Risk Treatment Plan Template
Introduction to Risk Treatment Plans
A Risk Treatment Plan (RTP) is the comprehensive document that transforms risk assessments into actionable security programs. While the Risk Register catalogs all identified risks, the RTP provides the roadmap, resources, timeline, and governance for systematically treating those risks that exceed acceptable levels.
What is a Risk Treatment Plan?
An RTP is a strategic and operational document that:
- Prioritizes Risks: Ranks treatment activities by urgency and business impact
- Allocates Resources: Defines budget, personnel, and technology requirements
- Sets Timelines: Establishes milestones, deadlines, and critical paths
- Assigns Accountability: Clearly designates owners and responsibilities
- Tracks Progress: Provides dashboards and metrics for monitoring
- Ensures Governance: Defines approval, reporting, and escalation processes
- Demonstrates Compliance: Shows systematic approach to ISO 27001 auditors
Why is an RTP Essential?
For ISO 27001 Compliance:
- Clause 6.1.3 requires plans for information security risk treatment
- Clause 6.2 requires information security objectives and plans to achieve them
- Essential evidence for certification audits
- Demonstrates management commitment and resource allocation
For Organizational Value:
- Transforms good intentions into concrete actions
- Prevents security initiatives from stalling
- Enables budget justification and approval
- Facilitates stakeholder communication
- Tracks ROI on security investments
- Builds accountability into risk management
Without an RTP:
- Risk treatments remain aspirational ("we should implement MFA someday")
- No clear prioritization (everything feels urgent)
- Resources remain uncommitted (no budget approval)
- Accountability is unclear (no one owns execution)
- Progress is invisible (can't report status)
- Auditors question management commitment
Risk Treatment Plan Structure
Complete RTP Table of Contents
RISK TREATMENT PLAN
[Organization Name]
[Planning Period: e.g., FY2025]
Version: 1.0
Date: [Date]
Classification: Internal - Confidential
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.1 Purpose and Scope
1.2 Risk Landscape Overview
1.3 Treatment Strategy Summary
1.4 Resource Requirements
1.5 Key Milestones
1.6 Executive Recommendations
2. RISK TREATMENT PRIORITIES
2.1 Critical Priorities (Extreme/High Risks)
2.2 High Priorities (Medium Risks - Critical Assets)
2.3 Medium Priorities (Medium Risks - Non-Critical Assets)
2.4 Low Priorities (Opportunistic Improvements)
2.5 Deferred Treatments (Future Consideration)
3. TREATMENT DETAILS BY RISK
3.1 Risk Identification
3.2 Current State Assessment
3.3 Target State Definition
3.4 Treatment Approach
3.5 Implementation Plan
3.6 Resource Requirements
3.7 Success Criteria
4. RESOURCE PLANNING
4.1 Budget Summary
4.2 Personnel Requirements
4.3 Technology and Tools
4.4 External Resources (Consultants, Vendors)
4.5 Training and Development
5. IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE
5.1 Master Schedule (Gantt Chart)
5.2 Phase-Based Roadmap
5.3 Dependencies and Critical Path
5.4 Milestone Calendar
5.5 Risk and Contingency Planning
6. TREATMENT TRACKING DASHBOARD
6.1 Overall Progress Metrics
6.2 Risk-by-Risk Status
6.3 Budget Utilization
6.4 Key Risk Indicators (KRIs)
6.5 Issues and Blockers
7. SUCCESS CRITERIA AND METRICS
7.1 Risk Reduction Targets
7.2 Control Effectiveness KPIs
7.3 Compliance Milestones
7.4 Return on Investment (ROI)
8. GOVERNANCE AND REPORTING
8.1 Roles and Responsibilities
8.2 Approval Process
8.3 Progress Reporting Schedule
8.4 Change Control Process
8.5 Escalation Procedures
9. APPENDICES
A. Detailed Risk Assessments
B. Cost-Benefit Analyses
C. Vendor Proposals and Contracts
D. Risk Acceptance Forms
E. Stakeholder Approval Signatures
Section 1: Executive Summary
The Executive Summary provides leadership with the essential information to understand, approve, and support the Risk Treatment Plan.
1.1 Purpose and Scope
PURPOSE
This Risk Treatment Plan (RTP) defines the organization's systematic approach
to treating information security risks that exceed acceptable levels for the
period January 2025 - December 2025.
The RTP translates the risk assessments documented in the Risk Register into
concrete actions, timelines, and resource allocations to:
- Reduce unacceptable risks to acceptable levels
- Maintain compliance with ISO 27001 and regulatory requirements
- Protect critical business assets and processes
- Demonstrate management commitment to information security
- Optimize security investment return on investment (ROI)
SCOPE
This RTP covers:
- All information security risks rated Medium or higher (risk score ≥10)
- All risks affecting business-critical assets (regardless of rating)
- All risks with regulatory compliance implications
- Total of 52 risks requiring active treatment
Out of Scope:
- Low and Very Low risks (risk score <10) - managed through monitoring only
- Physical security risks (separate plan)
- Business continuity risks (separate plan)
- Third-party risks requiring vendor action only (tracked in vendor management)
PLANNING PERIOD
- Start Date: January 1, 2025
- End Date: December 31, 2025
- Next Review: October 2025 (for FY2026 planning)
DOCUMENT GOVERNANCE
- Document Owner: Jane Smith, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
- Approval Authority: John Doe, Chief Information Officer (CIO)
- Review Frequency: Quarterly
- Version Control: Major updates increment version (1.0 → 2.0)
- Distribution: Executive Leadership Team, IT Leadership, Risk Committee
1.2 Risk Landscape Overview
CURRENT RISK PROFILE (as of December 2024)
Total Risks Identified: 127
├─ Extreme (20-25): 2 risks (1.6%)
├─ High (15-19): 12 risks (9.4%)
├─ Medium (10-14): 38 risks (29.9%)
├─ Low (5-9): 62 risks (48.8%)
└─ Very Low (1-4): 13 risks (10.2%)
Risks Requiring Treatment: 52 (Extreme, High, Medium)
Risks Accepted/Monitored: 75 (Low, Very Low)
RISK DISTRIBUTION BY CATEGORY
Technology Risks: 24 (46%)
├─ Access Control: 8 risks
├─ Network Security: 6 risks
├─ Application Security: 5 risks
├─ Endpoint Security: 3 risks
└─ Data Security: 2 risks
Process Risks: 12 (23%)
├─ Change Management: 4 risks
├─ Incident Response: 3 risks
├─ Backup/Recovery: 3 risks
└─ Monitoring: 2 risks
People Risks: 9 (17%)
├─ Security Awareness: 4 risks
├─ Privileged Access: 3 risks
└─ Insider Threat: 2 risks
Third-Party Risks: 5 (10%)
├─ Vendor Security: 3 risks
└─ Cloud Services: 2 risks
Compliance Risks: 2 (4%)
├─ GDPR: 1 risk
└─ PCI-DSS: 1 risk
TOP 5 RISKS (by residual score)
1. RISK-2024-012: Ransomware Attack (15 - High)
- Threat to all business systems and data
- Potential $5M loss and 1-week business interruption
- Priority: CRITICAL - Treatment by Q1 2025
2. RISK-2024-034: Malicious Insider Data Theft (12 - Medium)
- Threat to intellectual property and customer data
- Potential $3M loss and reputational damage
- Priority: HIGH - Treatment by Q2 2025
3. RISK-2024-045: Unauthorized Database Access (12 - Medium)
- Threat to customer PII and payment data
- Potential $2M loss and regulatory penalties
- Priority: HIGH - Treatment by Q2 2025
4. RISK-2024-089: DDoS Attack on E-commerce Platform (10 - Medium)
- Threat to revenue generation and customer access
- Potential $500K/day revenue loss
- Priority: MEDIUM - Treatment by Q3 2025
5. RISK-2024-102: Supply Chain Attack via Software Vendor (10 - Medium)
- Threat to business systems integrity
- Potential $2M loss and operational disruption
- Priority: MEDIUM - Treatment by Q3 2025
KEY TRENDS
Year-over-Year Comparison (2024 vs 2023):
