Question

During a recent incident, sensitive data was disclosed and subsequently destroyed through a properly secured, cloud-based storage platform. An incident response technician is working with management to develop an after action report that conveys critical metrics regarding the incident.

Which of the following would be MOST important to senior leadership to determine the impact of the breach?

A. The likely per-record cost of the breach to the organization
B. The legal or regulatory exposure that exists due to the breach
C. The amount of downtime required to restore the data
D. The number of records compromised

Answer 1

The impact of a data breach is best determined by measuring key metrics such as the per-record cost of the breach, legal or regulatory exposure, and the number of records compromised. These metrics provide senior leadership with a comprehensive understanding of the breach's financial impact, legal risks, and the extent of the data affected.

Step-by-step explanation:

When determining the impact of a data breach on an organization, senior leadership often focuses on certain critical metrics to assess the severity and implications of the incident. Three of these key metrics include:

• The likely per-record cost of the breach to the organization, which helps in understanding the financial impact.
• The legal or regulatory exposure that the organization faces as a result of the breach, which indicates the potential for fines or legal actions.
• The number of records compromised, as this figure relates directly to the scope of the breach and how many individuals or transactions were affected.

Each piece of data contributes to a comprehensive view of the breach's effects, informing how the management should respond and take action to prevent future security incidents. Furthermore, proper analysis of these metrics will support the creation of an effective after action report that can serve to improve data security practices and protocols.