Session G7How to Plan for and Use Endpoint
Security
How to Plan for and Use Endpoint Security
Session E3Ben Rothke, CISSP CISM
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
11:30AM - 1:00 PM
About Me Ben Rothke, CISSP CISM Senior Security Consultant – BT INS, Inc. Previously with AXA Equitable, ThruPoint, Baltimore
Technologies, Ernst & Young, Citibank. Have worked in the information technology sector
since 1988 and information security since 1994 Frequent writer and speaker Author of Computer Security: 20 Things Every
Employee Should Know (McGraw-Hill 2006)
AgendaThis session is: Why you need endpoint security Security risks of rogue devices Endpoint security solutions: The Big Three Universal product requirements
This session is not: Product review A monologue
– Feel free to ask a question, make a comment, etc.
Key Takeaway Points
Endpoint security is a powerful technology
Don’t underestimate the time and complexity it will take to deploy
Define your specific needs and requirements
Times have changed A few years ago, when you called and spoke
to someone in area code 212, you could reasonably assume that the person was indeed in New York City.
Today, when you call area code 212, the person might be in Manhattan; but can also be in Los Angeles, Moscow, Rio or anyplace in the world.
Endpoints are clearly changing, both in the physical world and in the digital world.
Digital endpoint security Perimeter of old was simply a router
or firewall Today, the endpoint is the perimeter
– In most organizations, with a laptop and DHCP, everyone gets in with zero validation.
– Old perimeter is dead Network perimeter weakness
– Remote access with 80% of enterprises using VPNs– Web-based extranet and partner connectivity– Some firewalls are so open, that all they do is
simply slow down traffic.– In some organizations, it’s hard to tell the
difference between a firewall and a router.
Glass houses had no rogues
In the mainframe era of glass houses and dumb terminals, there were simply no rogue devices
Networks were private, leased and closed– Everything around the IBM mainframes was
proprietary and closed. Today networks are made to be open Today rogue devices are a bane And endpoint security is becoming a crucial
aspect of an information security endeavor.
Security risks of rogue devices
The inability to control network admission exposes significant risk to an organization– Can be accidental or malicious in nature– Often leads to network downtime or exposure of
sensitive information Therefore, only allow authorized devices onto
the network With endpoint security, non-compliant
endpoints attempt connection, but are first quarantined– After inspection and remediation, only then are
they admitted– Endpoints are now starting to be secure
DefinitionWhile there is no single universal definition for endpoint security, a general definition is:
– Process of securing a host through a combination of policy management, configuration management, and desktop security software, such as anti-virus and anti-spyware.
– Sum total of the measures taken to implement security concerning endpoints.
– The use of a network access control system used to restrict network access only to systems that demonstrate adherence to a pre-defined corporate security policy
Endpoint security vs. NAC Endpoint security
– Securing the endpoint computing device NAC
– Prevents unauthorized access to network resources
– Eliminates intrusions onto the network via worms, spyware, viruses, malware, etc.
Significant overlap between the two– Industry and media are using them
synonymously– For the purposes of this talk, I will also
Why do we need endpoint security?
Viruses and worms continue to disrupt business Zero-day attacks make reactive solutions less effective Point technologies preserve host rather than network
availability and enterprise resiliency Non-compliant servers and desktops are difficult to
detect and contain Locating and isolating infected systems takes significant
time and is extremely resource intensive Users are often authenticated, but devices are not Non-compliant/unmanaged devices pose an
unacceptable risk– Often source of infection– Rogue assets untracked, invisible
Device compliance as important as user authentication
Worldwide NAC enforcement device revenue
Source: Infonetics Research June 2006
Endpoint threat sources Remote users Mobile users Regional, remote
and branch offices Non-compliant
laptops Interconnected
networks Distributed data Business
extranets
Guests Contractors Remote access Web services Wireless Mobile smart
devices VoIP phones and many more…
Endpoint threat activities Rogue wireless access Keystroke loggers Contractor with latest worm or virus
on their laptop Kiosks Backdoor listening for inbound
connections Spyware download via P2P IM and more…
Origination points Accessed by employees, consultants, customers, trading
partners From home office, hotel, branch office, client site, airport,
conference, restaurant, home, trains, planes, automobiles Using laptops running Windows, Linux, Mac OS/X; PDA running PocketPC, Symbian or PalmOS; mobile
phone, public kiosk Dial-up modem, hotel Ethernet, Wi-Fi, mobile carrier,
cable modem, DSL To connect with email, Web-based intranet, terminal
services, CRM, ERP, partner data Contrast this with the old dumb terminals
– One location, one hard connection.
Endpoint security benefits Manage zero-day threats Reduce incident
response cost Eliminate system
downtime Reduce hot fixes and
patching Lower recovery cost Comply with regulatory
requirements Single solution, multiple
security functions, low performance impact
Increased security of corporate resources
Ensures endpoints (laptops, PC, PDA, servers, etc.) conform to security policy
Proactively protects against worms, viruses, spyware and malware
Reduced risk of outbreak due to infected endpoints
Safe access to networks through VPN access
Controlled remediation and patching of unhealthy endpoints
Evolution of endpoint security
Today Static network access Every device is permitted Infected or unhealthy devices are
frequently the root of an outbreak
Tomorrow…but more realistically in 5+ years
Dynamic network access based on policies
Screen devices before granting access Infected or unhealthy devices treated
separately
Endpoint security deployment
Start thinking about endpoint security
Know what you want to inspect What policies do you want? Risk assessment
– Define in detail what are your risks– Not all risks are created equal– Not all endpoints are created equal
What is your security problem and how do you expect an endpoint security solution to solve it?