✓ Average risk score decreased from 11.2 to 8.7 (22% reduction)
✓ Extreme/High risks reduced from 18 to 14 (22% reduction)
⚠ Ransomware risk increased from 12 to 15 (emerging threat)
✓ Compliance risks reduced from 5 to 2 (80% reduction)
Incident History (Past 12 Months):
- Total security incidents: 47
- Major incidents: 3
- Incidents linked to identified risks: 28 (60%)
- Incidents leading to new risk identification: 8
External Factors:
- Industry threat intelligence shows 40% increase in ransomware targeting
- New GDPR enforcement guidance released (impacts data handling)
- Supply chain attacks increasingly sophisticated
- Remote work environment increases attack surface
1.3 Treatment Strategy Summary
TREATMENT APPROACH OVERVIEW
Of 52 risks requiring treatment:
MODIFY (Treat/Reduce): 44 risks (85%)
- Implement technical controls: 32 risks
- Improve processes: 8 risks
- Enhance training: 4 risks
- Investment: $2.1M (84% of budget)
SHARE (Transfer): 6 risks (12%)
- Cyber insurance: 3 risks
- Outsourcing to specialized providers: 3 risks
- Investment: $240K (10% of budget)
AVOID (Eliminate): 2 risks (4%)
- Decommission legacy system: 1 risk
- Discontinue high-risk process: 1 risk
- Investment: $150K (6% of budget - one-time migration costs)
RETAIN (Accept): 0 risks
- All Medium+ risks will be actively treated
- Note: 75 Low/Very Low risks are already accepted with monitoring
DEFENSE IN DEPTH STRATEGY
This RTP emphasizes layered security controls:
Layer 1: Preventive Controls (Reduce Likelihood)
- Identity and access management
- Network security and segmentation
- Endpoint protection
- Security awareness training
Layer 2: Detective Controls (Early Detection)
- Security information and event management (SIEM)
- Intrusion detection systems (IDS)
- User behavior analytics
- Continuous monitoring
Layer 3: Corrective Controls (Rapid Response)
- Incident response procedures
- Automated response and orchestration
- Backup and recovery capabilities
- Business continuity planning
PHASED IMPLEMENTATION
Phase 1 (Q1 2025): Critical Risks
- 2 Extreme risks
- 5 High risks with immediate business impact
- Investment: $800K
- Expected risk reduction: Eliminate all Extreme risks
Phase 2 (Q2 2025): High Priority
- Remaining 7 High risks
- 15 Medium risks affecting critical assets
- Investment: $900K
- Expected risk reduction: Reduce all High risks to Medium or lower
Phase 3 (Q3-Q4 2025): Medium Priority
- Remaining 23 Medium risks
- Investment: $790K
- Expected risk reduction: Reduce all Medium risks to Low
Phase 4 (Ongoing): Continuous Improvement
- Monitor treated risks
- Address emerging risks
- Optimize control effectiveness
RISK REDUCTION TARGETS
Current State (Dec 2024):
- Average residual risk score: 8.7
- Extreme/High risks: 14 (11% of total)
- Medium risks: 38 (30% of total)
Target State (Dec 2025):
- Average residual risk score: ≤6.0 (31% reduction)
- Extreme/High risks: 0 (100% elimination)
- Medium risks: ≤15 (60% reduction)
Success Criteria: Achieve target state by Q4 2025 within approved budget
1.4 Resource Requirements
BUDGET SUMMARY
FY2025 Total Security Budget: $3.2M
Risk Treatment Allocation: $2.49M (78%)
Capital Expenditures (CapEx): $1.2M (48%)
- Security technology and tools: $900K
- Infrastructure upgrades: $200K
- Hardware (tokens, sensors, etc.): $100K
Operating Expenditures (OpEx): $1.29M (52%)
- Software licenses (annual): $450K
- Managed services: $340K
- Professional services: $300K
- Training: $100K
- Cyber insurance: $100K
Budget by Treatment Phase:
- Phase 1 (Q1): $800K (32%)
- Phase 2 (Q2): $900K (36%)
- Phase 3 (Q3-Q4): $790K (32%)
Budget by Risk Category:
- Ransomware protection: $650K (26%)
- Access control improvements: $480K (19%)
- Data protection: $380K (15%)
- Network security: $320K (13%)
- Security monitoring: $290K (12%)
- Awareness & training: $170K (7%)
- Incident response: $120K (5%)
- Other: $80K (3%)
PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS
Internal FTEs:
- CISO (project oversight): 0.3 FTE
- IT Security Manager: 1.0 FTE (dedicated to RTP execution)
- Security Engineers: 2.0 FTE
- Network Engineers: 0.5 FTE
- IT Operations: 0.5 FTE
- Compliance Analyst: 0.3 FTE
- Training Coordinator: 0.2 FTE
Total: 4.8 FTE
External Resources:
- Implementation consultants: 500 hours ($150/hr = $75K)
- Penetration testing: 160 hours ($200/hr = $32K)
- Training development: 200 hours ($150/hr = $30K)
- MSSP SOC analysts: 24/7 coverage ($15K/month = $180K annual)
TECHNOLOGY AND TOOLS
Major Technology Investments:
1. Extended Detection and Response (XDR): $250K
2. Privileged Access Management (PAM): $180K
3. Data Loss Prevention (DLP): $150K
4. Security Orchestration (SOAR): $120K
5. Identity Governance: $100K
6. Backup/Recovery upgrade: $80K
7. Network Access Control (NAC): $70K
8. Security Awareness Platform: $50K
DEPENDENCIES
Critical Dependencies:
- Budget approval by January 15, 2025 (risk: 2-month delay if not approved)
- IT infrastructure upgrades (network bandwidth, server capacity)
- Active Directory modernization project (enables identity controls)
- Cloud migration project (affects security architecture)
External Dependencies:
- Vendor product delivery timelines
- Consultant availability
- Third-party security assessments
- Regulatory guidance (GDPR, PCI-DSS)
1.5 Key Milestones
FY2025 RISK TREATMENT MILESTONES
Q1 2025 (January - March)
├─ Jan 15: RTP Budget Approval
├─ Jan 31: Phase 1 vendor contracts signed
├─ Feb 15: XDR platform deployed to pilot group
├─ Feb 28: Ransomware protection controls operational
├─ Mar 15: RISK-2024-012 (Ransomware) reduced to Medium
└─ Mar 31: Phase 1 Complete - All Extreme risks eliminated
Q2 2025 (April - June)
├─ Apr 15: PAM platform deployed for privileged accounts
├─ Apr 30: DLP policies configured and tested
├─ May 15: Security awareness training launched
├─ May 31: RISK-2024-034 (Insider threat) reduced to Low
├─ Jun 15: RISK-2024-045 (Database access) reduced to Low
└─ Jun 30: Phase 2 Complete - All High risks reduced to Medium or lower
Q3 2025 (July - September)
├─ Jul 15: Network security enhancements complete
├─ Jul 31: Application security improvements deployed
├─ Aug 15: Third-party risk management program operational
├─ Aug 31: Cloud security posture management implemented
├─ Sep 15: Endpoint security upgrades complete
└─ Sep 30: Phase 3 (Part 1) Complete - 60% of Medium risks reduced
Q4 2025 (October - December)
├─ Oct 15: Incident response capabilities enhanced
├─ Oct 31: Security monitoring coverage expanded
├─ Nov 15: Compliance gap remediation complete
├─ Nov 30: Risk reduction targets validated (independent assessment)
├─ Dec 15: FY2025 RTP final report published
└─ Dec 31: Phase 3 Complete - FY2025 RTP fully executed
KEY DECISION POINTS
January 15, 2025: Budget Approval
- Decision Maker: CFO / Executive Leadership Team
- Go/No-Go: If not approved, entire timeline shifts 2 months right
March 31, 2025: Phase 1 Success Review
- Decision Maker: CIO
- Go/No-Go: Validate Phase 1 results before committing Phase 2 budget
June 30, 2025: Mid-Year Review
- Decision Maker: Board Risk Committee
- Review: Progress against targets, budget utilization, emerging risks
- Outcome: Approve continuation or adjust priorities/resources
September 30, 2025: Phase 3 Scope Review
- Decision Maker: CISO
- Decision: Prioritize remaining Medium risks based on threat landscape
December 15, 2025: FY2026 Planning
- Decision Maker: Executive Leadership Team
- Input: FY2025 results inform FY2026 risk treatment priorities
1.6 Executive Recommendations
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EXECUTIVE APPROVAL
1. APPROVE BUDGET: $2.49M for FY2025 Risk Treatment Plan
