SECURING FIBRE CHANNEL FABRICS - Brocade

Chapter 4: Security Basics for Storage Professionals• Physical Security• Security Architecture and Models• Security Management Practices• Telecommunications, Network Security, and Internet SecurityThese ten domains apply directly to the SAN and storage environmentsand must be addressed in a comprehensive SAN security program.Security ModelsSAN security involves more than just guarding against a malicious outsiderwith sophisticated hacking tools and the intent to destroy or stealdata. In fact, most IT security threats are based on internal threatsfrom employees or other people with access to networks and physicalequipment inside the firewall. As a result, best practice IT securitystrives to achieve several basic security objectives, which vary dependingon which model is being followed.At a minimum:• Data must always be available to authorized users whenever it isneeded• To maintain its integrity, data must not be modified in any way• Sensitive data such as personal information, intellectual property,and data pertaining to national security, must remain strictlyconfidentialAs you will see, there are several models in current use and they aredescribed in the next few security sections.The CIA TriadOne of the most commonly used security models is the famous CIA triad.ConfidentialityConfidentiality as it pertains to electronic data is the protection ofinformation from being disclosed to unauthorized users. There are severalreasons why confidentiality must be considered in IT security,ranging from protecting the right to privacy of individuals to sensitivefinancial information to social security numbers and other pieces ofpersonal information, which can be used to steal someone's identity.Several laws in place today, particularly in the United States, enforcethe protection of confidentiality of Personally Identifiable Information(PII) of the citizens of a state by requiring notification of securitybreaches involving personal information. As of April 2012, 46 states,as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands46 Securing Fibre Channel Fabrics