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IT Security Risks. Introduction. IT security threats are a growing reality Everyone is at risk - governments, corporations, individuals. Governments. Corporations. Foreign Policy National Security. Financial HR/Employee. Domestic Programs.
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Introduction IT security threats are a growing reality • Everyone is at risk - governments, corporations, individuals Governments Corporations Foreign Policy National Security Financial HR/Employee Domestic Programs Intellectual Property Individuals Financial Medical Personal
Recent Breaches A sampling of some recent high-profile activity makes the point: 27 Apr – Sony PlayStation Network Hacked, 77m Accounts At Risk 16 Apr – Internet Mistake Reveals UK Nuclear Submarine Secrets 15 Apr – Texas Controller Exposes Personal Data On Millions 04 Apr – Targeted Attacks Expected After Massive Epsilon Email Breach 30 Mar – Australian PM Computers Hacked, Chinese Attack Suspected 24 Mar – European Commission Hit By Cyberattack 18 Mar – Hackers Breach EMC Security Division, RSA SecurID Tokens 07 Mar – Hackers Attack French Govt Computers Seeking G20 Secrets 17 Feb – Chinese-Based Cyberattack On Key Canadian Departments
What’s At Stake Control Over Digital Assets • Control over how these assets are used • Control over who has access to these assets (my focus today) The Costs Of Losing Control Are Not Theoretical • Non-financial costs are significant (reputation/credibility)e.g., Wikileaks, Google users in China, Identity Theft • Financial costs are staggering (lost revenues/customers) • In US (2010) an average corporate breach cost $7.2 million ($214/record) • In UK (2010) an average corporate breach cost £1.9 million (£71/record)
The Nature of the Threats Errors: • Unintentional or unrecognised breakdowns in security • System Design Errors, e.g., insecure hardware/software, faulty configurations • Procedural Errors, e.g., insufficient security policies, ineffectual implementation • Human Errors, e.g., the lost laptop problem Attacks: • Unauthorised access to systems and assets • Vandalism, e.g., denial of service • Cybercrime, e.g., criminal intrusion, employee retaliation SUCCESSFUL ATTACKS REQUIRE ERRORS
Three Ways To Confront IT Security Risks Rule #1: PROTECT THE DATA ITSELF • Assume that the system will be compromised • Notwithstanding all other protections, assume environmental or procedural failure • Encrypt all high-value data assets CONTAIN EXPOSURE BY MAKING THE DATA UNUSABLE
Three Ways To Confront IT Security Risks Rule #1: PROTECT THE DATA ITSELF Rule #2: EMPLOY FINE-GRAINED ACCESS CONTROL • Assume that the system will be compromised • Control access over all steps in the path to digital assets • Discrete access control over the system, apps, functions, keys, data • Need-To-Share requires Need-To-Know criteria to control access CONTAIN EXPOSURE BY MANAGING ACCESS
Three Ways To Confront IT Security Risks Rule #1: PROTECT THE DATA ITSELF Rule #2: EMPLOY FINE-GRAINED ACCESS CONTROL Rule #3: IMPLEMENT COMPREHENSIVE AUDIT PROCESSES • Assume that the system will be compromised • Maintain audit over all paths to the digital assets & activity with the assets themselves • Look over everyone’s shoulder all the time • Adopt centralised audit to enable standardized, real-time oversight CONTAIN EXPOSURE WITH FORENSIC-LIKE TRACKING
Applying The Rules – Two Everyday Examples Rule #1: PROTECT THE DATA ITSELF Rule #2: EMPLOY FINE-GRAINED ACCESS CONTROL Rule #3: IMPLEMENT COMPREHENSIVE AUDIT PROCESSES Example 1 (Rules 1, 2, and 3): Protecting Files Outside The Trusted Environment Example 2 (Rules 2 and 3): Securing Access To Network & Cloud Services
Protecting Files Outside The Trusted Environment The Requirement: • Sensitive files must be accessed away from the office, e.g., • Off-site work at a remote customer location • Employees working at home • Remote access back into the trusted environment is prohibited An Unfortunately Common Occurrence • The sensitive file is copied onto a mobile device, e.g., a laptop or USB drive • The mobile device is physically transported outside the trusted environment • This commonly employed formula-for-disaster can easily lead to: COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL OVER THE DIGIT ASSETS
Protecting Files Outside The Trusted Environment A Solution Employing The Rules Within The Trusted Environment Prepare the digital file: • Encrypt the file • Manage access to the encryption key • Audit everything From Any Remote Location Retrieve the digital file: • Authorise access for the Remote User • Retrieve encrypted file, retrieve decryption key • Audit everything CONTROL OVER THE DIGITAL ASSET IS MAINTAINED
Securing Network & Cloud Services The Requirement: • Replace legacy applications with a broad array of Network & Cloud services The IT Security Challenge: • Access control over numerous disparate services provided by a multitude of unaffiliated vendors • Little or no uniformity in access control processes/capabilities across services/vendors • Extreme complexity and costs in managing access at the individual service level An Unfortunately Common Occurrence • Proceed with Network & Cloud initiatives, skip over the access control problem for now • Don’t design access control into the solution, slap it on later (if we get hacked)
Securing Network & Cloud Services A Solution Employing The Rules Externalise Access Control From Individual Network & Cloud Services • Centralise access control functions • Relieve individual services of access control administration • Avoid the complexity/costs of managing access control at the individual service level Implement Comprehensive, Fine-Grained Access Control • Control access to all Network & Cloud services & components • Adopt a centralised “War Room” approach controlling who-gets-at-what Implement Comprehensive Audit Of All Activity • Standardised, real-time oversight of access ACCESS CONTROL TO NETWORK & CLOUD SERVICES IS MAINTAINED