- This represents 78% of total security budget, 0.8% of company revenue
- Protects against potential $50M+ in risk exposure
- ROI: 20:1 (conservative estimate based on risk reduction)
2. APPROVE RESOURCE ALLOCATION: 4.8 FTE dedicated to risk treatment
- Requires backfilling operational roles or accepting service delays
- Consider hiring 2 additional security engineers (requested in FY2025 headcount)
3. APPROVE TIMELINE: 12-month phased implementation
- Critical that Phase 1 starts January 2025 (ransomware protection urgent)
- Delays increase organizational risk exposure
4. ESTABLISH GOVERNANCE: Quarterly Risk Committee reviews
- CIO chairs, CISO reports, CFO attends (budget oversight)
- Board Risk Committee annual review (June 2025)
5. COMMIT TO CHANGE MANAGEMENT: Organization-wide security culture shift
- Executive sponsorship required for security awareness program
- Enforce new policies (MFA, access controls, training mandates)
- Accept some temporary process friction during transition
6. PLAN FOR CONTINGENCIES: Approve 10% contingency reserve ($250K)
- Emerging threats may require rapid response
- Vendor delivery delays may increase professional services costs
- Control effectiveness may require additional investment
7. PREPARE FOR FOLLOW-ON: FY2026 will require ongoing investment
- Risk management is continuous, not one-time
- Expect FY2026 budget request of ~$1.5M (operating costs + improvements)
RISKS OF NOT APPROVING THIS RTP
- Extreme/High risks remain unaddressed (potential $20M+ loss events)
- Regulatory compliance gaps continue (fines, penalties, restrictions)
- Competitive disadvantage (customers increasingly require security certifications)
- Increased cyber insurance premiums (or loss of coverage)
- ISO 27001 certification audit failure (demonstrates lack of management commitment)
APPROVAL SIGNATURES
Risk Treatment Plan Prepared By:
Jane Smith, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
Date: _____________
Risk Treatment Plan Reviewed By:
Mike Chen, IT Security Manager
Date: _____________
Risk Treatment Plan Approved By:
John Doe, Chief Information Officer (CIO)
Signature: ___________________________
Date: _____________
Budget Approved By:
Lisa Wong, Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Signature: ___________________________
Date: _____________
Risk Treatment Plan Endorsed By:
Robert Johnson, Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Signature: ___________________________
Date: _____________
Board Risk Committee Acknowledgment:
David Lee, Board Risk Committee Chair
Signature: ___________________________
Date: _____________
Section 2: Risk Treatment Priorities
2.1 Critical Priorities (Extreme/High Risks)
TIER 1: CRITICAL - IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED
Timeline: Q1 2025 (Complete by March 31, 2025)
Budget: $800K
Rationale: Extreme/High risks with potential catastrophic business impact
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ RISK-2024-012: Ransomware Attack │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Current Risk: 15 (High) - Likelihood 3 × Impact 5 │
│ Target Risk: 6 (Low) - Likelihood 2 × Impact 3 │
│ Threat: External cybercriminals targeting all business systems │
│ Impact: $5M loss, 1-week business interruption, customer trust loss │
│ Priority: CRITICAL #1 │
│ Timeline: January - March 2025 │
│ Budget: $400K │
│ │
│ Treatment Actions: │
│ 1. Deploy Extended Detection & Response (XDR) platform │
│ - EDR on all endpoints (3,500 devices) │
│ - Network traffic analysis │
│ - Automated threat response │
│ Cost: $250K Timeline: Jan-Feb Owner: Mike Chen │
│ │
│ 2. Implement immutable backup solution │
│ - Air-gapped backups (offline, tested monthly) │
│ - 30-day retention for critical systems │
│ - Automated backup verification │
│ Cost: $80K Timeline: Jan-Feb Owner: Sarah Patel │
│ │
│ 3. Deploy email security gateway │
│ - Advanced phishing detection │
│ - Sandbox analysis of attachments │
│ - URL rewriting and time-of-click protection │
│ Cost: $45K Timeline: Feb Owner: Mike Chen │
│ │
│ 4. Purchase cyber insurance ($10M coverage) │
│ Cost: $25K annual premium Timeline: Jan Owner: CFO │
│ │
│ Success Criteria: │
│ - XDR deployed to 100% of endpoints by Feb 28 │
│ - Zero successful ransomware attacks in pilot testing │
│ - Backup restoration tested successfully (<4 hour RTO) │
│ - Email security blocks >95% of phishing simulations │
│ - Risk reduced to 6 (Low) by March 31 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ RISK-2024-089: Unpatched Critical Vulnerabilities │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Current Risk: 16 (High) - Likelihood 4 × Impact 4 │
│ Target Risk: 4 (Very Low) - Likelihood 1 × Impact 4 │
│ Threat: External attackers exploiting known vulnerabilities │
│ Impact: $2M loss, system compromise, data breach │
│ Priority: CRITICAL #2 │
│ Timeline: January - March 2025 │
│ Budget: $150K │
│ │
│ Treatment Actions: │
│ 1. Implement automated patch management │
│ - Enterprise patch management solution │
│ - Automated testing and deployment │
│ - Exception tracking and reporting │
│ Cost: $80K Timeline: Jan-Feb Owner: IT Operations │
│ │
│ 2. Accelerate patching of critical systems │
│ - Emergency patching of 45 unpatched systems │
│ - Prioritized by exploitability and exposure │
│ Cost: $30K (consulting) Timeline: Jan Owner: Mike Chen │
│ │
│ 3. Deploy vulnerability management program │
│ - Continuous vulnerability scanning │
│ - Risk-based prioritization │
│ - SLA enforcement (critical: 7 days, high: 30 days) │
│ Cost: $40K Timeline: Feb-Mar Owner: Mike Chen │
│ │
│ Success Criteria: │
│ - Zero critical unpatched vulnerabilities by Feb 15 │
│ - 100% of systems enrolled in automated patching by Mar 31 │
│ - Patch compliance: Critical 100% @7 days, High 95% @30 days │
│ - Risk reduced to 4 (Very Low) by March 31 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
[Continue with remaining 12 High risks in similar detailed format...]
Total Critical Priority Risks: 14
Total Budget: $800K (Phase 1)
Total Timeline: January - March 2025
Expected Outcome: Zero Extreme/High risks by March 31, 2025
2.2 High Priorities (Medium Risks - Critical Assets)
TIER 2: HIGH - URGENT ACTION REQUIRED
Timeline: Q2 2025 (Complete by June 30, 2025)
Budget: $900K
Rationale: Medium risks affecting business-critical assets and processes
Focus Areas:
1. Customer Database Security (3 risks)
- Unauthorized access (RISK-2024-045)
- Data exfiltration (RISK-2024-067)
- Database integrity (RISK-2024-078)
Treatment: PAM, DLP, database activity monitoring
Budget: $380K
2. Insider Threat (2 risks)
- Malicious data theft (RISK-2024-034)
- Negligent data exposure (RISK-2024-056)
Treatment: UEBA, enhanced access controls, DLP
Budget: $280K
3. Cloud Security (4 risks)
- Misconfiguration (RISK-2024-091)
- Insufficient monitoring (RISK-2024-093)
- Inadequate access control (RISK-2024-095)
- Data residency compliance (RISK-2024-097)
Treatment: CSPM, cloud-native security tools
Budget: $240K
[Detailed treatment plans for each risk group...]
Total High Priority Risks: 15
Total Budget: $900K (Phase 2)
Total Timeline: April - June 2025
Expected Outcome: All High Priority risks reduced to Low by June 30, 2025
2.3 Medium Priorities (Medium Risks - Non-Critical Assets)
TIER 3: MEDIUM - TIMELY ACTION REQUIRED
Timeline: Q3-Q4 2025 (Complete by December 31, 2025)
Budget: $790K
Rationale: Medium risks with manageable business impact, cost-effective treatments
Focus Areas:
1. Application Security (8 risks)
2. Network Security (6 risks)
3. Endpoint Security (5 risks)
4. Third-Party Risk (4 risks)
[Summarized treatment plans...]
