Security Program Best-Practices 4

Security Program Best-Practices – Part 4

Security Program Best-Practices – Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 5

This blog continues our Security Governance Series with the next installment of recommended security program best-practices drawn from a broad sample of assessments.

As a refresher, in Part 1 we shared some typical gaps, deficiencies or, need for improvements summarized in the Opportunity Matrix below. The Opportunity Matrix can be used as a capability maturity assessment and iterative planning tool to present proposed next steps to executive management for approval and funding.

Part 1 through Part 3 of the Security Program Best-Practices series covered an overview as well as Gap 01 through Gap 07 inclusive. In this blog we will discuss Gap 08 – Integrate Central Security Logging through Gap 09 – Establish Network Security Operations, per summary below.

• GAP 01 – Identify Requirements: Security Policy, Regulation and, Laws
• GAP 02 – Develop Security Governance Program
• GAP 03 – Establish Network Security Organization
• GAP 04 – Establish Security Collaboration Working Group (WG)
• GAP 05 – Develop and Maintain Network Security Standards
• GAP 06 – Develop Network Security Architecture (3-5 Year Objective)
• GAP 07 – Develop Network Security Roadmap (with Annual Plans)
• GAP 08 – Integrate Central Security Logging
• GAP 09 – Establish Network Security Management & Operations
• GAP 10 – Develop Firewall Rule Lifecycle Management

Gap 08: Integrate Central Security Logging

Business Problem

To enable and deploy a defensible security posture pervasive and mission-critical information technology and hyper-extended networks must be more scrupulously monitored to detect anomalies and threats. High traffic volumes are also associated with higher threat levels, making automated network monitoring, alerting, and response indispensable. Automated monitoring improves system security, performance, and availability by allowing management by fact. Automation also frees the IT team to focus on exceptions, which in turn simplifies holistically managing large amounts of event data.

Being able to monitor various instrumentation telemetry data sources and event logs gives an administrator a substantial advantage in identifying threats early on – rather than investigating them after the fact. A sound logging strategy is the centerpiece in any organization’s “big picture – big data” network security plan. The presence of event monitoring within its log strategy helps distinguish a proactive plan from a reactive plan.

It is well established among network security professionals that the greatest threats to network security are in fact internal – they often originate in the same building, the same floor perhaps, and often right down the hall. The source may be a disgruntled employee, a curious staff member in the payroll department, or a bored sales representative. For several years, this threat was overlooked for the sexier external threat – the hackers working in dark home offices late at night or a competitor’s agent of corporate espionage.

To a network security administrator, event logs are like a history book or the gauges of an automobile. Event logs allow administrators to look back at the recent history of a server or network device and see trends, failures, successes, and other vital information to the organization.

Our richly interconnected online world has faced an ever increasing volume of malware and worm variants — even botnets. They exploit vulnerabilities in, for example the Windows operating system and systematically reproduce across the organization. All the while, servers, routers, and other network devices quietly log these events across LANs and WANs. For administrators, these log files gave them a snapshot of a window (excuse pun) in time that showed when, where, and most of the time, how the infection or compromise entered their controlled space.

Event logs also hold potentially valuable forensic evidence. In the aftermath of a network security breach, event logs hold all of the information about the breach. How it happened, when it happened, and in the end, the keys to preventing another breach. This data is key to enable the ability to Detect, Contain and, Eradicate as well as investigate the root cause analysis, address and prevent recurrence in the future.

Gap 09: Establish Network Security Operations

Business Problem

The problem with network security is not the lack of good security tools; it is the management of those tools and the exposure to human error. Large networks generate an overwhelming amount of logs and security events. Firewalls, intrusion detection systems, web servers, authentication devices, and many other network elements contribute to more and more logs which need to be analyzed and produce actionable information.

There is a lot of noise, at first and false positives that need to be resolved and addressed through profiling network traffic and tuning network security technologies to customize them to the organizations business – to detect anomalies and leverage the true potential and value from the technology or technologies. Too many organizations deploy the solution out-of-the-box and stop there, disappointed by all of the noise and overwhelmed by the task at hand.

However this on-going effort and its optimization can reduce the amount of alerts from thousands per day to dozens. When a correlation occurs, a simple message that says a particular server has been attacked with a technique which is likely to succeed can be sent to system owners, operations people, and other places. The operator starts to realize value from the technology and its automation to focus on those alerts and events that need action as to whether they are a breach or not – thus need further investigation.

