats, and vulnerabilities. This paper outlines the steps an IT auditor would take to assess CyberGreen's IT infrastructure, including the assets to be assessed, the threat information to be collected, the threats to be identified, and the vulnerabilities to be assessed.

To gather IT asset information, an IT auditor would typically start by reviewing CyberGreen's asset inventory. This would include identifying all hardware, software, and data assets that the organization uses to support its operations. Based on the information provided in the case study, the assets that an IT auditor would assess include the website, database, cloud-based applications, social media accounts, and email system. An IT auditor would prioritize these assets based on their criticality to the organization's operations. For example, the website and database may be considered critical, while social media accounts and email may be considered less critical.

An IT auditor would gather threat information from multiple sources, including threat intelligence feeds, industry reports, and internal security logs. The threat information collected would help identify potential threats to CyberGreen's IT infrastructure. In this case, an IT auditor would identify at least three potential threats, including malware attacks, phishing attacks, and distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.

The threat agents associated with these threats could be natural, accidental, or deliberate. Malware attacks and phishing attacks are typically deliberate, with threat agents such as cybercriminals or nation-state actors attempting to gain unauthorized access to CyberGreen's IT infrastructure. DDoS attacks, on the other hand, may be either deliberate or accidental, with threat agents including cybercriminals, hacktivists, or even legitimate users who inadvertently overload CyberGreen's systems.

The impact and likelihood of each threat would need to be assessed. A malware attack could potentially compromise CyberGreen's data, disrupt operations, and result in reputational damage. The likelihood of a malware attack may be high, given the prevalence of malware in today's threat landscape. Similarly, a phishing attack could lead to data theft or unauthorized access to CyberGreen's IT infrastructure. The likelihood of a phishing attack may also be high, given that phishing attacks are one of the most common types of cyber-attacks. A DDoS attack, while not typically resulting in data theft, could cause significant disruption to CyberGreen's operations. The likelihood of a DDoS attack may be lower than that of a malware or phishing attack but should still be considered a significant risk.

To gather and assess vulnerabilities, an IT auditor would typically conduct a vulnerability assessment of CyberGreen's IT infrastructure. Based on the information provided in the case study, at least three vulnerabilities could be identified, including unpatched software, weak access controls, and inadequate backup and recovery processes.

The severity and likelihood of each vulnerability would need to be assessed. An unpatched software vulnerability could potentially be exploited by threat actors to gain unauthorized access to CyberGreen's systems or compromise data. The severity of this vulnerability would be high, as it could result in significant damage to CyberGreen's operations and reputation. The likelihood of compromise may also be high, given that unpatched software vulnerabilities are a common attack vector. Weak access controls could similarly be exploited by threat actors to gain unauthorized access to CyberGreen's systems. The severity of this vulnerability would also be high, as it could result in unauthorized data access or modification. The likelihood of compromise may be lower than that of unpatched software, but still significant.

In addition to external threats, insider threats also pose a significant risk to CyberGreen's IT infrastructure. Insiders can exploit their access to sensitive data or systems to steal, modify or delete data, or introduce malware or other malicious code into the network. The impact of insider threats can be severe, resulting in financial losses, reputational damage, or legal liabilities.

To gather and assess vulnerabilities in this case, an IT auditor would need to conduct a vulnerability assessment of CyberGreen's IT environment. A vulnerability assessment involves identifying, quantifying, and prioritizing vulnerabilities in the IT infrastructure. Some of the vulnerabilities that could be present in CyberGreen's IT environment include unpatched software, weak passwords, misconfigured systems, and unsecured wireless networks.

Based on the information provided in the case study, some of the specific vulnerabilities that CyberGreen could be facing include:

· Unpatched software: CyberGreen's IT environment consists of several systems, including a website, database, and cloud-based applications. Unpatched software is a common vulnerability that attackers can exploit to gain unauthorized access to systems, steal data, or introduce malware. The severity of this vulnerability is high, as attackers can use exploits that are readily available on the internet to launch attacks.

· Weak passwords: CyberGreen employees, contractors, and volunteers may use weak passwords that are easy to guess or crack. Weak passwords can be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized access to systems or steal sensitive data. The likelihood of compromise for this vulnerability is high, as users often choose weak passwords or reuse the same password across multiple accounts.

· Misconfigured systems: Misconfigured systems, such as firewalls or network devices, can create security gaps that attackers can exploit to gain access to sensitive data or systems. The severity of this vulnerability is high, as attackers can use automated tools to scan for misconfigured systems and launch attacks.

If CyberGreen has implemented some basic security controls, such as firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and antivirus software, the impact and likelihood of compromise for these vulnerabilities may be reduced. However, the effectiveness of these controls depends on how they are configured, managed, and monitored. For example, if the firewalls are not properly configured, they may not be able to prevent all unauthorized access attempts, resulting in a higher likelihood of compromise. Similarly, if the antivirus software is not updated regularly, it may not detect new malware or variants, resulting in a higher impact in the event of a successful attack.

IT Auditor Process of CyberGreen

As an IT auditor, my goal is to assess the IT environment of CyberGreen, a non-profit organization that focuses on cybersecurity and digital resilience. I will complete the following stages to finalize the audit of CyberGreen’s IT infrastructure and Security:

Stage 1: Audit Planning

The first stage is audit planning. In this stage, I will define the audit universe and set the audit goals. My audit universe will include all IT systems, processes, and controls related to CyberGreen's operations. My audit goals will be to assess the effectiveness of CyberGreen's IT controls, identify vulnerabilities, and provide recommendations for improvement. The output of this stage will be the audit plan, which will provide an outline of the scope, objectives, and methodology of the audit. It will also identify the audit team and their responsibilities, as well as the timeline for the audit.

Stage 2: Risk Assessment

The second stage is risk assessment. In this stage, I will identify and evaluate risks to CyberGreen's IT environment. Using the asset list created in the previous stage to identify critical assets that require protection. To accomplish this stage, I will conduct interviews with CyberGreen's management team to identify their perception of risks and assess the organization's risk appetite. I will also review relevant policies and procedures related to risk management. The output of this stage will be the risk assessment report, which will identify potential risks, their likelihood, and potential impact.

Stage 3: Testing and Evaluation

The third stage is testing and evaluation. In this stage, I will test the effectiveness of CyberGreen's IT controls to determine if they are operating as intended. To accomplish this, I will select a sample of controls for testing and conduct detailed evaluations of their effectiveness. For example, I will review access controls, network security, and backup procedures. The output of this stage will be the testing report, which will document the results of the testing and identify any weaknesses or areas for improvement.

Stage 4: Reporting

The final stage is reporting. In this stage, I will summarize the results of the audit and provide recommendations for improvement. I will prepare a final report that includes an executive summary, the scope and objectives of the audit, a summary of the findings, and recommendations for improvement. The report will also include a management response section where CyberGreen's management team can respond to the audit findings and outline their plan for implementing the recommendations. The audit report will provide a comprehensive analysis of CyberGreen's IT environment, including any potential risks and vulnerabilities, and recommendations for improvement.

As an IT auditor, these are the stages I would follow to assess CyberGreen's IT environment. By conducting a risk assessment, testing and evaluation, and providing recommendations for improvement, I can help CyberGreen to improve their IT controls, reduce their risk of cyberattacks, and enhance their overall cybersecurity posture.