Information Security

Information Security Assessment Methodology

1. Planning
Critical to a successful security assessment, the planning phase is used to gather information needed for assessment execution—such as the assets to be assessed, the threats of interest against the assets, and the security controls to be used to mitigate those threats—and to develop the assessment approach. A security assessment should be treated as any other project, with a project management plan to address goals and objectives, scope, requirements, team roles and responsibilities, limitations, success factors, assumptions, resources, timeline, and deliverables.

2. Execution
Primary goals for the execution phase are to identify vulnerabilities and validate them when appropriate. This phase should address activities associated with the intended assessment method and technique. Although specific activities for this phase differ by assessment type, upon completion of this phase assessors will have identified system, network, and organizational process vulnerabilities.

Security Professionals Skills Matrix - Comparison between Security Specialists, Architects and Professional. The skill set for Security Specialists, Architects and Professionals is slightly different. Below typical task of each career path.

Typical Tasks for Security Specialists:
- Respond to security incidents
- Report on security threats, conduct investigations
- Maintain security infrastructure, including risk and vulnerability assessments
- Research trends and issues related to security threats and control technologies

Typical Tasks for Security Architects:
- Scope and manage projects involving network security resources

So what is Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) requirement for Protection of Customer Information. Here is simple guidelines based on section V and the ammendment of appendix B. This act require the institution not only to protect but also assess and then control the IT risk.

Section V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999
Governs privacy in the context of Financial Institution Safeguards.

Section 501(a): It is the policy of the Congress that each financial institution has an affirmative and continuing obligation to respect the privacy of its customers and to protect the security and confidentiality of those customers’ nonpublic information.

Section 501(b): Establish appropriate standards for the financial institutions subject to their jurisdictions relating to administrative, technical, and physical safeguards
1. To insure the security and confidentiality of customer records and information;
2. To protect against anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of such records; and
3. To protect against unauthorized access to use of such records or information which could result in substantial harm or inconvenience to any customer.

2. Appendix B to Part 570
Outlines the Agency’s expectations for the creation, implementation, and maintenance of an information security program. This program must include administrative, technical complexity of the institution and the nature and scope of its activities. The guidelines describe the oversight role of the board of directors in this process and management’s continuing duty to evaluate and report to the board on the overall status of this program.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is a comprehensive law affecting institutions and departments that deal with protected health information.

Requirements
HIPAA includes requirements to protect the security, integrity, and confidentiality of this health-related information. These requirements apply to departments at Purdue that have been officially designated by the HIPAA Privacy Compliance Office as covered by HIPAA. To be HIPAA compliant, departments must develop, implement, and enforce a comprehensive security program including administrative, technical, and physical safeguards as determined appropriate for the institution and data. In addition to developing their own safeguards, departments are responsible for taking steps to ensure that their affiliates and service providers safeguard customer information in their care.

The Gramm Leach Bliley Act (GLBA) is a comprehensive law affecting institutions and departments that deal with financial information which includes nonpublic personal information such as addresses and phone numbers; bank and credit card account numbers; income and credit histories; and Social Security numbers.

Requirements
The GLBA includes requirements to protect the security, integrity, and confidentiality of this consumer information. To be GLBA compliant, organizations must develop, implement, and enforce a comprehensive information security program including administrative, technical, and physical safeguards as determined appropriate for the institution and data. In addition to developing their own safeguards, organizations are responsible for taking steps to ensure that their affiliates and service providers safeguard customer information in their care.