Total Medium Priority Risks: 23
Total Budget: $790K (Phase 3)
Total Timeline: July - December 2025
Expected Outcome: 60% of Medium risks reduced to Low by December 31, 2025
2.4 Low Priorities (Opportunistic Improvements)
TIER 4: LOW - OPPORTUNISTIC
Timeline: As resources permit
Budget: Utilize unallocated budget or defer to FY2026
Rationale: Low-impact improvements, limited ROI
These risks are already Low/Very Low but have cost-effective enhancement
opportunities:
- Security awareness enhancements
- Policy updates
- Process optimizations
- Tool consolidation
Approach: Address opportunistically when:
- Other projects complete under budget
- Synergies with other initiatives
- No-cost/low-cost improvements identified
- Staff have available capacity
2.5 Deferred Treatments (Future Consideration)
DEFERRED TO FY2026
Rationale: Not cost-effective, low business value, or await technology maturity
Risks:
- RISK-2024-178: Legacy protocol usage (LAN Manager) - Await hardware refresh
- RISK-2024-189: Physical access to office equipment - Await office relocation
- RISK-2024-201: Insufficient mobile device management - Await MDM evaluation
Review Date: Q4 2025 for FY2026 planning
Section 3: Treatment Details by Risk
Template for Each Risk
┌═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════┐
║ RISK-2024-XXX: [RISK NAME] ║
╞═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╡
║ 3.1 RISK IDENTIFICATION ║
╞═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╡
║ Risk ID: RISK-2024-XXX ║
║ Category: [Technology/Process/People/Third-Party/Compliance] ║
║ Asset: [Asset ID and Name] ║
║ Business Process: [Affected process] ║
║ Risk Owner: [Name, Title] ║
║ Treatment Owner: [Name, Title] ║
║ ║
║ Risk Description: ║
║ [Threat] could exploit [Vulnerability] leading to [Impact] ║
║ ║
║ Threat Source: [External/Internal, Malicious/Non-malicious] ║
║ Vulnerability: [Weakness that enables threat] ║
╞═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╡
║ 3.2 CURRENT STATE ASSESSMENT ║
╞═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╡
║ Inherent Risk: ║
║ Likelihood: X (Level) - [Justification] ║
║ Impact: X (Level) - [Justification] ║
║ Risk Score: XX ([Rating]) ║
║ ║
║ Existing Controls: ║
║ 1. [Control Name] - Effectiveness: X (High/Medium/Low) ║
║ 2. [Control Name] - Effectiveness: X (High/Medium/Low) ║
║ [...] ║
║ ║
║ Control Gaps: ║
║ - [Gap description] ║
║ - [Gap description] ║
║ ║
║ Residual Risk (Current): ║
║ Likelihood: X (Level) ║
║ Impact: X (Level) ║
║ Risk Score: XX ([Rating]) ║
║ ║
║ Why Treatment Required: ║
║ [Explanation of why current residual risk exceeds acceptable level] ║
╞═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╡
║ 3.3 TARGET STATE DEFINITION ║
╞═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╡
║ Target Residual Risk: ║
║ Likelihood: X (Level) - Reduced by [X levels/X%] ║
║ Impact: X (Level) - Reduced by [X levels/X%] ║
║ Risk Score: XX ([Rating]) ║
║ ║
║ Risk Reduction: ║
║ Current: XX → Target: XX (X-point reduction, XX% decrease) ║
║ ║
║ Success Criteria: ║
║ - [Measurable outcome 1] ║
║ - [Measurable outcome 2] ║
║ - [Measurable outcome 3] ║
║ ║
║ Target Completion Date: [Date] ║
╞═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╡
║ 3.4 TREATMENT APPROACH ║
╞═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╡
║ Treatment Option: [MODIFY / RETAIN / AVOID / SHARE] ║
║ ║
║ Rationale: ║
║ [Explanation of why this treatment option was selected] ║
║ ║
║ Alternatives Considered: ║
║ 1. [Alternative] - Rejected because [reason] ║
║ 2. [Alternative] - Rejected because [reason] ║
║ ║
║ Cost-Benefit Analysis: ║
║ Current Risk Exposure (ALE): $[amount]/year ║
║ Treatment Cost: $[amount] (one-time) + $[amount]/year (ongoing) ║
║ Expected Risk Reduction: $[amount]/year ║
║ Net Benefit: $[amount]/year ║
║ ROI: [X]% ║
║ Payback Period: [X months] ║
╞═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╡
║ 3.5 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ║
╞═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╡
║ Phase 1: [Phase Name] ([Dates]) ║
║ Actions: ║
║ - [Action 1] - Owner: [Name] - Deliverable: [Deliverable] ║
║ - [Action 2] - Owner: [Name] - Deliverable: [Deliverable] ║
║ Milestone: [Milestone description] ║
║ ║
║ Phase 2: [Phase Name] ([Dates]) ║
║ Actions: ║
║ - [Action 1] - Owner: [Name] - Deliverable: [Deliverable] ║
║ - [Action 2] - Owner: [Name] - Deliverable: [Deliverable] ║
║ Milestone: [Milestone description] ║
║ ║
║ [Additional phases as needed] ║
║ ║
║ Dependencies: ║
║ - [Dependency 1] - Impact if delayed: [Impact] ║
║ - [Dependency 2] - Impact if delayed: [Impact] ║
║ ║
║ Risks to Implementation: ║
║ - [Risk 1] - Mitigation: [Mitigation approach] ║
║ - [Risk 2] - Mitigation: [Mitigation approach] ║
╞═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╡
║ 3.6 RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS ║
╞═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╡
║ Budget: ║
║ CapEx: ║
║ - [Item]: $[amount] ║
║ - [Item]: $[amount] ║
║ OpEx (Annual): ║
║ - [Item]: $[amount] ║
║ - [Item]: $[amount] ║
║ Professional Services: ║
║ - [Service]: $[amount] ║
║ Total: $[amount] (Year 1), $[amount]/year (ongoing) ║
║ ║
║ Personnel: ║
║ - [Role]: [X FTE] - [Duration] ║
║ - [Role]: [X FTE] - [Duration] ║
║ ║
║ Technology: ║
║ - [Tool/Platform]: [Description] ║
║ - [Tool/Platform]: [Description] ║
║ ║
║ Training: ║
║ - [Training]: [Audience] - [Duration] - $[cost] ║
╞═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╡
║ 3.7 SUCCESS CRITERIA ║
╞═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╡
║ Risk Reduction Targets: ║
║ ✓ Residual risk reduced from XX to XX ║
║ ✓ Likelihood reduced from X to X ║
║ ✓ Impact reduced from X to X ║
║ ║
║ Control Effectiveness KPIs: ║
║ - [KPI 1]: Target [value], Measurement [method] ║
║ - [KPI 2]: Target [value], Measurement [method] ║
║ - [KPI 3]: Target [value], Measurement [method] ║
║ ║
║ Implementation Milestones: ║
║ ✓ [Milestone 1] completed by [date] ║
║ ✓ [Milestone 2] completed by [date] ║
║ ✓ [Milestone 3] completed by [date] ║
║ ║
║ Validation Method: ║
║ - [Testing approach, e.g., penetration test, audit, simulation] ║
║ ║
║ Acceptance Criteria: ║
║ - [Criterion 1] ║
║ - [Criterion 2] ║
║ - [Criterion 3] ║
║ ║
║ Sign-off: ║
║ Treatment Owner: ______________ Date: __________ ║
║ Risk Owner: ______________ Date: __________ ║
║ CISO: ______________ Date: __________ ║
└═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════┘
Section 4: Resource Planning
4.1 Budget Summary
FY2025 RISK TREATMENT BUDGET: $2,490,000
CAPITAL EXPENDITURES (CapEx): $1,200,000 (48%)
Security Technology Platforms:
├─ Extended Detection & Response (XDR): $250,000
├─ Privileged Access Management (PAM): $180,000
├─ Data Loss Prevention (DLP): $150,000
├─ Security Orchestration (SOAR): $120,000
├─ Identity Governance & Administration: $100,000
└─ Other platforms: $400,000
Infrastructure:
├─ Network security appliances: $120,000
├─ Backup/recovery infrastructure: $80,000
└─ Other infrastructure: $100,000
Hardware:
├─ FIDO2 security tokens (3,500 units): $70,000
└─ Network sensors and monitoring devices: $30,000
OPERATING EXPENDITURES (OpEx): $1,290,000 (52%)
Software Licenses (Annual):
├─ Security tool subscriptions: $280,000
├─ Cloud security licenses: $120,000
└─ Monitoring & alerting: $50,000
Total Software: $450,000
Managed Security Services:
├─ 24/7 SOC monitoring (MSSP): $180,000
├─ Threat intelligence feeds: $80,000
├─ Managed email security: $80,000
└─ Other managed services: $40,000
Total Managed Services: $380,000
Professional Services:
├─ Implementation consulting: $150,000
├─ Penetration testing: $80,000
├─ Risk assessments: $40,000
└─ Other consulting: $30,000
Total Professional Services: $300,000
Training & Awareness:
├─ Security awareness platform: $50,000
├─ Technical training for staff: $30,000
└─ Content development: $20,000
Total Training: $100,000
Cyber Insurance:
├─ Cyber liability policy ($10M coverage): $50,000
└─ Additional coverage options: $10,000
Total Insurance: $60,000
BUDGET BY QUARTER
Q1 2025: $800,000 (32%)
├─ CapEx: $450,000
├─ OpEx: $350,000
└─ Focus: Critical risks (ransomware, vulnerabilities)
Q2 2025: $900,000 (36%)
├─ CapEx: $550,000
├─ OpEx: $350,000
└─ Focus: High priority risks (access control, data protection)
Q3 2025: $450,000 (18%)
├─ CapEx: $150,000
├─ OpEx: $300,000
└─ Focus: Medium priority risks (network, endpoints)
Q4 2025: $340,000 (14%)
├─ CapEx: $50,000
├─ OpEx: $290,000
└─ Focus: Medium priority risks (applications, third-party)
BUDGET BY RISK CATEGORY
Ransomware Protection: $650,000 (26%)
Access Control & Identity: $480,000 (19%)
Data Protection & DLP: $380,000 (15%)
Network Security: $320,000 (13%)
Security Monitoring & Detection: $290,000 (12%)
Awareness & Training: $170,000 (7%)
Incident Response: $120,000 (5%)
Other: $80,000 (3%)
CONTINGENCY PLANNING
Approved Contingency Reserve: $250,000 (10% of budget)
Use cases:
- Emerging threats requiring rapid response
- Vendor delivery delays necessitating alternative solutions
