Network security assessment tool for Windows NT

This chapter introduces the Metrics Based Security Assessment (MBSA) as a means of measuring an organization’s information security maturity. It argues that the historical (i.e., first through third generations) approaches used to assess/ensure system security are not effective and thereby combines the strengths of two industry proven information security models, the ISO 17799 Standard and the Systems Security Engineering Capability Maturity Model (SSE-CMM), to overcome their inherent weaknesses. Furthermore, the authors trust that the use of information security metrics will enable information security practitioners to measure their information security efforts in a more consistent, reliable, and timely manner. Such a solution will allow a more reliable qualitative measurement of the return achieved through given information security investments. Ultimately, the MBSA will allow professionals an additional, more robust self-assessment tool in answering management questions similar to: “How secure are we?”

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Rapid urban health security assessment tool: a new resource for evaluating local-level public health preparedness

BMJ Global Health ◽

10.1136/bmjgh-2020-002606 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (6) ◽

pp. e002606 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Matthew R Boyce ◽

Rebecca Katz

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Urban Health ◽

Assessment Tool ◽

Local Level ◽

Local Health ◽

Security Assessment ◽

Direct Function ◽

Health Security ◽

Public Health Emergencies ◽

Sustainable Capacity

Urbanisation will be one of the defining demographic trends of the 21st century—creating unique opportunities for sustainable capacity development, as well as substantial risks and challenges for managing public health and health emergencies. Plans and policies for responding to public health emergencies are generally framed at higher levels of governance, but developing, improving and sustaining the capacities necessary for implementing these policies is a direct function of local-level authorities. Evaluating local-level public health capacities is an important process for identifying strengths and weaknesses that can impact the preparedness for, detection of and response to health security threats. However, while various evaluations and assessments exist for evaluating capacities at other levels, currently, there are no readily available health security assessments for the local-level. In this paper, we describe a tool—the Rapid Urban Health Security Assessment (RUHSA) Tool—that is based on a variety of other relevant assessments and guidance documents. Assessing capacities allow for local-level authorities to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their local health security systems, create multiyear action plans and prioritise opportunities for improving capacities, effectively engage with development partners to target resources effectively and develop compelling narratives and a legacy of leadership. While the RUHSA Tool was not designed to be used in the midst of a public health emergency, such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it may also be adapted to inform a checklist for prioritising what capacities and activities a city needs to rapidly develop or to help focus requests for assistance.

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