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Risk Assessment Tools

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FAIR Privacy

FAIR Privacy is a quantitative privacy risk framework based on FAIR (Factors Analysis in Information Risk). FAIR Privacy examines personal privacy risks (to individuals), not organizational risks. Included in this tool is a PowerPoint deck illustrating the components of FAIR Privacy and an example based on a hypothetical smart lock manufacturer. In addition, an Excel spreadsheet provides a powerful risk calculator using Monte Carlo simulation.

Notes: V2.11 March 2022 Update: A revised version of the PowerPoint deck and calculator are provided based on the example used in the paper "Quantitative Privacy Risk" presented at the 2021 International Workshop on Privacy Engineering (https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9583709). The newer Excel based calculator:

  • uses a Poisson distribution for threat opportunity (previously Beta-PERT)
  • uses Binomial distribution for Attempt Frequency and Violation Frequency (Note: inherent baseline risk assumes 100% vulnerability)
  • provides a method of calculating organizational risk tolerance
  • provides a second risk calculator for comparison between two risks for help prioritizing efforts
  • provides a tab for comparing inherent/baseline risk to residual risk, risk tolerance and the other risk tab
  • increased instructional text
  • genericization of privacy harm and adverse tangible consequences

Some additional resources are provided in the PowerPoint deck. Feedback and suggestions for improvement on both the framework and the included calculator are welcome. Additionally, analysis of the spreadsheet by a statistician is most welcome.

Affiliation/Organization(s) Contributing: Enterprivacy Consulting Group
GitHub POC: @privacymaverick

FAIR Privacy on GitHub   Share Feedback


NIST Privacy Risk Assessment Methodology (PRAM)

The PRAM is a tool that applies the risk model from NISTIR 8062 and helps organizations analyze, assess, and prioritize privacy risks to determine how to respond and select appropriate solutions. The PRAM can help drive collaboration and communication between various components of an organization, including privacy, cybersecurity, business, and IT personnel.

Worksheet 1: Framing Business Objectives and Organizational Privacy Governance
Worksheet 2: Assessing System Design; Supporting Data Map
Worksheet 3: Prioritizing Risk
Worksheet 4: Selecting Controls
Catalog of Problematic Data Actions and Problems

Notes: NIST welcomes organizations to use the PRAM and share feedback to improve the PRAM.

Affiliation/Organization(s) Contributing: NIST
GitHub POC: @kboeckl

PRAM on GitHub   Share Feedback


Interested in contributing? 

Contribute your privacy risk assessment tool.

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Created October 28, 2018, Updated March 3, 2022