Security Basics mailing list archives
RE: Mass Distribution of Security Policies
From: "Robert Hines" <b.hines () comcast net>
Date: Thu, 12 May 2005 13:05:48 -0400
Steve, It could start with a Network usage agreement, (Advisory Policy) to all network users (old or new), as the users will have to agree to the Policy or be denied access. Now you have, (Accountability). Short and sweet to the point recommended usage and penalties for non-compliance that must be enforced. How you present this; in the environment described, I would divide the community into manageable pieces, presenting to politicians as they would expect (I would expect individually or by party head), Unions (Union Foreman?) as they would expect, and help Department heads, with a program for their groups, merge the appropriate lip service to the hard fact that compliance is mandatory. Then the usual: Login Banner, informational email, Informational training etc Sorry you had a bad experience with the content filtering rule, but as with any control that affects the daily pattern of an individual, backlash is immanent with out prior understanding of appropriate allowable behavior by system users. Its quite the challenge to assure security and make the users happy about it. Bob -----Original Message----- From: Ramirez, Steven [mailto:Steven.Ramirez () loukymetro org] Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 10:17 AM To: 'b.hines () comcast net'; security-basics () securityfocus com Subject: RE: Mass Distribution of Security Policies Bob < Are these new users, new employees? As, for policies and holding user's accountable, now that's another issue and should be coming from the corner office.> This is all employees who access the network (new and old). Like I mentioned, this is Government. We have Politics, politicians, Union, Dept policies and a mindset that needs to be changed. I am at the level which stands above all those and have the support I need to implement these policies. To give you an example of what I deal with. When I started here there was NO content filtering for web access. We implemented Websense (and fairly loosely at that) and the backlash was overwhelming. It is very hard to take away what was there for so long. People just don't understand, hence the impending Awareness Training. < Security awareness is always an ongoing activity, much more, then click yes, now you have been told, and are accountable. I find that being creative, and making security fun embed the concepts to the masses, and the masses will comply.> I agree....but, in the event of an incident that warrants a response having that piece of the pie that shows they have signed off on the policy helps the enforcement and accountability. < As for the asking and logging of last four, by the IT department, UM, sounds like an organizational wide Personnel issue to me.> There are many things that surprise me about working for a Government Agency....I'll leave it at that. I appreciate your response. Steve -----Original Message----- From: Robert Hines [mailto:b.hines () comcast net] Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 8:44 AM To: 'Ramirez, Steven'; security-basics () securityfocus com Subject: RE: Mass Distribution of Security Policies Steve, Are these new users, new employees? As, for policies and holding user's accountable, now that's another issue and should be coming from the corner office. Security awareness is always an ongoing activity, much more, then click yes, now you have been told, and are accountable. I find that being creative, and making security fun embed the concepts to the masses, and the masses will comply. As for the asking and logging of last four, by the IT department, UM, sounds like an organizational wide Personnel issue to me. The controls implemented, the administration applied, and awareness of your community, and penalties imposed for non-compliance does indeed impact the bottom line dollar. Bob -----Original Message----- From: Ramirez, Steven [mailto:Steven.Ramirez () loukymetro org] Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 4:05 PM To: 'security-basics () securityfocus com' Subject: FW: Mass Distribution of Security Policies I am currently looking at a way to mass distribute new security policies to the entire workforce. Bear in mind this is a government entity with multiple Dept's. In the past this had been done by visiting each Dept and distributing manually or upon new user orientation. It was not efficient or accurate. Our environment consists of this; AD 2003 SMS 2003 Exchange 2003 W2K Desktops Approx 4500 users/100 locations/1 Metropolitan Area This is what I was thinking; Initial mass deployment to all users logging in to the network must be directed to the new policies and forced to ACCEPT or DECLINE. Prior to clicking ACCEPT or DECLINE I would want the user to have to enter their name and last 4 of SSN. * By clicking ACCEPT it would be logged to a database where it could always be know when they accepted. The last 4 would be a means for our Help Desk to verify the individual if they ever called requesting a password reset (Optional, but would really help). * By clicking DECLINE, their account would be unable to access network resources or shut the machine down. Basically forcing them to click ACCEPT. * After initial deployment I would like this to occur in a frequency set forth by the automated password reset of 90 days. This way any revisions to the policies would be shown and also remind them of the policy. Some initial discussion here has been (without being too specific); * Tie into the login script * Make use of GPO's * Make use of MS Sharepoint * 3rd party solutions (Adobe, Digital Signatures, etc.) The policies will always be available via our Intranet. This distribution will also coincide with a mass Security Awareness Training. We just felt that forcing the policies at login will be the best and possibly only way to really have "everyone" who uses our network view them. What I ask of the people on this list; * How do you handle Security Policy Distribution? Frequency? Sign-off? Tracking? * Does anyone implement something like above? * Any suggestion of 3rd Party vendors? Any/all ideas are welcome. Steve
Current thread:
- FW: Mass Distribution of Security Policies Ramirez, Steven (May 11)
- RE: Mass Distribution of Security Policies Robert Hines (May 12)
- Re: FW: Mass Distribution of Security Policies Vic Sele (May 12)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- Re: FW: Mass Distribution of Security Policies Aram Sargsyan (May 12)
- RE: Mass Distribution of Security Policies Ramirez, Steven (May 12)
- RE: Mass Distribution of Security Policies Robert Hines (May 12)