Security Basics mailing list archives

RE: Getting the value of an asset and the probability of a risk to it


From: Craig Wright <Craig.Wright () bdo com au>
Date: Wed, 21 May 2008 02:00:53 +1000


I would love to believe this.

The unfortunate thing is, as politically incorrect as it is to say, the courts place a value on life daily.

Depending on age, expectancy and education; life is worth between US$ 2.5 Million and 7 Million. A child less, a 
college grad more, a retired person...

I do not like that this is the case, but it is a factor of economic reality. The cases that support this in law number 
in the thousands. I am unsure if I would answer in this way other than having drunk far too much after completing my 
LLM and having just arrived back.

Both Government and commerce value life. We send people to war based on the economic impact. When I say we value life, 
the problem is that life is not priceless. Compared to many things, humans are cheap.

This is why people who ignore these conventions become heros. When we think of life as more than an economic 
calculation, we start to understand real the value of life.

Regards,
Craig


Craig Wright
Manager, Risk Advisory Services

Direct : +61 2 9286 5497
Craig.Wright () bdo com au
+61 417 683 914

BDO Kendalls (NSW-VIC) Pty. Ltd.
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-----Original Message-----

From: listbounce () securityfocus com [mailto:listbounce () securityfocus com] On Behalf Of krymson () gmail com
Sent: Saturday, 17 May 2008 5:52 AM
To: security-basics () securityfocus com
Subject: Re: Getting the value of an asset and the probability of a risk to it

I'm just going to nibble a bit.

Typically speaking, the value of human life is an insurance or liability question. In terms of IT and security, the 
value of human life is above all else. Rather than try to actually value it, we just assume that and move on.


<- snip ->
Last question, i understand that the human are the enterprises most valuable asset. If so, how much would one value's 
anothers life in a quantitative evaluation. Also in link to this question, if you value the life of someone to X, would 
you stop investing in protection at X or X-1$ or would you go as far as you can (considering that this could put a 
serious bill up). Would you consider human in a risk assesment?


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