Questions you need to ask How do we enforce compliance with our
security policies in order to provide a safe and secure network environment for everyone?
How do we identify unmanaged desktops to deliver our security message?
How do we ensure all types of users have adequate awareness and training of security issues?
Budget and Staffing Ensure that you have adequate budget
and staff to support endpoint security– Endpoint projects take a lot of money
and manpower to deploy– Regardless of what the vendor tells you,
endpoint security costs a lot of $$$$– It is worth it, but it is in no way cheap
If you don’t have the budget and staff, don’t even think of deploying endpoint security.
Next steps Define very specific goals for endpoint
security Assessment of endpoint security
requirements and needs Decision making based on policy compliance Admission enforcement at the network
infrastructure level Quarantining/remediation of unhealthy
devices
Context of the endpoint device
Function Location Criticality Compliance state
What are your minimums? Define and evaluate what is necessary What is to be allowed? Obligatory compliance of all desktops to
minimum corporate security policy– Define minimum desktop requirements– Current OS patches– Latest Web browser– Latest anti-virus/spyware signatures and
definitions– Up-to-date personal firewall– Latest spyware signatures and definitions– Other security configurations
Exceptions– CEO and friends
Strategic endpoint security
Effective endpoint security requires a strategic approach that understands the need to optimize connectivity while also ensuring protection for all critical resources– This is not a trivial task
Endpoint security is not plug and play– deployments require a lot of initial TLC– can break many applications– cause others to crash
NAC - one-size does not fit all
Biggest mistake in NAC design– taking a one-size fits all approach
NAC policies must address– Who– What– Where– When– Why
NAC - one-size does not fit all
Second biggest mistake in NAC design– Inadequate piloting– First pilot groups should be with
users who are computer savvy– NAC policies take a lot of tweaking to
get them right Start small
– Don’t try a global deployment until you have a few successful localized deployments
Converged devices Devices such as notebooks, tablet PCs, PDAs,
smartphones, iPod, Zune and other types of mobile devices also need to be secured
They have increasing storage and performance capabilities
They travel outside the bounds of physical and logical perimeters – and they aren’t connected to the network at all times
These devices enter and leave your network many times over the course of the year– That leaves myriad opportunities to return
with malware
Converged devices These devices present a significant
potential for financial loss, legal liability and brand damage since they are unprotected
Many organizations have no idea if these devices are connected to their network or how many are connected
Endpoint security can offer protection against the threats that converged devices bring
Non-corporate owned devices
Consultants, contractors, hackers, employees and more will attempt to connect their own devices to the corporate network
Be it a corporate-owned device or privately-owned endpoint, they all must be controlled before being given access to the network
Endpoint security recommendations
An unsecured endpoint must not be allowed to connect to the network if doing so inappropriately increases the risk to the organization
Management must identify the state of the endpoints before they are allowed access to internal networks
CISO must be able to provide a level of assurance to management that information will be protected when it reaches the endpoint
Remediation plans must be created for remote endpoints
Endpoint security - not a silver bullet
While endpoint security is a hot topic with myriad hardware and software solutions, the reality is that:
– There are no standards– Many current solutions are proprietary– Still an immature solution– Not a lot of experts in the field – Solutions are costly and complex to implement– Not all solutions address post-admission control– The endpoint security market is still evolving, and its
noble objectives are still progressing. Many of which have yet to be achieved.
What about post-admission control?
Blocking access is easy– The hard part is finding a way to safely
conduct business when the unmanaged endpoint of a business partner or customer is not compliant
– Asking third-parties to install NAC software clients is often infeasible
NAC does not completely track and control the flow of confidential data
We must wait until the next generation of NAC/Endpoint security functionality
Endpoint Security Solutions - Big 3
Cisco Network Admission Control (NAC)
Microsoft Network Access Protection (NAP)
TCG Trusted Network Connect (TNC)
Other vendors in the space
Check Point Endforce StillSecure Symantec Juniper Configuresoft Lockdown Networks eEye Qualys Funk 3Com
Altiris ISS Citrix ConSentry Vernier Senforce McAfee Forescout InfoExpress Intel and many more….
Commonalities All of the solutions are basically attempting to perform
the same task They all use routers, switches, wireless access points,
software and security appliances to enforce endpoint security
Require security credentials from endpoint device Relays them to a policy server Policy servers evaluate credentials and make admission
control policy decision (permit, deny, quarantine or restrict)
Network access device enforces admission control policy decision
Commonality – Policy Server
The policy server is generally a RADIUS, Kerberos or 802.1x system and is the central point for establishing network access policies and is the primary mechanism for the endpoint security workflow
The policy server decides whether to allow an endpoint onto the network based on input from the baseline of the device
The server interfaces with other security configuration management functions that hold information such as OS updates, AV, patches, etc.
