A medium-sized survey company stores sensitive government data that is used as part of the study. A security requirement from the government requires that all sensitive data must remain stored at the company's head office. All staff and the head office network have undergone a security audit and have received clearance to store and access the data.
The application that uses the sensitive data can be installed on any company and can access data from local hard drives or a shared folder location. The application and the data must be accessible to a remote branch office with 30 users, traveling staff using dial-up connectivity, traveling staff using public wired/wireless Internet connectivity, and specific users operating from home.
What solution would you recommend to allow all staff to run the application with the government data and still meet the goverment requirments? The solution must be proposed to the government auditor for review.
To recommend a solution that meets the government requirements for accessing and storing sensitive data, while also accommodating various scenarios and users, the following solution can be proposed:
1. Virtual Private Network (VPN): Implement a VPN to securely connect the remote branch office, traveling staff, and home users to the head office network. A VPN establishes an encrypted tunnel between the user's device and the head office network, ensuring data confidentiality and integrity.
2. Terminal Services/Citrix: Deploy a terminal services or Citrix infrastructure at the head office. This solution allows remote users to access the application and data securely through a virtual session. The application and data are centrally hosted and remain within the head office, preventing unauthorized data storage on local devices.
3. Two-Factor Authentication: Enforce the use of two-factor authentication for all remote users accessing the application and data. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide a second form of authentication, such as a unique code from a mobile app or a hardware token, in addition to their username and password.
4. Mobile Device Management (MDM): Implement an MDM solution to manage and secure traveling staff's mobile devices. This ensures that devices connecting to the head office network meet security standards, have necessary security configurations, and can be remotely wiped or locked in case of loss or theft.
5. Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Employ DLP measures to monitor and control data movement within the organization. This assists in preventing accidental or intentional data leaks by identifying sensitive data and applying appropriate security policies, such as blocking email attachments or file transfers containing sensitive information.
6. Security Awareness Training: Conduct regular security awareness training for all staff to educate them about data protection best practices, phishing threats, and the importance of maintaining the security of their devices and connections. This helps mitigate the risk of social engineering attacks and user-related security incidents.
7. Secure Backup and Disaster Recovery: Implement a robust backup and disaster recovery solution to ensure the integrity and availability of the sensitive data. Regularly backup data and store redundant copies at secure offsite locations to protect against data loss due to hardware failures, natural disasters, or other unforeseen events.
Once the proposed solution is compiled, it should be presented to the government auditor for review. It is important to outline how each aspect of the solution aligns with the security requirements and provides adequate protection for the sensitive government data.