- Control effectiveness below target requiring additional investment
- Scope changes approved by Risk Committee
Contingency Authorization:
- <$25K: CISO approval
- $25K-$100K: CIO approval
- >$100K: CFO + CIO approval
BUDGET TRACKING & CONTROLS
Budget Ownership: CFO (approval), CISO (execution)
Commitment Tracking: All purchases require PO against approved budget
Monthly Review: Budget vs. Actual reporting to CIO
Variance Threshold: >10% variance triggers investigation
Reallocation: Up to 15% between categories allowed with CIO approval
ONGOING COSTS (FY2026 and beyond)
Annual Operating Costs: ~$900,000/year
├─ Software licenses: $450,000
├─ Managed services: $340,000
├─ Training: $60,000
└─ Insurance: $50,000
Expected Reductions:
- Professional services: Reduces to ~$50K (ongoing optimization)
- Implementation consulting: Eliminated after initial deployment
Expected Increases:
- Additional users/devices: ~5% annual growth
- Tool enhancement and new capabilities: ~$50K-$100K/year
4.2 Personnel Requirements
INTERNAL FTE ALLOCATION
Total FTE Required: 4.8 FTE dedicated to RTP execution
Role Breakdown:
1. CISO (Project Oversight)
- Allocation: 0.3 FTE (12 hours/week)
- Responsibilities:
* Overall RTP governance and strategy
* Stakeholder management and reporting
* Risk Committee facilitation
* Vendor negotiations and contracts
* Budget oversight
- Backfill: None (absorbed within role)
2. IT Security Manager (Program Management)
- Allocation: 1.0 FTE (full-time dedicated)
- Responsibilities:
* Day-to-day RTP execution and coordination
* Treatment implementation oversight
* Control testing and validation
* Status reporting and tracking
* Issue and risk management
- Backfill: Required (operational security duties reassigned)
- Cost: Existing staff, no incremental cost
3. Security Engineers (Technical Implementation)
- Allocation: 2.0 FTE (2 engineers full-time)
- Responsibilities:
* Security tool deployment and configuration
* Integration with existing infrastructure
* Technical testing and validation
* Documentation and knowledge transfer
* Operational transition
- Backfill: Required (1.5 FTE operational duties reassigned)
- Cost: Consider hiring 2 additional engineers (separate headcount request)
4. Network Engineers (Infrastructure Support)
- Allocation: 0.5 FTE (20 hours/week)
- Responsibilities:
* Network security infrastructure changes
* Firewall and IDS/IPS configuration
* Network segmentation implementation
* Performance monitoring
- Backfill: Partial (some project work deferred)
- Cost: Existing staff, no incremental cost
5. IT Operations (System Integration)
- Allocation: 0.5 FTE (20 hours/week)
- Responsibilities:
* Server and endpoint configuration
* Patch management implementation
* Backup/recovery setup
* Change management coordination
- Backfill: Partial (some maintenance deferred)
- Cost: Existing staff, no incremental cost
6. Compliance Analyst (Documentation & Reporting)
- Allocation: 0.3 FTE (12 hours/week)
- Responsibilities:
* Risk register updates
* Policy and procedure documentation
* Compliance mapping and reporting
* Audit evidence collection
- Backfill: None (absorbed within role)
- Cost: Existing staff, no incremental cost
7. Training Coordinator (Security Awareness)
- Allocation: 0.2 FTE (8 hours/week)
- Responsibilities:
* Security awareness program launch
* Training content development
* Delivery coordination and tracking
* Effectiveness measurement
- Backfill: None (absorbed within role)
- Cost: Existing staff, no incremental cost
EXTERNAL RESOURCES
Implementation Consultants:
- Total Hours: 500 hours
- Rate: $150/hour
- Total Cost: $75,000
- Timeline: January - June 2025
- Focus Areas:
* XDR platform deployment
* PAM implementation
* DLP policy development
* Architecture design reviews
Penetration Testing:
- Total Hours: 160 hours
- Rate: $200/hour
- Total Cost: $32,000
- Timeline: March, June, September 2025
- Focus Areas:
* External network and application testing
* Internal network testing
* Social engineering simulations
* Post-treatment validation
Training Development:
- Total Hours: 200 hours
- Rate: $150/hour
- Total Cost: $30,000
- Timeline: February - April 2025
- Deliverables:
* Security awareness training modules (6 modules)
* Role-based security training (3 role types)
* Phishing simulation program
* Training effectiveness assessments
Managed Security Services (MSSP):
- Service: 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC) monitoring
- Coverage: 24/7/365
- Cost: $15,000/month = $180,000 annual
- Start Date: February 2025
- Scope:
* SIEM monitoring and alert triage
* Incident detection and escalation
* Threat hunting
* Monthly threat intelligence reports
STAFFING RISKS & MITIGATION
Risk: Key personnel unavailable (illness, departure)
Mitigation:
- Cross-train at least 2 people on each critical function
- Document all processes and decisions
- Engage consultants for knowledge continuity
- Maintain vendor support contracts
Risk: Resource conflicts with other projects
Mitigation:
- Formal resource allocation approval from department heads
- RTP prioritized over discretionary projects
- Clear escalation path for conflicts (CIO decision)
Risk: Insufficient expertise for advanced technologies
Mitigation:
- Vendor professional services for initial deployment
- Formal training for internal staff
- Engage consultants for architecture and design
- Build relationships with vendor support teams
TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
Internal Staff Training:
Security Engineers:
- XDR platform administration (40 hours, $3,000)
- PAM implementation best practices (24 hours, $2,000)
- DLP policy configuration (16 hours, $1,500)
- Total: 80 hours, $6,500 per engineer
IT Operations:
- Patch management automation (8 hours, $800)
- Backup administration (16 hours, $1,200)
- Total: 24 hours, $2,000
All Staff:
- Security awareness baseline (2 hours, included in platform cost)
- Phishing recognition (1 hour, included)
- Secure coding practices - developers only (8 hours, $5,000 total)
Total Internal Training Investment: $20,500
4.3 Technology and Tools
[Detailed technology specifications, vendor information, licensing models]
4.4 External Resources
[Detailed consultant and vendor information]
4.5 Training and Development
[Comprehensive training plans for all audiences]
Section 5: Implementation Timeline
5.1 Master Schedule (Gantt Chart)
FY2025 RISK TREATMENT PLAN - MASTER SCHEDULE
Legend: [====] Completed [****] In Progress [....] Planned [!!!!] Critical Path
Q1 2025 Q2 2025 Q3 2025 Q4 2025
Activity J F M A M J J A S O N D
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
PHASE 1: CRITICAL RISKS
RTP Approval [!].........................................................
XDR Deployment [!!!!][====][====]..........................................
Immutable Backup [!!!!][====][====]..........................................
Email Security [====][====]..........................................
Patch Management [!!!!][====][====]..........................................
Vulnerability Mgmt [====][====][====]...................................
Cyber Insurance [=]......................................................
PHASE 2: HIGH PRIORITY
PAM Deployment ............[****][****][****]........................
DLP Implementation ............[****][****][****]........................
Security Awareness ............[====][====][====][****][****][****][****]
UEBA Deployment ................[****][****][****]................
Database Monitoring ................[****][****]........................
Identity Governance ................[****][****][****]................
PHASE 3: MEDIUM PRIORITY
Network Security ................................[****][****][****]....
Application Security................................[****][****][****]....
Endpoint Security ................................[****][****]........
Cloud Security ....................................[****][****][****]
Third-Party Risk ........................................[****][****]
Compliance Gaps ................................................[****]
GOVERNANCE & REPORTING
Monthly Reviews [!][!][!][!][!][!][!][!][!][!][!][!]
Quarterly Reviews .....[!].........[!].........[!].........[!]
Board Review ................[!]........................[!]
Annual Assessment ................................................[!!!!]
KEY MILESTONES
Budget Approval [!] Jan 15
Phase 1 Complete ........[!] Mar 31
Mid-Year Review ................[!] Jun 30
Phase 2 Complete ................[!] Jun 30
Phase 3 (Part 1) ....................................[!] Sep 30
FY2025 Complete ................................................[!] Dec 31
CRITICAL PATH ANALYSIS:
The critical path runs through:
1. Budget Approval (Jan 15) →
2. XDR Deployment (Jan-Feb) →
3. Phase 1 Complete (Mar 31) →
4. PAM Deployment (Apr-Jun) →
5. Phase 2 Complete (Jun 30) →
6. Network Security (Jul-Sep) →
7. Final Validation (Dec)
Any delay in critical path activities delays entire RTP completion.
Non-critical path activities have float and can absorb some delays.