802.1x is not NAC
IEEE 802.1x – Standard for port-based network access control.– It is not NAC as the industry
knows it– Port-based authentication– Provides authentication to
devices connected to a LAN port
Cisco NAC API-level enforcement & quarantine
technology being built into Cisco network infrastructure
In production Multiple vendors in program NAC focuses on network infrastructure,
policy definition and management Built on a foundation of installed Cisco
devices
Cisco NAC NAC works via trusted modules that are
installed on Windows and Linux desktops (Cisco Trusted Agent - CTA) and implemented in Cisco routers and switches
CTA gathers device information and passes it via 802.1x to the Cisco Secure Access Control Server (ACS)
ACS communicates with the policy server to determine compliance and enforce network access via the Cisco switching infrastructure
Cisco NAC
NAC requires a Cisco infrastructure running a current version of IOS– 12.3(8)T or later
For enterprises running legacy Cisco devices, this will require an expensive hardware upgrade
For enterprises running older versions of IOS, this will require plans to upgrade
Cisco NAC
Benefits Shipping now Somewhat
mature Many
deployments Supports Linux
clients
Disadvantages Proprietary solution
– Full solution works only with Cisco 802.1x equipment and authentication server
Cisco switch-based Significant IOS
upgrade may be required
Requires software agent
Microsoft NAP Health assessment of host device API-level enforcement & quarantine
technology via the Windows OS Available in Vista Multiple vendors in program and
announcing support Built on a Windows foundation and uses
the Windows Quarantine Agent (QA)
NAP Components Administrators can use these technologies
separately or together to limit noncompliant computers.
NAP provides limited access enforcement components for the following technologies:– IPsec
• Health Registration Authority (HRA) and IPsec NAP Enforcement Client (EC)
– 802.1x authenticated network connections• NPS server and an EAPHost NAP EC component
– VPN• VPN NAP Enforcement Server (ES) component/VPN NAP
EC component – DHCP
• NAP ES component/DHCP NAP EC component
NAP characteristics Health Policy Validation
– When a user attempts to connect to the network, the computer’s health state is validated against the health policies as defined by the administrator.
Health Policy Compliance – Administrators can help ensure compliance with
health policies by choosing to automatically update noncompliant computers with the missing requirements through management software.
Limited Access– Administrators can protect network assets by
limiting the access of computers that do not comply with health policy requirements.
– Non-compliant computers will have their access limited as defined by the administrator.
Microsoft NAP Microsoft states that NAP is not designed
to secure a network from malicious users. It’s designed to help administrators
maintain the health of the computers on the network, which in turns helps maintain the network’s overall integrity.
Microsoft’s new platform to limit the access of connecting computers until they are compliant with system health requirements
Microsoft NAP QA gathers device information and
passes it to the Microsoft Network Policy Server (NPS)
NPS works with other devices (DHCP, IPsec, VPN, 802.1x and more) for policy compliance
Supported in Vista and Windows XP SP2
Microsoft NAP
Benefits Single policy
solution for Windows devices
Supported by many vendors
Disadvantages Just out of beta Only Vista and XP
support No Linux support Proprietary
Trusted Computing Group Creating TNC (Trusted Network Connect)
Standard Multiple API-level interfaces Broad approach to endpoint security Still in early stage of development Built on the assumption that every device has a
specialized piece of hardware to verify that the endpoint has not been compromised
Uses that hardware to monitor and enforce endpoint policies
Trusted Network Connect Trusted Network Connect is a set of open standards
– Mission is to develop and promote an open, vendor-neutral, industry standard specification for trusted computing building blocks and software interfaces across multiple platforms
Not all of the standards have been fully defined Little product support to date Key components of TNC are a RADIUS server and
802.1x authentication servers, in addition to a trusted hardware chip (TPM) and software on the endpoint device
Trusted Network Connect The TPM (Trusted Platform
Module) is used to authenticate the endpoint device
Once authenticated, the TPM passes control to a software agent, which checks the device for compliance
Trusted Network Connect
Benefits Provides security at
the hardware level Broad architecture Wide support from
laptop and other hardware vendors
Open specification
Disadvantages Requires
specialized TPM hardware
Standards are incomplete
Few major rollouts
References/Books NAP - www.microsoft.com/nap NAC -
www.cisco.com/en/US/netsol/ns466/networking_solutions_package.html
TNC - www.trustedcomputinggroup.org/groups/network
www.endpointsecurity.org www.watchyourend.com Essential Trends and Dynamics of the
Endpoint Security Industry– www.zeltser.com/endpoint-security-trends
Books
Conclusions Endpoint security is a powerful
technology whose time has come. Don’t underestimate the time and
complexity it will take to deploy. Make sure you define your specific
needs and requirements and map those to your environment.
You will have to live with and support your decision, so make sure you make the right choice.
QA/Thanks for attending
Any questions? comments?
Please fill out your evaluation sheets
Ben Rothke CISSP, CISMBT [email protected]