Attackers typically create a smoke screen, a set of decoys that obscure the actual compromise or infection so that it is lost in the noise and any security operators are so overwhelmed they do not detect the stealthy attack. This is validated by the recent spate of DDoS attacks that not only seek to deny normal service but also seek to compromise servers under the cover of the attack. Many SEIM solutions generate a lot of noise out-of-the-box and need tuning to weed out and optimize.

Detection and Response

Systems fail and intrusions occur. At some point compromise is inevitable. Therefore, detection and containment is imperative. The earlier an intrusion or infection is detected, the greater the ability of the organization to mitigate the risk. Intrusion detection is considered the second line of perimeter defense, after the firewall. Intrusions can lead to malicious acts such as: identity theft; compromise of confidential information; and unauthorized changes in files, systems, and device configurations.

An organizations ability to detect and prevent intrusions adds more depth to its defensive security posture. Organizations must be aware that intrusion detection alone will not mitigate the risk of an intrusion. Mitigation can only occur with a timely and appropriate response. A prudent  response program incorporates people and processes in addition to technology, and starts with the creation of a computer security incident response team (CSIRT) that will be the initial responder when an incident is identified. In addition to the CSIRT, policies must be developed to guide the organization and team in responding to an event. Types of events and the specific procedures to be followed also need to be defined. The development of an incident response program is typically mandated by regulation, international standards or, industry best-practices.

The timely detection of an intrusion coupled with being prepared to respond is vital to minimizing financial, production, and operational losses. Specific actions and responsibilities need to be pre-assigned and the appropriate training provided. In addition, containment and restoration strategies need to be outlined that address the: isolation of the compromised system; increased, monitoring, collection and preservation of evidence; and notification to law enforcement, regulators, and other affected parties.

Continuous Improvement

Monitoring and updating the security program is essential to maintaining the effectiveness of the program. A static program will be ineffective over time and can leave the organization with a false sense of security. Monitoring should include both non-technical as well as technical issues.

Non-technical issues would include changes in business processes, policies and procedures, locations, sensitivity of data, key personnel, and organizational changes.

Technical issues include monitoring for vulnerabilities, changes in systems, service providers, configuration, users, products, and services. When changes do occur, it is imperative that they are reviewed for accuracy and legitimacy and the program is adjusted to reflect the changes and ensure continued security and operational success.

Accidental changes can be just as damaging as malicious or fraudulent change activities – resulting in increased costs for remediation and potential losses or negative affect on the organization’s top-line revenue. Best practices mandate the monitoring of all changes, intended and unintended, that will create an audit trail that details when, what, and how the change occurred. The use of automated change control and audit tools will also enhance operational efficiency by increasing the effectiveness and productivity of your security personnel.

Each change can potentially create a vulnerability or weakness in the security program if not properly evaluated, tested, and deployed. Therefore, strong change control procedures and monitoring are critical to reduce the exposure to financial losses, reputation damage, and loss of productivity.

Validation: Trust but Verify

To assure that its security strategies are adequate, each organization must test its controls against the risks events that were identified through its formal assessment of risks. The higher the probability and negative affect of a risk event, the greater the need to validate the effectiveness of the security controls. The type of test to perform and the frequency should also be based on risk.

Prior to testing, detailed test plans need to be developed to ensure testing is appropriate and controls are established to reduce the risk to data integrity, confidentiality, and ensure availability. Test results need to be measurable and traceable to provide assurances that the security strategy is meeting security objectives.

There are a variety of testing methodologies and tools available, many of which can be automated to improve efficiency and enable independence. Independent diagnostic tests include penetration tests, audits, and gap assessments that are performed by credible individuals who are considered independent of the design, installation, maintenance, and operation of the test subject area. Examples of resources that will help support and streamline the testing efforts include: log and audit files generated via security event management systems, change management reports, automated audit tools coupled with penetration testing, prior security gap assessments findings and recommendations, and internal IT audit findings and recommendations from prior audits.

No one control or solution can ever guarantee 100 percent security. High-performing organizations understand that business and technology risk management best practices mandate a defense-in-depth security approach that includes multiple controls and can be validated with internal and external audit resources. When properly aligned with the organization’s risk profile, all of the controls discussed above help to establish a practical and prudent risk-based security posture.

When properly aligned with the organizations’ business goals, audit personnel and tools can validate the appropriateness of these controls and help to ensure operational excellence and a secure infrastructure.

Coming Soon

Security Program Best-Practices – Part 5 will complete this Security Governance Series with a significant topic that warrants its own blog, Gap 10 – Firewall Rule Lifecycle Management for discussion and helpful advice on key components.

Thanks for your interest!

Nige the Security Guy.