Elements and Performance Criteria

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Parameters may include:
applications security
data security
enterprise continuity
incidents
system security.
Continuity of operations may include:
COOP plan execution
COOP plan revision and updating
COOP program implementation
identification of functional requirements:
mission impact analysis
mitigation strategies and plan
risk assessment
plan design and development
project initiation
training, testing and drills.
Factors may include:
business continuity and recovery
contingency planning
contingency planning and programs
disaster recovery
emergency delegations of authority
orders of succession for key positions
scope of the enterprise COOP program
security incidence
staffing model.
Security incidents may include:
event causing interruption to reduction in quality of service
failure or error in IT infrastructure
illegal data harvesting
illegal downloads
malware:
adware
computer viruses
phishing
spyware
trojans
worms
security breach
service not available
system down
tampering.
Incident-management program may include:
ensuring that the best possible levels of service quality and availability are maintained
establishing effective and responsive response team
evaluation of security incidents
improvement of incident management processes and procedures
minimisation of the impact on business operations
restoration of normal service operation as quickly as possible
sourcing effective security tools.
Related security teams may include:
incident response team
security administration:
external stakeholders:
law enforcement agencies
public relations professionals
vendors
internal stakeholders:
finance
HR
legal department
procurement
technical support.
Resources may include:
equipment
financial
network security and telecommunications personnel
training.
Applicable network-based documents may include:
directives
laws
policies
procedures
regulations
standards.
Documentation may include:
applicable network-based documents
audits and management reviews
communications protocols
contingency plans and activities
evaluation reports
incident management program, processes and procedures
management reports
network security and telecommunications program
performance measurement program
reviews and improvements records
security classification and data management policies
security incidence records.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Evidence of the ability to:
direct contingency planning, operations and programs to manage risk
establish the IT system and application security engineering program
manage the necessary resources to establish and maintain an effective network security and telecommunications program
specify policy and coordinate review.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment must ensure access to:
IT business specifications
IT security assurance specifications
management-related scenarios
a security environment, including the threats to security that are, or are held to be, present in the environment
information on the security environment, including:
laws or legislation
existing organisational security policies
organisational expertise
use of risk analysis tools and methodologies currently used in industry
appropriate learning and assessment support when required
modified equipment for people with special needs.
Method of assessment
A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:
direct observation of candidate managing networks and telecommunications security
direct observation of candidate managing IT security incidents
verbal or written questioning to assess candidate’s knowledge of organisational policy and procedures that impact on IT security
review of documentation prepared by candidate, including contingency planning and programs to manage risk.
Guidance information for assessment
Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, where appropriate.
Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and suitable to the communication skill level, language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.
Indigenous people and other people from a non-English speaking background may need additional support.
In cases where practical assessment is used it should be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge.