centralizing it risk assessment and measuring security policy

Centralizing IT Risk Assessment Centralizing IT Risk Assessment and Measuring Security Policy and Measuring Security Policy ComplianceCompliance

Kent Knudsen and Jeff McCabeTexas A&M University

EDUCAUSE 2004EDUCAUSE 2004Denver, CODenver, COOctober 20October 20

Copyright 2004 Kent Knudsen. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

© Copyright 2004 – Kent Knudsen, Texas A&M University

Large, Decentralized Campus Over 44,000

Students Over 10,000 Faculty and Staff Over 60,000 nodes Over 214 depts. Diverse departments with

different budgets, IT requirements / experience, priorities, and cultures.

Challenges of Decentralized Challenges of Decentralized SecuritySecurity

© Copyright 2004 – Kent Knudsen, Texas A&M University© Copyright 2004 – Kent Knudsen, Texas A&M University

Challenges of Decentralized Challenges of Decentralized SecuritySecurity

Some departments have full-time, trained IT staff – while other Some departments have full-time, trained IT staff – while other departments rely on student workers (or worse, have no IT staff)departments rely on student workers (or worse, have no IT staff)

Diversity of operating systems (Apple/Mac, Linux, MVS, Novell, Unix, Diversity of operating systems (Apple/Mac, Linux, MVS, Novell, Unix, Windows, etc.) – difficult to be an expert on more than one platformWindows, etc.) – difficult to be an expert on more than one platform

Libraries must provide access to information resources to both the Libraries must provide access to information resources to both the University populous and the community at largeUniversity populous and the community at large

Research computers funded by grants that have little or no provision for Research computers funded by grants that have little or no provision for security measuressecurity measures

Need a forum to allow IT staff to share best practices and tips on Need a forum to allow IT staff to share best practices and tips on securing the various platformssecuring the various platforms


Which Security Standard?Which Security Standard?

First, you have to decide upon a security standard . . .

“If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time”


Which Security Standard?Which Security Standard?U.S. Standards:

If your organization needs a benchmark based on industry best practices, there are several sources available:

State and Local StandardsObviously, compliance with your state and local security standards should be measured. However, if your state and local standards are incomplete or lacking, there are other standards to consider.

NIST Computer Security Resource Center (csrc.nist.gov)

The NIST CSRC provides several publications (FIPS PUBS) and other documents to serve as standards.


Which Security Standard?Which Security Standard?U.S. Standards:Additional sources:

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) (www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars)Provides circular A-130 - pertaining to information security of federal systems.

DITSCAP – DoD IT Security Certification and Accreditation Process that includes standards (www.dtic.mil)

The Department of Defense provides the DITSCAP process that can serve as a resource for additional security measures.


Which Security Standard?Which Security Standard?U.S. Standards:

Several U.S. industry and governmental entities have produced guidelines and standards – visit the link below for a comprehensive list.

http://iase.disa.mil/policy.html#ditscap

http://iase.disa.mil/policy.html#ditscap


Which Security Standard?Which Security Standard?International Standards:

The ISO17799 Standard (www.iso17799-web.com)The ISO17799 Standard is a set of security standards (based on the British Standards Institution - BS 7799) adopted and approved by the ISO, IEC and JTC1 (International Electrotechnical Commission, International Organization for Standardization and Joint Technical Committee) and is available for a fee.

The Common Criteria (www.commoncriteria.org)The Common Criteria project was started in 1993 in order to bring together various standards (TCSEC, ITSEC, etc.) into a single international standard for IT security evaluation.


Auditors as PartnersAuditors as Partners

• Establish lines of regular communicationEstablish lines of regular communication

• Discuss challenges and common goalsDiscuss challenges and common goals

• Offer to answer questions and guideOffer to answer questions and guide them to understand IT security issuesthem to understand IT security issues


Build an InfoSec CommunityBuild an InfoSec Community• Create an affiliation of campus ITCreate an affiliation of campus IT personnelpersonnel• Create a monthly meeting to discuss Create a monthly meeting to discuss information security issues (online for information security issues (online for multi-campus participation)multi-campus participation)• Provide a discussion list for sharingProvide a discussion list for sharing information between meetings, and forinformation between meetings, and for discussing issues in a timely mannerdiscussing issues in a timely manner


Towards Institutional Towards Institutional Assessment and ComplianceAssessment and Compliance

The time expended by IT personnel The time expended by IT personnel should be a consideration and kept to anshould be a consideration and kept to an effective minimumeffective minimum

In considering the various assessment In considering the various assessment methodologies and approaches – you methodologies and approaches – you want to avoid the situation where progress want to avoid the situation where progress is dependent on numerous individuals and is dependent on numerous individuals and their schedules (avoid death by committee their schedules (avoid death by committee scenario)scenario)


Security Best Practices. . . What Security Best Practices. . . What We KnowWe KnowThe approach of beginning each risk The approach of beginning each risk

assessment from scratch with a group of people assessment from scratch with a group of people was not practical for our diverse environment – was not practical for our diverse environment – so we reviewed a multitude of assessment so we reviewed a multitude of assessment methodologies to produce a “best of breed” methodologies to produce a “best of breed” product.product.

Also, a large number of threats are already Also, a large number of threats are already known, and security standards have been known, and security standards have been established, therefore we chose to design a tool established, therefore we chose to design a tool that establishes a good security baseline.that establishes a good security baseline.

Centralized Information Security Centralized Information Security ProgramProgramIT Risk Assessment and Security Policy Compliance Measurement


Texas A&M’s Answer . . .Texas A&M’s Answer . . .


“Information Security Program in a box”

ISAAC –

Information Security Awareness, Assessment, and Compliance

What is ISAAC?What is ISAAC?


Centralized Information Security Centralized Information Security ProgramProgram

Assesses the security posture of diverse information systems

Measures compliance with Information Security standards

Security awareness training (focused on various audiences)

Monthly Information Security Forum and e-mail discussion List

Mechanism for reporting security incidents

Guides for creating Business Continuity / Disaster Recovery plans

A checklist for annual inspections of the physical security

ISAACISAAC - a web-based “information security

program in a box”. Thinking inside the box…


A Web-based Solution Providing . . .A Web-based Solution Providing . . .

Automated Risk Assessment (standardized) Security Awareness Training (including validation) Business Continuity / Disaster Recovery Planning Guide Security Incident Reporting System (web) Physical Security Check List Security Forms and Templates


Non-invasive, platform independent system to inform and assist departmental IT personnel with InfoSec program:


Consistent, repeatable baseline assessment Covers both operational and technical requirements Most admins can complete an assessment < 2 hrs Results are combined into an overall assessment Risk report has a consistent format to assist our

“team members”, the auditors


A standardized risk assessment process


Departmental registration of system types and quantities (useful for sending targeted security alerts, among other things)

What is ISAAC?What is ISAAC? Centralized databases for collecting

required departmental data. The databases provide:

Identification of mission critical and/or confidential information resources (since these resources require more security safeguards)


Centralized databases provide (continued):

The Risk Assessment data is used to produce a composite report for the entire university, including overall percentage of compliance for each policy item on a university-wide basis


The Security Awareness Training data can be analyzed to determine the effectiveness of the training program, and is used to record quiz scores for generating completion “certificates”


Business Continuity Module:

The Business Continuity / Disaster Recovery Module contains a full-blown guideline for those departments maintaining server/client systems, and a simpler, basic plan for the desktop (peer-to-peer) environment



The State of Texas requires that once a month, a summary report be filed detailing the month’s security incidents


Security Incident Reporting System:

A web-based form for reporting various kinds of security incidents, such as: malicious code attacks, unauthorized access and use, disruption or denial of service, hoaxes, etc.

The SIRS database can be analyzed for trends and to measure effectiveness of various countermeasures


What is ISAAC?What is ISAAC?Physical Security Module:

This module contains a checklist which can be printed and used as a guide for making a visual inspection of the facilities. Two examples:

Entrances to areas of the highest sensitivity or criticality should be monitored using closed circuit television or automated systems or should be protected by guards.

Visitors should be escorted to and from their destination by a facility employee.


What is ISAAC?What is ISAAC?Security Forms and Templates Module:

This module contains several items. For example: Promotes participation in the monthly Information Security Forum meetings and email discussion list Non-Disclosure Agreement template Computing Ethics / Acceptable Use template for staff Sample Security Manual Incident Handling Guide Recommended security related email lists


ISAAC Because . . . It WorksISAAC Because . . . It WorksInitial Implementation (2002):• Achieved 100% participation from all 214

departments represented by 164 system administrators involving 17,000 systems

(servers and desktops)• Scalable solution• Produced first ever, composite risk

assessment report for the University IT infrastructure


ISAAC Because . . . Best of Breed ISAAC Because . . . Best of Breed RARA Core assessment based on established NIH risk methodology

Modified to include components of the NIST Special Publication 800-26 and the IAM methodology from NSA

Mainly a qualitative risk assessment with a quantitative risk rating (for prioritizing risk management decisions)


ISAAC Because . . . Part of ISAAC Because . . . Part of Security PolicySecurity Policy

PolicyOnly authorized

personnel allowed toaccess the systems

StandardAll authorized user accounts will

be protected by a password

Procedure, Guideline, PracticePasswords will be eight characters long, include 1non-alpha character and not be a dictionary word

ISAAC ISAAC


ISAAC Because . . . Assessment ISAAC Because . . . Assessment FlexibilityFlexibility

An annual process that yields an institutional wide assessment as well as

individual assessments that each department can use to evaluate their risks and make risk management decisions.

Three risk assessment types:– “Departmental” (for servers and clients)– “Desktop” (for peer-to-peer setup)– “Good Net Neighbor” – (for public access or lab

computers)


ISAAC Because . . . Department ISAAC Because . . . Department FlexibilityFlexibility Assessment report includes a “corrective action” plan that gives the

departmental IT staff an opportunity to recommend solutions to management for their consideration

Management has the flexibility to make risk management decisions for implementing the recommendations based on cost-benefit analysis


ISAAC Benefits . . . Easy to ISAAC Benefits . . . Easy to ImplementImplement

The Departmental IT Staff (System Admins) already feel harried and were not sitting idle looking for something to do – SO, in consideration of their time, an effective and efficient assessment was key to implementation

We also wanted this new initiative to be palatable, and able to garner “buy in” from the departmental managers

We held informational forums, and offered an on-site assistance option via online calendar. (However, ISAAC was so well received, not much assistance was requested)

All this and more was done to ease the burden, facilitate departmental use, and to smooth implementation


ISAAC Benefits . . . Easily ISAAC Benefits . . . Easily AdaptedAdapted“Raising the Bar” on security -

Each year ISAAC is evaluated against the current IT environment (new threats, legal and/or regulatory issues, etc.) and modified as necessary.

In addition, any new assessment methodologies are considered for enhancing ISAAC.


ISAAC ResultsISAAC ResultsIndividual Risk Reports for departments and a University-wide composite view of risks and security

countermeasures.

Ability to track compliance with info security standards: 55 policy items (49 improved compliance over last year) Overall compliance improved to 85% Number of systems achieving 100% compliance increased to 24%

The Overall Risk Rating improved from the previous year with 90% of the systems earning an “acceptable” rating.


ISAAC OutcomesISAAC Outcomes Increases awareness of Information Security Standards (on an annual basis).

Ability to assess compliance with security standards at both the departmental and university-wide levels.

Ability to track and trend compliance with security standards over time.

Corrective action plans to assist the departmental management in making risk management decisions.


ISAAC OutcomesISAAC Outcomes Ability to track and trend risk ratings over time.

Creates a baseline risk assessment and establishes the minimum security requirements (procedural and technical).

A consistent and repeatable process that keeps IT staff involvement at a minimum.


Any Any Questions?Questions?

Contact Information:E-mail: [email protected]

[email protected]

Postal: Computing & Information Services Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843-3142

Centralized Information Security Centralized Information Security ProgramProgram

centralizing it risk assessment and measuring security policy

Technology