IT Baseline Protection Manual - The Information Warfare Site

Safeguard Catalogue - Hardware & Software Remarks
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- The data backup program is user-friendly and fast, allowing
automatic execution.
- Specifications can be made as to which data should be backed up
when.
- An option for loading any required data backup is available.
- It is possible to backup several generations.
- It is possible to backup instantaneous data at specified intervals
while an application is being run.
- If the telecommuting computer is to be equipped with an encryption
component, the required functionality must first be determined: Manual
encryption of selected data (offline) or automatic encryption of the entire
hard disk (online). A prerequisite here is that a suitable encryption
algorithm is used and that data lost on the occurrence of a malfunction
(power failure, encryption error) can be restored by the system. In addition,
the following features are recommended:
- Encrypted algorithms used by government agencies should be
approved by the BSI. Individual consultation by the BSI is
recommended in this case. Outside government agencies, the DES is
suitable for medium security requirements, while the triple DES is
suitable for high security requirements.
- Key management must be harmonious with the functionality of the
telecommuting computer. In particular, fundamental differences
between algorithms must be considered here: Symmetric techniques
use a confidential key for encrypting and decrypting; asymmetric
techniques use a public key for encrypting and a private
(confidential) key for decrypting.
- The telecommuting computer must safely manage critical security
parameters such as keys. These keys (including ones which are no
longer in use) must never be stored on the telecommuting computer
in an unprotected - i.e. readable - form.
- If a telecommuting computer is to be equipped with an integrity checking
mechanism, the following features are advisable:
- Integrity checking procedures should be used which can reliably
detect intentional manipulation of IT and data on the telecommuting
computer, as well as unauthorised installation of programs.
- Mechanisms should be used which can detect intentional
manipulation of address fields and payload data during data
transmission. Mere identification of the employed algorithms
without the need for certain additional details should not suffice to
perform secret manipulation of the above-mentioned data.
- Telecommuting computers should be equipped with a boot protection
mechanism which prevents unauthorised booting from exchangeable data
media such as floppy disks and CDs.
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IT-Baseline Protection Manual: Oktober 2000