5.2 Phase-Based Roadmap
[Detailed phase breakdowns with deliverables]
5.3 Dependencies and Critical Path
[Dependency mapping and mitigation strategies]
5.4 Milestone Calendar
[Key dates and decision points]
5.5 Risk and Contingency Planning
[Implementation risks and mitigation plans]
Section 6: Treatment Tracking Dashboard
6.1 Overall Progress Metrics
RISK TREATMENT PLAN DASHBOARD
As of: [Date]
Reporting Period: FY2025
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ OVERALL PROGRESS │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Total Risks in Treatment: 52 │
│ ├─ Not Started: 15 (29%) │
│ ├─ In Progress: 28 (54%) ██████████████░░░░░░░░░░ │
│ ├─ Completed: 7 (13%) ███░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ │
│ └─ Verified: 2 (4%) █░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ │
│ │
│ Average Completion: 41% ████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ │
│ │
│ On Track: 35 (67%) ✓ At Risk: 12 (23%) ⚠ Delayed: 5 (10%) ✗ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ RISK REDUCTION PROGRESS │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Baseline (Jan 2025) Current Target (Dec) │
│ ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ Extreme Risks: 2 0 ✓ 0 │
│ High Risks: 12 8 0 │
│ Medium Risks: 38 32 15 │
│ Low Risks: 62 72 98 │
│ Very Low Risks: 13 15 14 │
│ ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ Avg Risk Score: 8.7 7.2 6.0 │
│ │
│ Progress vs. Target: 60% ████████████░░░░░░░░░░░ │
│ Status: ON TRACK ✓ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PHASE STATUS │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Phase 1 (Q1): COMPLETE ✓ │
│ ├─ Budget: $800K allocated, $785K spent (98%) │
│ ├─ Timeline: Completed Mar 31 (on time) │
│ └─ Deliverables: 14/14 complete (100%) │
│ │
│ Phase 2 (Q2): IN PROGRESS ⚠ │
│ ├─ Budget: $900K allocated, $540K spent (60%) │
│ ├─ Timeline: 70% elapsed, 55% complete (5% behind) │
│ └─ Deliverables: 8/15 complete (53%) │
│ └─ Risk: PAM deployment delayed 2 weeks (vendor delivery) │
│ │
│ Phase 3 (Q3-Q4): NOT STARTED │
│ ├─ Budget: $790K allocated, $0 spent │
│ ├─ Timeline: Starts Jul 1 │
│ └─ Dependencies: Phase 2 completion │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ BUDGET UTILIZATION │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Total Budget: $2,490,000 │
│ Spent: $1,325,000 (53%) ██████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ │
│ Committed: $615,000 (25%) ██████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ │
│ Available: $550,000 (22%) █████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ │
│ │
│ Budget Health: ON TRACK ✓ │
│ Projected Year-End: $2,465,000 (99% utilization, $25K under budget) │
│ │
│ Contingency Reserve: $250,000 │
│ ├─ Used: $15,000 (6%) │
│ └─ Available: $235,000 (94%) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Metric Current Target Status │
│ ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ On-time Delivery 85% 90% ⚠ Slightly Behind │
│ Budget Adherence 99% ≤100% ✓ On Track │
│ Risk Reduction 31% 31% ✓ On Target │
│ Control Effectiveness 78% 80% ⚠ Needs Improvement │
│ Stakeholder Satisfaction 4.2/5 4.0/5 ✓ Exceeds Target │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
6.2 Risk-by-Risk Status
[Detailed status table for each risk in treatment]
6.3 Budget Utilization
[Detailed budget tracking by category and phase]
6.4 Key Risk Indicators (KRIs)
[KRI dashboards showing trend data]
6.5 Issues and Blockers
CURRENT ISSUES AND BLOCKERS
CRITICAL ISSUES (Require Immediate Attention)
[ISSUE-001] PAM Vendor Delivery Delay
├─ Impact: Phase 2 completion at risk (2-week delay)
├─ Root Cause: Vendor supply chain issues
├─ Affected Risks: RISK-2024-034, RISK-2024-045, RISK-2024-067
├─ Mitigation: Negotiating expedited delivery, considering partial deployment
├─ Owner: Mike Chen (IT Security Manager)
├─ Target Resolution: June 15, 2025
└─ Status: IN PROGRESS - Executive escalation to vendor
HIGH PRIORITY ISSUES
[ISSUE-002] Security Awareness Training Completion Rate Low
├─ Impact: Training-dependent risk treatments delayed
├─ Current Completion: 73% (Target: 100%)
├─ Root Cause: Insufficient enforcement, conflicting priorities
├─ Mitigation: Executive mandate, manager accountability, deadline extension
├─ Owner: HR Director + CISO
├─ Target Resolution: June 30, 2025
└─ Status: IN PROGRESS - Executive communication sent
[ISSUE-003] XDR Integration Performance Issues
├─ Impact: Some endpoints experiencing slow performance
├─ Root Cause: Insufficient endpoint resources (RAM, CPU)
├─ Affected Systems: 150 older workstations (4%)
├─ Mitigation: Tuning XDR configuration, hardware upgrade plan for Q3
├─ Owner: IT Operations Manager
├─ Target Resolution: July 31, 2025
└─ Status: WORKAROUND IN PLACE - Monitoring for additional issues
MEDIUM PRIORITY ISSUES
[ISSUE-004] Budget Reallocation Required
├─ Impact: Phase 3 scope adjustment needed
├─ Root Cause: Phase 1 & 2 vendor costs 8% over estimate
├─ Mitigation: Use contingency reserve, defer 2 low-priority treatments to FY2026
├─ Owner: CISO + CFO
├─ Target Resolution: June 30, 2025 (Phase 2 close-out)
└─ Status: PLANNING - Budget revision in review
RESOLVED ISSUES (This Month)
[ISSUE-005] RESOLVED: DLP Policy False Positives
├─ Resolution Date: May 15, 2025
├─ Solution: Policy tuning, user exceptions process
└─ Outcome: False positive rate reduced from 15% to 2%
BLOCKERS (External Dependencies)
[BLOCKER-001] Active Directory Modernization Project Delayed
├─ Impact: Identity governance implementation blocked until AD upgrade complete
├─ Original Dependency Date: May 1, 2025
├─ Revised Date: June 15, 2025 (6-week delay)
├─ Impact on RTP: Identity governance delayed Q2 → Q3
├─ Owner: IT Infrastructure Director
└─ Status: MONITORING - Weekly updates, contingency planning if further delay
Section 7: Success Criteria and Metrics
7.1 Risk Reduction Targets
FY2025 RISK REDUCTION TARGETS
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: Reduce organizational risk exposure by 31%
Baseline (January 2025):
- Average Residual Risk Score: 8.7
- Total Organizational Risk Exposure: $127M (sum of annual loss expectancies)
- Extreme/High Risks: 14 (11% of total risks)
Target (December 2025):
- Average Residual Risk Score: ≤6.0 (31% reduction)
- Total Organizational Risk Exposure: ≤$50M (61% reduction)
- Extreme/High Risks: 0 (100% elimination)
Interim Milestones:
Q1 2025 (Phase 1 Complete):
✓ Eliminate all Extreme risks (2 → 0)
✓ Reduce High risks by 40% (12 → 7)
✓ Average risk score: ≤8.0
Status: ACHIEVED ✓
Q2 2025 (Phase 2 Complete):
□ Eliminate remaining High risks (7 → 0)
□ Reduce Medium risks by 40% (38 → 23)
□ Average risk score: ≤7.0
Status: ON TRACK (70% of quarter elapsed, 60% complete)
Q3 2025 (Phase 3 Part 1):
□ Reduce Medium risks by additional 35% (23 → 15)
□ Average risk score: ≤6.5
Status: NOT STARTED
Q4 2025 (Phase 3 Complete):
□ Achieve target risk profile
□ Average risk score: ≤6.0
□ Validated by independent assessment
Status: NOT STARTED
RISK-SPECIFIC TARGETS
Critical Risk #1: Ransomware Attack (RISK-2024-012)
├─ Baseline: 15 (High) - Likelihood 3 × Impact 5
├─ Target: 6 (Low) - Likelihood 2 × Impact 3
├─ Completion: Q1 2025
└─ Status: ACHIEVED ✓ (Actual: 6, verified Mar 31)
Critical Risk #2: Unpatched Vulnerabilities (RISK-2024-089)
├─ Baseline: 16 (High) - Likelihood 4 × Impact 4
├─ Target: 4 (Very Low) - Likelihood 1 × Impact 4
├─ Completion: Q1 2025
└─ Status: ACHIEVED ✓ (Actual: 4, verified Mar 31)
[Continue for all 52 risks in treatment...]
