IBM Storage has evolved overtime, in terms of device types such as Block Storage, Cloud Object Storage etc as well as, in terms of deployment of the advanced storage technology features.
As it evolved, configuration of storage devices expands and became more complex. It might lead to misconfigurations and vulnerabilities.
NIST SP 800-209 (Reference https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/209/final) helps with comprehensive set of security recommendations that will address threats.
It covers areas that are common to an information technology (IT) infrastructure (e.g., physical security, authentication and authorization, change management, configuration control, and incident response and recovery) and also to those areas specific to storage infrastructure (e.g., data protection, isolation, restoration assurance, and encryption).
Areas identified in storage deployment includes
- Physical Storage Security
- Data Protection
- Authentication and Data Access Control
- Audit Logging
- Preparation for Data Incident Response and Cyber Recovery
- Guidelines for Network Configuration
- Isolation
- Restoration Assurance
- Encryption
- Administrative Access
- Configuration Management
- Training
Overall, It gives a guidance to storage administrators, especially breadth of aspects that needs to be observed for secure storage configuration.
How IBM Storage Insights - Security Posture Dashboard helps.
IBM Storage Insights Security Posture Dashboard feature helps administrator with security configurations. Goal of this feature is to ensure at any point of time; administrator has control over security configurations and can continuously monitor storage security configurations.
This feature refers to NIST SP 800-209, especially to provide overview in terms of breadth of areas in Storage infrastructure management.
In order to achieve it, NIST SP 800-209 storage deployment guidelines are used.
Various storage security configuration parameters (link to the supported parameters) associated with the device are mapped to areas mentioned in NIST SP 800-209 - Section 4 - Security Guidelines for Storage Deployments.
Each of these areas are referred as “Categories” in IBM Storage Insights - Security Posture Dashboard.
Overview at the tenant level
Current values of parameters are evaluated as per IBM Product recommendation values.
Compliance percentage is derived accordingly for every category where parameters are mapped.
Such categories are presented as consolidates percentage compliance for every category into 3 buckets.
ü Categories which are least compliant (where percentage compliance is between (0% to 10%)
ü Categories which are least compliant (where percentage compliance is between (30% to 70%)
ü Categories which are least compliant (where percentage compliance is between (70% to 100%)
As an example,
Following graph shows, that the tenant has 6 devices which are least compliant specifically for the parameters in the “encryption” category.
This helps administrators to focus on the list of devices with least compliance bucket in each category.
Categories by failure per device
As mentioned in the previous section, each parameter retrieved from storage devices is mapped to the category (i.e. areas mentioned in NIST SP 800-209 - Section 4 - Security Guidelines for Storage Deployments).
Every device shows “Category by Failure” view on the dashboard. It describes, the category and number of “failed” parameters in the category.
As shown in the picture, “Authentication and data access control” category has 3 parameters which are failed (i.e. 3 parameters are non-compliant as per IBM Product specified secure values)
Summary
Together tenant level dashboard for various categories and device level dashboard with categories by failure, helps administrators with monitoring / reporting, breadth of areas that needs to be observed for secure storage configuration as per NIST SP 800-209 - Section 4 - Security Guidelines for Storage Deployments.
References
- NIST SP 800-209 Security Guidelines for Storage Infrastructure - https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/209/final
- IBM Storage Insights : Security Posture Dashboard Overview at Storage Guru - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYZGnmWRxVc
- For hands-on experience with IBM Storage Insights, use our demonstration link: https://demo.insights.ibm.com
- Security Posture dashboard documentation page: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/storage-insights?topic=dashboards-security-posture-dashboard
- Link to supported parameters: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/storage-insights?topic=dashboard-security-policies
- IBM Storage Insights product page: https://www.ibm.com/products/storage-insights
- Quick summary of recent features released with IBM Storage Insights: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/storage-insights?topic=whats-new