Intermediate Events

Originating from Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), a methodology detailed in the international standard IEC 61025, an intermediate event is a core component in structured risk assessment. It represents a state that results from the logical combination (via AND/OR gates) of lower-level events, which can be basic events (root causes) or other intermediate events. In the context of a Privacy Information Management System (PIMS) aligned with ISO/IEC 27701, it serves as a crucial link. It connects a high-level "top event," such as a "major personal data breach" as defined under GDPR Article 4(12), to its underlying causes. Unlike a basic event, which is a root cause (e.g., "firewall misconfiguration"), an intermediate event like "unauthorized network access" is itself caused by other events, providing a clear map of the risk propagation path.

Practical application involves a top-down approach. Step 1: Define the Top Event, such as "Failure to comply with GDPR data security principles (Article 32)." Step 2: Identify and structure intermediate events by decomposing the top event into its direct causes. For instance, an intermediate event could be "Data retrieval system failure," which is caused by either "Database server offline" OR "Application software bug." Step 3: Decompose further down to basic events (root causes) like "power outage" or "coding error." Following the logic of IEC 61025, probabilities can be assigned to basic events to calculate the likelihood of each intermediate event and, ultimately, the top event. A multinational tech firm used this to analyze cloud service downtime risks, identifying "authentication service failure" as a key intermediate event. By strengthening its redundancy, they improved service uptime by 15%.

1. **Limited Analytical Expertise:** Many firms lack personnel trained in systematic methodologies like Fault Tree Analysis (FTA). Solution: Invest in training based on standards like ISO 31010 (Risk assessment techniques) and start with pilot projects to build internal capabilities. Priority: Conduct a skills gap analysis. 2. **Data Scarcity for Quantification:** Obtaining reliable probability data for basic events is a major hurdle, especially for SMEs without extensive historical incident logs. Solution: Initially, use qualitative risk matrices and leverage public threat databases from sources like NIST or ENISA. Concurrently, implement a robust incident logging system to build a proprietary dataset. 3. **Siloed Organizational Structure:** Effective FTA requires cross-functional collaboration (IT, legal, operations), which is often hindered by departmental silos. Solution: Establish a formal, cross-departmental risk management committee, championed by senior leadership, to facilitate information sharing and ensure a holistic view of risks.

Winners Consulting specializes in Intermediate events for Taiwan enterprises, delivering compliant management systems within 90 days. Free consultation: https://winners.com.tw/contact