MEASUREMENT & VALIDATION
Measurement Approach:
- Monthly: Risk owner reassesses risk levels
- Quarterly: Independent validation by internal audit
- Annual: Third-party penetration test and security assessment
Validation Criteria:
✓ Risk calculations follow documented methodology
✓ Control effectiveness supported by test evidence
✓ Changes from baseline clearly explained and justified
✓ Stakeholder approval documented
Reporting:
- Monthly: Risk score trends to CIO
- Quarterly: Comprehensive assessment to Risk Committee
- Annual: Final validation report to Board
7.2 Control Effectiveness KPIs
CONTROL EFFECTIVENESS KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
For each major control implemented, define measurable KPIs:
CONTROL: Extended Detection & Response (XDR)
Objective: Detect and respond to ransomware and advanced threats
KPIs:
1. Endpoint Coverage
├─ Metric: % of endpoints with XDR agent installed and operational
├─ Target: ≥98% (allowing 2% for maintenance/replacement)
├─ Measurement: Daily automated report from XDR console
└─ Current: 99.2% (3,470 of 3,500 endpoints) ✓
2. Threat Detection Rate
├─ Metric: % of simulated attacks detected by XDR
├─ Target: ≥95%
├─ Measurement: Monthly red team simulations
└─ Current: 97% (29 of 30 attacks detected) ✓
3. Mean Time to Detect (MTTD)
├─ Metric: Average time from attack initiation to alert
├─ Target: ≤15 minutes
├─ Measurement: Timestamp analysis of detected attacks
└─ Current: 8 minutes ✓
4. Mean Time to Respond (MTTR)
├─ Metric: Average time from detection to containment
├─ Target: ≤30 minutes
├─ Measurement: Incident ticket timestamps
└─ Current: 42 minutes ⚠ (Improvement needed)
5. False Positive Rate
├─ Metric: % of alerts that are false positives
├─ Target: ≤5%
├─ Measurement: Manual review of sampled alerts
└─ Current: 3.2% ✓
CONTROL: Privileged Access Management (PAM)
Objective: Prevent unauthorized privileged access
KPIs:
1. Privileged Account Coverage
├─ Metric: % of privileged accounts managed by PAM
├─ Target: 100%
├─ Measurement: Account inventory vs PAM system
└─ Current: 0% (not yet deployed) - Target Jun 30
2. Password Rotation Compliance
├─ Metric: % of privileged passwords rotated per policy (every 90 days)
├─ Target: 100%
├─ Measurement: PAM system automated report
└─ Current: N/A (not yet deployed)
3. Session Recording Coverage
├─ Metric: % of privileged sessions recorded
├─ Target: 100%
├─ Measurement: PAM system automated report
└─ Current: N/A (not yet deployed)
4. Access Request Approval Time
├─ Metric: Average time from request to approval
├─ Target: ≤4 hours (during business hours)
├─ Measurement: PAM workflow timestamps
└─ Current: N/A (not yet deployed)
5. Unauthorized Access Attempts
├─ Metric: Number of unauthorized privileged access attempts detected
├─ Target: All attempts blocked and alerted
├─ Measurement: PAM system security logs
└─ Current: N/A (not yet deployed)
[Continue for all major controls...]
AGGREGATE CONTROL EFFECTIVENESS
Overall Security Control Effectiveness Score:
Calculation: Weighted average of all control KPIs
├─ Q1 Baseline: 65%
├─ Current: 78%
├─ Q4 Target: ≥85%
└─ Status: IMPROVING ✓ (On track to meet target)
Control Maturity Assessment (based on CMMI model):
├─ Q1 Baseline: Level 2 (Managed)
├─ Current: Level 3 (Defined)
├─ Q4 Target: Level 4 (Quantitatively Managed)
└─ Status: ON TRACK
7.3 Compliance Milestones
COMPLIANCE MILESTONES
ISO 27001 Certification
├─ Current Status: Certified (Certificate Date: Sep 15, 2024)
├─ Next Surveillance Audit: Sep 15, 2025
├─ Preparation Milestone: Aug 1, 2025 (pre-audit readiness review)
└─ Success Criteria: Zero major non-conformities
ISO 27001 Clause 6.1.3 (Risk Treatment) Evidence:
✓ Risk treatment plan documented and approved (Jan 2025)
□ Treatment implementation evidence (Dec 2025)
□ Control effectiveness testing results (Dec 2025)
□ Risk treatment review records (Quarterly throughout 2025)
GDPR Compliance
├─ Current Gap: Medium risk (RISK-2024-156) - Insufficient data encryption
├─ Treatment: DLP + data classification project (Q2 2025)
├─ Completion Target: Jun 30, 2025
└─ Success Criteria: All PII encrypted in transit and at rest
PCI-DSS Compliance
├─ Current Gap: Quarterly patching requirement not met
├─ Treatment: Automated patch management (Q1 2025)
├─ Completion: Mar 31, 2025
├─ Validation: QSA assessment scheduled for Q2 2025
└─ Success Criteria: PCI-DSS compliance validated by QSA
SOC 2 Type II Report
├─ Current Status: No SOC 2 report (customer requirement)
├─ Planning: SOC 2 readiness assessment (Q3 2025)
├─ Target: SOC 2 examination period Jan-Dec 2026
└─ Success Criteria: Clean SOC 2 Type II report by Q1 2027
Industry Benchmarking
├─ Participate in industry security maturity survey (Q4 2025)
├─ Target: Top quartile for security maturity in healthcare sector
└─ Use results to inform FY2026 risk treatment priorities
7.4 Return on Investment (ROI)
RETURN ON SECURITY INVESTMENT (ROSI)
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
Investment: $2,490,000 (FY2025)
Ongoing Annual Cost: $900,000 (FY2026+)
Risk Exposure Reduction:
├─ Baseline Annual Loss Expectancy (ALE): $127M
├─ Target ALE: $50M
└─ Annual Risk Reduction: $77M
Simple ROI Calculation:
Year 1 ROSI = ($77M - $2.49M) / $2.49M × 100% = 2,991%
Ongoing ROSI = ($77M - $0.9M) / $0.9M × 100% = 8,456%
Payback Period: 12 days (investment recovered in 12 days of risk reduction)
5-Year NPV Analysis (10% discount rate):
├─ Year 1: -$2.49M investment + $77M benefit = $74.51M
├─ Year 2-5: -$0.9M annual + $77M benefit = $76.1M per year
├─ Total Benefit (NPV): $280M
├─ Total Cost (NPV): $4.7M
└─ Net Benefit: $275.3M
BUSINESS VALUE METRICS
Incident Reduction:
├─ Baseline: 47 security incidents per year (3 major)
├─ Target: ≤20 security incidents per year (0 major)
├─ Reduction: 57% fewer incidents
└─ Avoided Costs: $2.5M/year (incident response, recovery, business disruption)
Cyber Insurance Premium Reduction:
├─ Baseline Premium: $75K/year (before improvements)
├─ Projected Premium: $50K/year (with improved controls)
└─ Annual Savings: $25K/year (33% reduction)
Compliance Efficiency:
├─ Reduced audit preparation time: 500 hours/year
├─ Value: $75K/year (internal labor cost)
└─ Faster time to compliance for new requirements
Competitive Advantage:
├─ Security certifications enable new enterprise customer wins
├─ Estimated new revenue: $5M/year
└─ Security differentiation in competitive sales
Productivity Gains:
├─ Reduced password reset requests: 1,000/year (automated MFA enrollment)
├─ Reduced false positive security alerts: 2,000/year (better tooling)
├─ Value: $50K/year (help desk and security analyst time)
INTANGIBLE BENEFITS
- Enhanced customer trust and brand reputation
- Reduced executive stress and risk concern
- Improved employee confidence in security
- Faster incident response (reduced MTTR)
- Better threat intelligence and awareness
- Stronger security culture
- Easier recruitment of security-conscious customers and employees
TOTAL VALUE PROPOSITION
Quantified Benefits (5-year NPV):
├─ Risk exposure reduction: $275M
├─ Incident cost avoidance: $9.5M
├─ Insurance savings: $95K
├─ Compliance efficiency: $285K
├─ Productivity gains: $190K
└─ Total: $285M
Investment (5-year NPV):
├─ Year 1: $2.49M
├─ Year 2-5: $2.71M
└─ Total: $5.2M
Net Benefit: $279.8M
ROI: 5,381%
Conclusion: Risk Treatment Plan delivers exceptional financial return
while significantly improving security posture and enabling business growth.
Section 8: Governance and Reporting
8.1 Roles and Responsibilities
RISK TREATMENT PLAN GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE
EXECUTIVE SPONSOR
Role: Chief Information Officer (CIO)
Responsibilities:
- Final approval authority for RTP
- Budget approval and allocation
- Escalation point for critical issues
- Executive stakeholder management
- Quarterly reporting to Board Risk Committee
PROGRAM OWNER
Role: Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
Responsibilities:
- Overall RTP strategy and execution
- Risk treatment decisions
- Resource management and prioritization
- Vendor relationship management
- Monthly reporting to CIO
- Risk Committee facilitation
PROGRAM MANAGER
Role: IT Security Manager
Responsibilities:
- Day-to-day RTP execution
- Treatment implementation coordination
- Status tracking and reporting
- Issue and risk management
- Stakeholder communication
- Weekly status reports to CISO
RISK OWNERS
Role: Business Unit Leaders (VP/Director level)
Responsibilities:
- Risk assessment approval
- Treatment decision approval
- Business requirements definition
- User acceptance testing
- Change management support
- Resource allocation from business units
TREATMENT OWNERS
Role: IT Security Engineers, IT Operations, etc.
