LOK-IT Technical Overview

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S Y S T E M A T I C D E V E L O P M E N T G R O U P , L L C DEPLOYMENT Despite their widespread acceptance, recent events have caused many corporations and governmental entities to revisit or establish policies regarding use of UFD’s. This has led to an even larger conversation regarding best practice methods for use and deployment of UFD’s. Virtually all manuals on cyber-security include statements that no electronic measures can combat lack of training or failure to enforce policies. In addition most concur sensitive/secret information is best stored on computers/devices with no access to the Internet. Despite this reality, recently several solutions utilizing UFD’s to protect against viruses/malware have been put forth. It is our opinion that these solutions are ineffective and provide a false sense of security. For example, portable anti-virus programs are relatively ineffective because they cannot hook into web browsers and email clients the way that installed anti-virus programs can. In addition, these solutions are time-consuming. It would likely take hours for a portable anti-virus program to scan the entire computer system, including network drives, after being invoked upon insertion of the UFD on which it resides. Reduced-scope scans (e.g. Windows Registry only) provide very little security. Finally, these solutions cause conflicts with installed anti-virus programs. Interference between simultaneously running anti-virus products is widely discussed on internet forums. The following are our recommendations for best practices for enterprise usage of secure USB Drives. Establish a User Awareness Training Program USB drives provide a convenient means of transferring files between workstations. Increased ease of transferring files can result in increased likelihood of transmitting malware files unless sound security practices and policies exist. The original transmission of malware files is almost always via the internet. Virtually all enterprise cyber-security programs start with user awareness and training. Despite our desire for electronic prevention of the spread of malware, no existing combination of products or technologies is effective against an untrained user. Such a program should include: Understanding Online Threats, Phishing, Fraud, Keystroke Loggers Detecting and Avoiding Bots and Zombies Using Browsers and Downloading Files Blogging and Social Networking Insider Threats Enterprise Preparation and Configuration The enterprise should generally include the following: Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware, and Other Protective Software Sound Authentication Mechanisms Access Controls, Including Wireless, Modems, VPNs, and Physical Access Host-based Firewalls and Filtering Automated Deployment of Updates and Patches Software Authenticity Verification (Digital Signatures, MD5, etc.) Data Encryption Page 14 of 14
S Y S T E M A T I C D E V E L O P M E N T G R O U P , L L C USB Port Management: Port Management Software addresses the case where there is a need to limit the type of USB drive that can be used. Internet Usage and File Exchange Policy The enterprise must have a policy on how information can be exchanged between and within organizations. The policy must address the usage of USB drives on non-managed computers, such as those in their homes. If such use is permitted, a policy addressing preparation and configuration of home computers must exist, typically in combination with explicit scanning of any files transferred from USB drives to enterprise computers. Encryption of sensitive information stored on backups, removable media or in emails is recommended. In the case of removable media that is exposed to possible physical loss, strong encryption is essential (the LOK-IT drive does this automatically). OS Independence Operating system independence is critical for any large-scale deployment of UFDs. LOK-IT drives provide all authentication and encryption tasks within the hardware controllers. Since these tasks are completed without interaction of the computer operating system, LOK-IT is completely platform independent. This makes deployment of the drives very simple, in that IT administrators do not have to consider any of the following elements that are a part of other secure flash drive deployments: Computer operating systems in use Versions/releases of those operating systems Future OS compatibility Flash drive software rollout issues Flash drive software upgrades, updates and patches Other secure drives must use software for authentication, along with possible software for encryption or other tasks. The software either requires installation on the computer in order to use, or the software is embedded within the drive. In either case, the software interacts with the computer’s operating system, so compatibility with both current and possible future operating systems must be a consideration. These considerations are not relevant to LOK-IT deployment. Port Management Port management software empowers network administrators to restrict access and use of UFD’s within a network. Through use of port management software, historical usage data is also recorded in a central location. LOK-IT does not rely upon software on the host for user authentication or encryption, therefore it is agnostic to port management software. Each device is coded with a unique (electronic) VID/PID thereby making it compatible with any port management software (i.e. DeviceLock, DeviceWall, Sanctuary Device Control, etc). Admin PIN LOK-IT is configurable for use with an administrator PIN (in addition to the user PIN) thereby making the drive and its contents recoverable if the user PIN is forgotten or the user refuses to or is unable to provide their PIN (e.g. termination or death). To use this feature, the Admin PIN is set prior to distribution to the user. It is possible to set the Admin PIN after the user has set their PIN, however, the user must first unlock the drive to do so. Using the Admin PIN, the UFD may be unlocked and the contents accessible at Page 15 of 15
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LOK-IT Technical Overview

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