Security Overview

The security architecture plays a crucial role in protecting systems, data, and users from unauthorised access, data breaches, and other vulnerabilities. The Security Model provides a flexible structure for documenting and managing the key security measures and configurations that are implemented within a solution. Understanding these components helps ensure that the system operates securely and complies with applicable standards and regulations. Different solutions may require either a single security entry or multiple security profiles based on the complexity of environments, services, and varying requirements.

Key Areas of Security Architecture

The Security Model records a comprehensive set of security attributes, categorised as follows:

1. General Security Properties

• Covers foundational security measures like authentication methods (e.g. OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect) and authorisation mechanisms (e.g. Role-Based Access Control).
• Includes whether encryption is applied to protect data at rest and in transit, what algorithms are used (e.g. AES-256), and how encryption keys are managed (e.g., AWS KMS, Azure Key Vault).

2. Vulnerabilities and Threat Management

• Captures the known vulnerabilities in the system and tools used to assess security, such as vulnerability scanners (e.g. Nessus, OpenVAS).
• Also includes the frequency of penetration testing and details on the threat modelling process. Known threats like DDoS attacks or insider threats can also be listed.

3. Security Hardening and Compliance

• Records adherence to compliance standards like ISO 27001, , or GDPR. PCI-DSS
• Documents specific measures like enabling audit trails, data masking, and the use of firewalls or Web Application Firewalls (WAF) to defend against security risks.
• Emphasises whether the organisation practices secure software development lifecycles (SSDLC) and invests in security training programmes for employees.

4. Access Controls

• Details how privileged access (e.g. administrator accounts) is managed and whether the principle of least privilege is followed.
• Covers requirements like multi-factor authentication (MFA), account auditing, and session timeout durations.
• Includes safeguards against misuse of service accounts, ensuring they are restricted to specific tasks.

5. Incident Response and Monitoring

• Tracks the existence and testing frequency of an incident response plan to identify and manage security incidents effectively.
• Captures the use of real-time monitoring tools (e.g. Splunk, ELK Stack) for threat detection and the thresholds for triggering alerts.
• Documents whether the system supports and anomaly detection in logs. real-time monitoring

6. Data and Privacy Protection

• Ensures sensitive data is protected by detailing measures like data encryption, data masking, and anonymisation.
• Tracks data classification (e.g. Official, Confidential, Top Secret) and requirements like data residency (e.g. ensuring data is stored in specific countries for legal compliance).
• Monitors policies for Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and how critical or financial data is safeguarded.

7. Disaster Recovery and Security Redundancy

• Outlines the security measures in place for disaster recovery scenarios. For example, encrypted backups and secure access to disaster recovery systems.
• Documents whether key security systems (e.g. firewalls, intrusion detection) are redundant to prevent single points of failure.

8. Logs and Traceability

• Focuses on ensuring critical activities are logged and monitored. Includes logging standards, encryption of logs, and systems to detect anomalies in logs (e.g. Datadog, Elastic).
• Specifies whether logs are protected from tampering, ensuring integrity and traceability.

9. API and Third-Party Interactions

• Defines security standards for APIs, ensuring they meet compliance (e.g. OWASP API Security Top 10).
• Tracks protective measures, such as rate limiting, access restrictions, and adherence to the least privilege principle for APIs.
• Includes details on third-party audits, vendor risk assessments, and monitoring of third-party systems.

Why Does This Matter?

The security architecture ensures that systems are:

1. Protected from cyber threats: Effective mechanisms for managing vulnerabilities, threats, and incidents mitigate risk.
2. Compliant with regulations: Security measures ensure adherence to legal and regulatory obligations (e.g. GDPR, PCI-DSS).
3. Resilient to failures: Disaster recovery and redundancy ensure that key systems remain secure and operational even during disruptions.
4. Secure for users and data: Strong access controls and privacy measures safeguard sensitive user data and prevent unauthorised access.

This comprehensive overview provides all stakeholders, technical or not, with a clear understanding of how security is implemented and managed within the solution. Whether protecting sensitive data, responding to incidents, or ensuring compliance, the security architecture is an essential pillar for a robust and reliable system.