What is the purpose of conducting a Cyber Security Criticality Assessment?

Conducting a Cyber Security Criticality Assessment is primarily focused on identifying and differentiating between critical and non-critical assets within an organization's information infrastructure. This assessment helps organizations understand which assets hold the most significant value, are most crucial for operations, or have the highest associated risk if compromised. By classifying assets in this way, organizations can prioritize their security efforts and resource allocation effectively, ensuring that the most critical systems are adequately protected.

While evaluating network performance, determining mitigation strategies, and preparing compliance reports are important functions in overall cybersecurity management, they are not the primary purpose of a Cyber Security Criticality Assessment. These activities may be outcomes or considerations stemming from the criticality assessment, but the use of the assessment lies in establishing a clear picture of which assets should be the focus for security measures based on their criticality to the organization.