Blue Lance InfoSec Blog

NIST SP 800-53 Solution Brief Now Available

Blue Lance released its LT Auditor+ Solution Brief today for IT controls outlined within SP 800-53 - Recommended Security Controls for Federal Information Systems produced by the National Institute of standards and Technology (NIST).  The document illustrates how LT Auditor+ maps to the NIST IT controls as documented in the framework.  The document is one of several solution briefs being developed on IT security regulations and frameworks including GLBA, FISMA, and Sarbanes-Oxley.

LT Auditor+ is an important step on the path to IT security and compliance.  The tools provide detailed audit trails for Novell NetWare and eDirectory as well as Microsoft Windows file systems, Active Directory and Group Policy.  It allows security and compliance teams to monitor, report and alert on access and changes to sensitive files and configuration settings.

The SP 800-53 Solution Brief is available now through the LT Auditor+ User Center.

U.S. ICE Legislation Aims to Refocus Goverment IT on Security

Last week, the Senate introduced the United States Information and Communications Enhancement Act of 2009, also known as U.S. ICE in an effort to reform FISMA.

FISMA had long been characterized as waste of time with a focus primarily on compliance and paperwork, with very little focus on security.  Several high profile breaches over the years since FISMA was enacted have brought Federal information systems security back into the spotlight, encouraging Congress to reexamine the issue.

The U.S. ICE Act will create the National Office of Cyberspace, headed by a presidential appointee, and will be responsible for, "coordinating issues relating to achieving assured, reliable, secure, and survivable global information and communications infrastructure and related capabilities."

According to a recent presentation by Erik Hopkins, the goals of the U.S. ICE legislation will

• Recognized global interconnectedness

• Increased situational awareness by leverage the resources of the entire Federal government

• Greater accountability within agencies

• Enhanced monitoring, detection, and responsive

• Elimination of distinction between NSS/ NNSSS

• Effective partnership between public demand and private supply

The bill is available for download in PDF format from here.

FISMA Solution Brief Now Available

Blue Lance released its LT Auditor+ Solution Brief today for FISMA Compliance.  The document illustrates how LT Auditor+ maps to the FISMA controls as documented in NIST SP 800-53.  The document is one of several solution briefs being developed on IT security regulations and frameworks including GLBA, and COBIT.

Summary
LT Auditor+ is an important step on the path to compliance with FISMA.  The tools provide detailed audit trails for Novell NetWare and eDirectory as well as Microsoft Windows file systems, Active Directory and Group Policy.  It allows security and compliance teams to monitor, report and alert on access and changes to sensitive files and configuration settings.

The FISMA Solution Brief is available now through the LT Auditor+ User Center.