Risk Management. What lessons can we learn from the COVID-19 situation?

Risk Management Lessons from COVID-19: Why the Human Factor Matters

The COVID-19 pandemic offers a clear, real-world example of how risk management—when applied early and in detail—can make a decisive difference in outcomes.

Early Risk Assessment: A Preventive Advantage

If we assess the probability of a new, highly contagious virus emerging and the impact it could have (e.g., high mortality), we can estimate whether there’s a real risk to society.

• Mapping exposure areas, identifying most vulnerable groups, and knowing where resources are scarce enables targeted prevention and mitigation actions.
• A risk map helps determine where measures are in place and where urgent action is needed.

The Problem of Treating “People” as a Single Asset

In traditional organizational risk analysis, “people” are often treated as a single collective asset, associated with general vulnerabilities like:

• Age
• Health conditions
• Work exposure
• Lifestyle habits

This approach: ❌ Estimates only the general risk. ❌ Produces generic mitigation measures. ❌ Fails to pinpoint high-risk individuals or groups.

Why Detailed, Individual-Level Risk Assessment Is Essential

Just as IT assets are classified in detail—not just “servers” but “web servers” or “financial applications”—people should also be analyzed individually:

• Exposure level: e.g., healthcare workers, police officers.
• Impact potential: e.g., elderly employees, those with pre-existing conditions.
• Combined factors: e.g., a 70-year-old with diabetes working in a hospital faces exponentially higher risk than a healthy 25-year-old working from home.

Outcome:

• Tailored protection measures for different individuals.
• Efficient resource allocation where it matters most.

Applying This Thinking to Cybersecurity & Internal Risk

In cybersecurity, we often categorize staff broadly as “administrators” or “users.” This is like calling all servers the same—it misses critical differences.

Kymatio applies granular, human-focused risk assessment:

• Evaluates each person’s unique vulnerabilities and exposure to threats.
• Determines impact level if an incident occurs.
• Designs personalized strengthening plans to reduce internal risk.

The Takeaway

COVID-19 reminds us: Risk management works best when it’s specific, preventive, and human-centered. By understanding each person’s unique context, organizations can:

• Reduce risk.
• Protect critical assets.
• Increase resilience in times of crisis.

📌 It’s more necessary than ever to focus on the human factor. Contact Kymatio to start preventing.