Responsibilities:
- Technical implementation
- Testing and validation
- Documentation
- Knowledge transfer
- Operational transition
- Control effectiveness reporting
GOVERNANCE BODIES
Risk Committee (Monthly)
├─ Chair: CISO
├─ Members: CIO, CFO, IT Security Manager, Compliance Manager, Business Unit Representatives
├─ Responsibilities:
│ - Review RTP progress
│ - Approve scope changes
│ - Resolve resource conflicts
│ - Escalate critical issues
│ - Approve budget reallocations (<15%)
└─ Deliverable: Monthly Risk Committee minutes
Executive Leadership Team (Quarterly)
├─ Chair: CEO
├─ Members: CIO, CFO, COO, Business Unit VPs
├─ Responsibilities:
│ - Review organizational risk posture
│ - Approve major budget changes (>15%)
│ - Strategic risk decisions
│ - Resource prioritization across organization
└─ Deliverable: Quarterly Executive Risk Report
Board Risk Committee (Semi-Annual)
├─ Chair: Board Risk Committee Chair
├─ Members: Board members, CEO, CIO, CISO, CFO
├─ Responsibilities:
│ - Oversight of risk management program
│ - Validation of risk treatment effectiveness
│ - Approval of significant risk acceptances
│ - Assessment of management's risk management capabilities
└─ Deliverable: Semi-annual Board Risk Report
8.2 Approval Process
[Detailed approval workflows]
8.3 Progress Reporting Schedule
REPORTING SCHEDULE AND REQUIREMENTS
WEEKLY STATUS REPORT
Audience: CISO
Owner: IT Security Manager
Format: Email update + dashboard link
Content:
- Treatment activities completed this week
- Treatment activities planned for next week
- Key milestones achieved
- Issues and blockers (red/yellow/green status)
- Budget spent this week
- Requests for decisions or support
MONTHLY PROGRESS REPORT
Audience: Risk Committee, CIO
Owner: CISO
Format: Presentation + written report
Content:
- Executive summary (1 page)
- Overall progress vs. plan
- Risk reduction progress
- Budget utilization
- Key achievements and milestones
- Issues and risks
- Decisions required
- Next month priorities
Template: [Link to monthly report template]
Due Date: 5th business day of each month
QUARTERLY COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW
Audience: Executive Leadership Team
Owner: CISO
Format: Executive presentation (30 min) + comprehensive written report
Content:
- Quarter achievements and outcomes
- Risk posture trend analysis
- Control effectiveness results
- Budget and resource utilization
- Comparison to plan
- Lessons learned
- Adjustments for next quarter
- Strategic recommendations
Template: [Link to quarterly report template]
Due Date: 15 days after quarter end
SEMI-ANNUAL BOARD REPORT
Audience: Board Risk Committee
Owner: CIO (presented by CISO)
Format: Board presentation (45 min) + comprehensive written report
Content:
- Organizational risk landscape
- Risk treatment program effectiveness
- Major achievements and outcomes
- Financial analysis (ROI, budget)
- Compliance status
- Emerging risks and future priorities
- Management recommendations
- Request for Board guidance on strategic risk decisions
Template: [Link to board report template]
Due Date: 30 days after mid-year (Jun 30) and year-end (Dec 31)
ANNUAL RISK TREATMENT REPORT
Audience: All stakeholders + ISO 27001 audit evidence
Owner: CISO
Format: Comprehensive written report (50-100 pages)
Content:
- Complete year in review
- All risks addressed and outcomes
- Control effectiveness validation
- Financial analysis and ROI
- Compliance achievements
- Lessons learned and best practices
- Recommendations for next year
- Appendices with detailed evidence
Due Date: January 31 (for prior calendar year)
8.4 Change Control Process
RISK TREATMENT PLAN CHANGE CONTROL
Changes to the approved RTP require formal change control process:
TYPES OF CHANGES
Minor Changes (Informal Approval):
- Timeline adjustments ≤2 weeks for individual activities
- Budget reallocations <5% between line items
- Resource substitutions (same skill level)
- Process improvements that don't affect scope
Approval: IT Security Manager → CISO (email approval)
Major Changes (Formal Approval):
- Timeline adjustments >2 weeks or affecting critical path
- Budget changes 5-15% or between phases
- Scope additions or reductions
- Risk reprioritization
- Resource additions or significant reallocations
Approval: CISO → Risk Committee (formal vote)
Significant Changes (Executive Approval):
- Budget changes >15%
- Timeline extensions >1 quarter
- Major scope changes (adding/removing ≥5 risks)
- Critical path changes affecting final delivery
Approval: Risk Committee → Executive Leadership Team → Board (if >$500K)
CHANGE REQUEST PROCESS
Step 1: Submit Change Request
- Complete Change Request Form (template provided)
- Include business justification
- Assess impact on timeline, budget, scope, resources
- Identify dependencies and risks
- Propose mitigation approaches
Step 2: Impact Analysis
- IT Security Manager reviews and assesses
- Consult with affected stakeholders
- Validate budget and timeline impacts
- Prepare recommendation (approve/modify/reject)
Step 3: Approval
- Route to appropriate approval authority
- Present at Risk Committee if major/significant change
- Document decision and rationale
Step 4: Implementation
- Update RTP documentation
- Communicate to all stakeholders
- Adjust project plans and schedules
- Update risk register and tracking systems
Step 5: Monitoring
- Track effectiveness of change
- Report change impact in next progress report
- Lessons learned for future changes
CHANGE LOG
All approved changes tracked in Change Log:
- Change ID
- Date requested
- Requestor
- Description
- Type (minor/major/significant)
- Impact assessment
- Approval date and authority
- Implementation status
- Actual impact vs. projected
Change Log reviewed monthly by Risk Committee.
8.5 Escalation Procedures
ESCALATION PROCEDURES
Escalation is required when:
- Critical issues cannot be resolved at current level
- Timeline delays >2 weeks on critical path
- Budget overruns >10%
- Resource conflicts cannot be resolved
- Risk treatment failure (control ineffective)
- Significant new risks identified
- Stakeholder conflicts
- Vendor performance issues
ESCALATION LEVELS
Level 1: IT Security Manager
Timeline: Issues identified at project team level
Resolution Time: 2 business days
Examples:
- Minor technical issues
- Resource scheduling conflicts
- Vendor support needs
- Documentation gaps
If unresolved → Escalate to Level 2
Level 2: CISO
Timeline: Issues not resolved by IT Security Manager
Resolution Time: 5 business days
Examples:
- Budget variance >5%
- Timeline delays 1-2 weeks
- Resource allocation conflicts
- Vendor contract issues
- Technical architecture decisions
If unresolved → Escalate to Level 3
Level 3: Risk Committee
Timeline: Issues not resolved by CISO or requiring policy/budget changes
Resolution Time: 10 business days (next Risk Committee meeting)
Examples:
- Budget reallocation >15%
- Timeline delays >2 weeks
- Scope change requests
- Risk reprioritization
- Significant vendor issues
If unresolved → Escalate to Level 4
Level 4: Executive Leadership Team
Timeline: Issues with strategic or significant financial impact
Resolution Time: 15 business days (next ELT meeting)
Examples:
- Budget increase requests
- Major timeline extensions
- Strategic direction changes
- Organizational resource conflicts
- Significant risk acceptances
If unresolved → Escalate to Level 5
Level 5: Board Risk Committee
Timeline: Issues requiring Board oversight or approval
Resolution Time: As per Board meeting schedule
Examples:
- Extreme risk acceptances
- Major program failures
- Regulatory compliance failures
- Significant budget increases (>$500K)
ESCALATION DOCUMENTATION
All escalations must include:
1. Issue description (what, when, where, who, why)
2. Impact assessment (timeline, budget, scope, risk)
3. Root cause analysis
4. Options analysis (minimum 2 alternatives)
5. Recommendation with justification
6. Required decision and decision maker
7. Timeline for resolution
Format: Escalation Memo (template provided)
Distribution: Escalation path (all levels informed)
ESCALATION TRACKING
Escalation Log maintained by IT Security Manager:
- Escalation ID
- Date raised
- Issue description
- Escalation level
- Decision maker
- Resolution date
- Outcome
- Lessons learned
Escalation metrics reported monthly to Risk Committee:
- Number of escalations by level
- Average resolution time
- Escalation trends
- Top escalation categories
Key Takeaways
-
Risk Treatment Plan is the Roadmap: Transforms risk assessments into actionable program with resources, timelines, and accountability
-
Executive Summary is Critical: Leadership approval requires clear business case with financial justification
-
Prioritization Drives Success: Focus on Extreme/High risks first, phase implementation to manage risk and resources
-
Resource Planning is Essential: Budget, personnel, technology, and training must be comprehensively planned and approved
-
Tracking and Reporting Enable Governance: Dashboards, KPIs, and regular reporting keep program visible and accountable
-
Success Criteria Must Be Measurable: Define specific, quantifiable targets for risk reduction and control effectiveness
-
Governance Structure Ensures Oversight: Clear roles, approval processes, and escalation procedures prevent program drift
-
Change Control Maintains Alignment: Formal process for scope, budget, and timeline changes protects program integrity
Congratulations! You have completed Module 3: Risk Assessment & Treatment. You now have comprehensive knowledge of:
- Risk identification methodologies
- Risk analysis and evaluation techniques
- Risk calculation formulas and matrices
- Risk register creation and management
- Risk treatment strategies (Modify, Retain, Avoid, Share)
- Risk treatment planning and execution
Next Module: Module 4 will cover ISO 27001 Controls Implementation, where you'll learn how to implement the Annex A controls systematically to achieve your risk treatment objectives and maintain compliance with ISO 27001 requirements.