Resources, Advisories, Tools
A Handy Guide to get you started
Cyber security and development of a simple Information Security Management System or framework should be business-as-usual. Use this handy guide to make a start and then check out the other resources on this web site. Aim at the high risk information assets first. Talk to ServiceNet, they may able to help. A Handy Guide to get you started
Approved Government Suppliers
Please refer to Contracts WA for an approved list of suppliers to the WA Government for CS 14998 Information Security Management Services. The site includes the buyers guide, pricing and Health Check/Self Assessment. Contracts WA – Information Security Management Services
Defence Signals Directorate
The Defence Signals Directorate (DSD) Onsecure website is a members-only website for Australian Government, State Government and Local Government personnel only. It is an authoritative and valuable source of security resources, cyber security advisories, publications and an online incident reporting system. Cyber security advisories posted on this website are from the Department of Defence Computer Security Operations Centre and CERT Australia. Publications include DSD’s PROTECT publications as well as other useful technical guidelines. Agencies are strongly encouraged to apply for membership to avail themselves of these valuable resources available at no cost. Agencies wishing to apply for a membership account should go to OnSecure - security resource and incident reporting system.
The DSD main website is also an authoritative and valuable source of other cyber security resources that are publicly available. Agencies are strongly encouraged to avail themselves of the valuable resources available from DSD at no cost. Go to the Department of Defence - Defence Signals Directorate web site.
AusCERT
Government Procurement provides a centralised service for the distribution of computer security alerts, bulletins and advisories to agencies.
Alerts and bulletins come from AusCERT (Australian Computer Emergency Response Team) and other relevant sources. AusCERT is a not-for-profit organisation that provides daily technical risk and vulnerability information used by system administrators to evaluate the threat to their ICT environment and mitigate those risks.
Government Procurement maintains membership of AusCERT on behalf of the Western Australian Government, so all agencies are covered under this arrangement and are eligible to receive AusCERT alerts and bulletins.
Agencies wanting to be included in the distribution of alerts and bulletins can contact Cyber Security Team for more information.
Risk Management and Business Continuity Guidelines
RiskCover has produced guidelines to assist agencies in developing and implementing effective Risk Management processes.
RiskCover has also produced guidelines for use by any agency that is in the process of, or intending to develop effective Business Continuity Management processes.
These guidelines, and information about RiskCover’s risk management reporting tool (RiskBase), are available at the Risk Management section of the RiskCover website.
Cyber Security Health Check
As a business-driven risk-based approach to cyber security, decisions need to be recorded on how risks have been addressed to provide an adequate level of assurance to the business that cyber security controls and protection mechanisms are in place, being used and effective. The risk assessment process and arising documentation underpins the entire information security process and its importance cannot be understated.
The Cyber Security Health Check and Statement of Applicability Self Assessment provide a summary of decisions concerning the treatment of risks identified within an agency. It is based on AS/NZS ISO/IEC 27001:2006 with additional controls relating to wireless networks and Defence Signals Directorate top four strategies to mitigate targeted cyber intrusions. Justifying exclusions provides a cross-check that no controls have been inadvertently omitted.
It is not intended that completion of this self-assessment is conducted on a 'once off' basis to determine alignment with the standards. This tool should be part of a continual improvement cycle requiring agencies to reconsider protection measures and assure themselves that these measures are still relevant, being applied, effective, communicated and understood by all relevant parties including suppliers to Government. It provides an opportunity to remove measures that are no longer applicable or relevant, or to modify existing measures taken to protect information assets in light of contemporary or emerging threats.
Contact the Cyber Security for further information.
Incident Response Plan and Forensic Plan
Two technical guides - Incident Response Plan and Forensic Plan have been prepared by Government Procurement to assist agencies in preparing for and responding to computer security incidents.
The Incident Response Plan is a technical guide to aid in preparing for, detecting and responding to computer security incidents. It documents the steps agencies may take to effectively and efficiently prepare for and manage computer security incidents should they occur.
Agencies should use this plan to produce their own tailored Incident Response Plan, and include agency-specific information (such as contact lists, network diagrams etc).
The Forensic Plan is a companion document to the Incident Response Plan, and is a technical guide to aid in the preservation of digital evidence following a computer security incident.
These plans are not public documents and are only available to Western Australian Government agencies. Please contact Cyber Security for details
Please contact Cyber Security for details and to request your copy of the plans.
Wireless Network Security Position Papers – CEO and Technical
These papers – Wireless Network Security Position Paper – CEOs and Wireless Network Security Position Paper – Technical were developed in response to the Auditor General's Second Public Sector Performance Report 2007, Report 3 – April 2007.
Their purpose is to raise awareness of security risks posed by wireless computer networks and to provide agencies with guidance for establishing secure wireless networks.
The CEO paper provides some high-level guidance for establishing secure wireless networks. The Technical paper provides more detailed guidance on the management, operational and technical issues and recommendations for the secure deployment of wireless local area networks to agencies’ management and technical staff.
These papers target security for Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) using the standard typically used to install WLANs in Western Australian Government agencies (IEEE 802.11).
Other wireless technologies are outside the scope of this paper, however for completeness some general information is also provided on IrDA and Bluetooth. Recommendations for using external networks, such as public Internet access points (‘hot spots’), are also outside the scope of these papers.