Information Security

Blueprint
Objectives
• Describe management’s role in the development,
maintenance, and enforcement of information
security policy, standards, practices, procedures,
and guidelines
• Understand what an information security blueprint
is, what its major components are, and how it is
used to support the information security program
• Understand how an organization institutionalizes
its policies, standards, and practices using
education, training, and awareness programs
Introduction
• Creation of information security program begins
with creation and/or review of organization’s
information security policies, standards, and
practices
• Then, selection or creation of information security
architecture and the development and use of a
detailed information security blueprint creates plan
for future success
• Without policy, blueprints, and planning,
organization is unable to meet information security
needs of various communities of interest
Information Security Policy,
Standards
and Practices
• Communities of interest must consider policies
as basis for all information security efforts
• Policies direct how issues should be addressed
and technologies used
• Security policies are least expensive controls
to execute but most difficult to implement
• Shaping policy is difficult
Definitions
• Policy: course of action used by organization to
convey instructions from management to those
who perform duties
• Policies are organizational laws
• Standards: more detailed statements of what must
be done to comply with policy
• Practices, procedures and guidelines effectively
explain how to comply with policy
• For a policy to be effective, must be properly
disseminated, read, understood and agreed to by
all members of organization
Policies, Standards, and Practices
Enterprise Information Security
Policy (EISP)
• Sets strategic direction, scope, and tone for all
security efforts within the organization
• Executive-level document, usually drafted by or
with CIO of the organization
• Typically addresses compliance in two areas
• Ensure meeting requirements to establish program
and responsibilities assigned therein to various
organizational components
• Use of specified penalties and disciplinary action
Issue-Specific Security Policy
(ISSP)
• The ISSP:
• Addresses specific areas of technology
• Requires frequent updates
• Contains statement on organization’s position on
specific issue
• Three approaches when creating and
managing ISSPs:
• Create a number of independent ISSP documents
• Create a single comprehensive ISSP document
• Create a modular ISSP document
Systems-Specific Policy
(SysSP)
• SysSPs frequently codified as standards and
procedures used when configuring or
maintaining systems
• Systems-specific policies fall into two groups
• Access control lists (ACLs)
• Configuration rules
Systems-Specific Policy
(SysSP) (continued)
• Both Microsoft Windows and Novell Netware
5.x/6.x families translate ACLs into configurations
used to control access
• ACLs allow configuration to restrict access from
anyone
and anywhere
• Rule policies are more specific to operation of a
system than ACLs
• Many security systems require specific
configuration scripts telling systems what actions
to perform on each set of information they process
Policy Management
• Policies must be managed as they constantly
change
• To remain viable, security policies must have:
• Individual responsible for reviews
• A schedule of reviews
• Method for making recommendations for reviews
• Specific policy issuance and revision date
Information Classification
• Classification of information is an important
aspect of policy
• Policies are classified
• A clean desk policy stipulates that at end of
business day, classified information must be
properly stored and secured
• In today’s open office environments, may be
beneficial to implement a clean desk policy
The Information Security
Blueprint
• Basis for design, selection, and implementation
of all security policies, education and training
programs, and technological controls
• More detailed version of security framework
(outline of overall information security strategy
for organization)
• Should specify tasks to be accomplished and
the order in which they are to be realized
• Should also serve as scalable, upgradeable,
and comprehensive plan for information
security needs for coming years
ISO 17799/BS7799
• One of the most widely referenced and often
discussed security models
• Framework for information security that states
organizational security policy is needed to
provide management direction and support
NIST Security Models
• Another possible approach described in
documents available from Computer Security
Resource Center of NIST
• SP 800-12
• SP 800-14
• SP 800-18
• SP 800-26
• SP 800-30
NIST Special Publication 800-
14
• Security supports mission of organization; is an
integral element of sound management
• Security should be cost-effective; owners have
security responsibilities outside their own
organizations
• Security responsibilities and accountability should
be made explicit; security requires a
comprehensive and integrated approach
• Security should be periodically reassessed;
security is constrained by societal factors
• 33 Principles enumerated
IETF Security Architecture
• Security Area Working Group acts as advisory
board for protocols and areas developed and
promoted by the Internet Society
• RFC 2196: Site Security Handbook covers five
basic areas of security with detailed
discussions on development and
implementation
VISA International Security
Model
• VISA International promotes strong security
measures and has security guidelines
• Developed two important documents that improve
and regulate information systems: “Security
Assessment Process”; “Agreed Upon Procedures”
• Using the two documents, security team can
develop sound strategy the design of good security
architecture
• Only down side to this approach is very specific
focus on systems that can or do integrate with
VISA’s systems
Baselining and Best Business
Practices
• Baselining and best practices are solid
methods for collecting security practices, but
provide less detail than a complete
methodology
• Possible to gain information by baselining and
using best practices and thus work backwards
to an effective design
• The Federal Agency Security Practices (FASP)
site (fasp.nist.gov) designed to provide best
practices for public agencies and adapted
easily to private institutions
Hybrid Framework for a Blueprint
of an Information Security System
• Result of a detailed analysis of components of
all documents, standards, and Web-based
information described previously
• Offered here as a balanced introductory
blueprint for learning the blueprint development
process
Hybrid Framework for a Blueprint
of an Information Security System
(continued)
• NIST SP 800-26
• Management controls cover security processes
designed by the strategic planners and performed
by security administration
• Operational controls deal with operational
functionality of security in organization
• Technical controls address tactical and technical
issues related to designing and implementing
security in organization
Design of Security Architecture
• Defense in depth
• Implementation of security in layers
• Requires that organization establish sufficient
security controls and safeguards so that an intruder
faces multiple layers of controls
• Security perimeter
• Point at which an organization’s security protection
ends and outside world begins
• Does not apply to internal attacks from employee
threats or on-site physical threats
Key Technology Components
• Firewall: device that selectively discriminates
against information flowing into or out of
organization
• Demilitarized zone (DMZ): no-man’s land
between inside and outside networks where
some organizations place Web servers
• Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs): in effort to
detect unauthorized activity within inner
network, or on individual machines,
organization may wish to implement an IDS
Figure 5-18 – Key
Components
Security Education, Training,
and Awareness Program
• As soon as general security policy exist, policies to
implement security education, training and
awareness (SETA) program should follow
• SETA is a control measure designed to reduce
accidental security breaches
• Security education and training builds on the
general knowledge the employees must possess
to do their jobs, familiarizing them with the way to
do their jobs securely
• The SETA program consists of three elements:
security education; security training; and security
awareness
Security Education
• Everyone in an organization needs to be
trained and aware of information security; not
every member needs formal degree or
certificate in information security
• When formal education for individuals in
security is needed, an employee can identify
curriculum available from local institutions of
higher learning or continuing education
• A number of universities have formal
coursework in information security
Security Training
• Involves providing members of organization
with detailed information and hands-on
instruction designed to prepare them to
perform their duties securely
• Management of information security can
develop customized in-house training or
outsource the training program
Security Awareness
• One of least frequently implemented but most
beneficial programs is the security awareness
program
• Designed to keep information security at the
forefront of users’ minds
• Need not be complicated or expensive
• If the program is not actively implemented,
employees begin to “tune out” and risk of
employee accidents and failures increases
Summary
• Management has essential role in
development, maintenance, and enforcement
of information security policy, standards,
practices, procedures, and guidelines
• Information security blueprint is planning
document that is basis for design, selection,
and implementation of all security policies,
education and training programs, and
technological controls