Chapter 2: How to conduct a business impact analysis

As an MSP or MSSP looking to become a vCISO, one of your primary responsibilities is to align cybersecurity strategies with your client’s business objectives. A critical tool in achieving this alignment is the Business Impact Analysis (BIA). 

The main goal of a BIA is to identify the key functions of an organization and understand how these functions could be impacted by different types of disruptions, such as cyber-attacks, data breaches, system failures, or natural disasters. By assessing the potential consequences, you can prioritize recovery efforts and implement appropriate safeguards. A well-conducted BIA helps you:

• Identify critical business functions and processes.
• Determine the potential impact of disruptions on these functions.
• Prioritize resources and responses based on business needs.
• Develop risk mitigation strategies to protect essential operations.

The following steps are required to conduct a business impact analysis.

Step 1: Identify key business functions and processes

Begin by mapping out the organization’s key business functions and processes. These are the activities that are essential to the organization’s operation and success. Engage with different departments to understand their workflows, dependencies, and the role of each function in achieving business objectives. Examples of critical functions include order processing, customer support, financial transactions, and regulatory compliance.

Step 2: Collect data

Gather data related to each identified business function. This includes information about dependencies (both internal and external), the resources required (personnel, technology, facilities), and the current security measures in place. Use interviews, surveys, and questionnaires to collect insights from stakeholders. The goal is to understand how each function operates, what it needs to succeed, and what would happen if it were disrupted.

Step 3: Analyze potential impacts

For each critical function, analyze the potential impacts of different types of disruptions. Consider the following factors:

• Operational Impact
• Financial Impact
• Reputational Impact
• Compliance Impact

How will the disruption affect the day-to-day operations? Will it cause a complete shutdown, a slowdown, or a minor inconvenience?

What are the potential financial losses due to downtime, lost sales, or regulatory fines?

How will the disruption affect the organization’s reputation with customers, partners, and stakeholders?

Will the disruption lead to non-compliance with industry regulations or contractual obligations?

Assign a qualitative or quantitative value to each type of impact (e.g., low, medium, high), helping to prioritize which functions require immediate attention and robust safeguards.

Step 4: Determine Maximum Acceptable Downtime (MAD) and Recovery Time Objectives (RTO)

For each critical function, establish the Maximum Acceptable Downtime (MAD) – the maximum time that the function can be unavailable without causing significant harm to the business. Also, set the Recovery Time Objective (RTO) – the target time to restore the function after a disruption. These metrics help in defining the urgency and resources required for recovery efforts.

Step 5: Develop risk mitigation strategies

Based on your analysis, develop strategies to mitigate the identified risks. This could involve implementing stronger security controls, creating redundancy for critical systems, developing incident response plans, or investing in disaster recovery solutions. The goal is to minimize the likelihood of disruptions and reduce their impact on the business.

Step 6: Communicate findings and recommendations

Prepare a comprehensive report that outlines the findings of your BIA. This report should include an executive summary, detailed analysis of each critical function, potential impacts, and recommended mitigation strategies. Use clear, non-technical language and visual aids (charts, graphs) to present your findings. The report should be understandable to all stakeholders, including executives and board members.