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Security Architecture

MIS 5214 - Section 001 - David Lanter

Security Architecture

MIS 5214.951 ■ Spring 2024 ■ Jose Gomez
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  • Instructor
  • Syllabus
  • Schedule
    • First Half of the Course
      • Unit 0a – Introduction
      • Unit 0b – The Threat Environment
      • Unit 1a – System Security Plan
      • Unit 1b – Planning and Policy
      • Unit 2a – Case Study 1 – A High Performance Computing Cluster Under Attack: The Titan Incident
      • Unit 2b – Cryptography
      • Unit 3a – Secure Networks
      • Unit 3b – Firewalls, Intrusion Detection and Protection Systems
    • Second Half of the Course
      • Unit 4b – Case Study 2 Data Breach at Equifax
      • Unit 5a – Access Control
      • Unit 5b Host Hardening
      • Unit 6a Application Security
      • Unit 6b Data Protection
      • Unit 7a – Incident and Disaster Response
  • Deliverables
    • Assignments
    • Case Studies
      • Case Study 1 – A High Performance Computing Cluster Under Attack: The Titan Incident
      • Case Study 2 – Data Breach at Equifax
    • Team Project Instructions
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FIPS Pub 199 Standards for Security Categorization for Federal Information and Information Systems

January 1, 2022 by Jose Gomez 27 Comments

Filed Under: 1a - System Security Plan Tagged With:

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  1. Shijie Yang says

    February 28, 2024 at 10:41 am

    “Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information Systems” Outlines the standards for security categorization of federal information and information systems. The standard aims to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of government data by classifying different types of information and systems and taking appropriate security measures. The article emphasizes the importance of information security, especially the protection of sensitive and critical data. By implementing these standards, government agencies can more effectively manage and respond to various cybersecurity threats, protecting national interests and citizens’ privacy. In conclusion, this standard is of great significance to improving the level of federal information security.

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  2. Chun Liu says

    February 28, 2024 at 9:20 pm

    When such classification of information or information systems is federally required, agency officials should use the security classifications described in FIPS Publication 199. Other security markers may be developed and used at the discretion of the agency. State, local, and tribal governments, as well as private sector organizations that comprise the critical infrastructure of the United States, may consider using these standards as appropriate. These standards are effective upon approval by the Secretary of Commerce. Criteria for providing appropriate information security level classifications for all information and information systems collected or maintained by or on behalf of all Federal agencies, based on a range of risk levels.

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  3. Yuanjun Xie says

    February 29, 2024 at 2:12 am

    FIPS Publication 199 addresses the first task cited-to develop standards for categorizing informationand information systems. Security categorization standards for information and information Systemsprovide a common framework and understanding for expressing security that, for the federalgovernment, promotes: () effective management and oversight of information security programs,including the coordination of information security efforts throughout the civilian, national security.emergency preparedness, homeland security, and law enforcement communities; and (ii) consistentreporting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Congress on the adequacy andeffectiveness of information security policies, procedures, and practices. Subsequent NIST standardsand guidelines will address the second and third tasks cited.

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  4. Xinyi Peng says

    February 29, 2024 at 2:21 am

    FIPS PUB 199 establishes standards for categorizing federal information and information systems based on the potential impact of a security breach. The goal is to ensure that appropriate security controls are applied to protect sensitive information and maintain the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of federal systems and data.FIPS PUB 199 plays a crucial role in ensuring consistent and effective information security practices across the federal government by providing a standardized approach to security categorization and risk management.

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  5. Xiaozhi Shi says

    February 29, 2024 at 2:22 am

    FIPS 199 requires Federal agencies to assess their information systems in each of the confidentiality, integrity, and availability categories, rating each system as low, moderate, or high impact in each category. The most severe rating from any category becomes the information system’s overall security categorization.

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  6. Guanhua Xiao says

    February 29, 2024 at 3:03 am

    The Federal Classification of Information and Information Systems Security (FIPS PUB 199) is a system classification concept published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in February 2004. The standard is based on the fact that the occurrence of certain events can lead to the loss of three security objectives (confidentiality, integrity, and availability), with a potential impact on agency operations (mission, function, image, reputation), as well as on institutional assets or individuals.
    Specifically, FIPS PUB 199 defines a new category of information and information systems security that is measured based on the “impact level” resulting from the loss of the three natures. This means that different systems and information can be classified into different levels of security based on their importance and the possible impact of their loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
    Overall, FIPS PUB 199 provides a framework for assessing and managing security risks to information and information systems to ensure that they meet the security needs of organizations.

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  7. Shuting Zhang says

    February 29, 2024 at 5:56 am

    FIPS Pub 199 serves as a valuable resource for federal agencies and organizations tasked with safeguarding sensitive information and information systems. By providing clear guidelines for security categorization and emphasizing the importance of risk-based decision-making, the publication helps enhance the security posture of federal information systems and better protect critical assets and operations.

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  8. Hongli Ma says

    February 29, 2024 at 6:10 am

    FIPS Pub 199 provides a systematic approach to categorizing the security of federal information and information systems, which is crucial for ensuring adequate protection. One particularly insightful aspect is its emphasis on considering the potential impact of security breaches on individuals, the government, and the nation as a whole. By defining three impact levels—low, moderate, and high—it enables organizations to tailor their security measures to the specific risks posed by different types of information and systems. This approach highlights the importance of a nuanced understanding of security risks and the need for a flexible and adaptive security strategy to mitigate them effectively.

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  9. Yawen Du says

    February 29, 2024 at 7:51 am

    The purpose of this standard is to provide security categorization guidance for information in federal information systems. Its purpose is to provide an appropriate level of control based on the level of risk of the information and to recommend common information system security guidelines for all categories of information. Key elements include: information security classification, security classification of information types, security classification of information systems, and applicability. This standard complements other NIST security standards (e.g., NIST SP 800-53), which together form the foundational framework for federal information systems security. By following these standards, agencies can better understand the risks to their information assets and take appropriate security measures to protect those assets.

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  10. Haoran Wang says

    February 29, 2024 at 9:47 am

    The purpose of FIPS 199 is to develop standards for categorizing information and information systems.The standard needs to ensure the confidentiality ,integrity,and availability of the data.By applying these standards,government can deal with cyber security issues more effective.The FIPS 199 help the government to improve the information security,and protect citizens’ information.

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  11. Shuyi Dong says

    February 29, 2024 at 1:52 pm

    FIPS Publication 199 establishes a security classification standard for information and information systems that provides a uniform benchmark and framework of understanding for measuring security. This benchmark is critical to the federal government because it helps to enhance the coordination and consistency of information security programs and ensures that the various civil, national security, emergency preparedness, homeland security, and law enforcement components are aligned in their information security efforts. In addition, this standard supports the federal government’s unified reporting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Congress on the adequacy and effectiveness of information security policies, procedures, and practices.

    When security classification of information or information systems is required, federal agency officials should follow the provisions in FIPS Publication 199. And for non-Federal agencies, such as state, local, and tribal governments and private sector organizations of critical infrastructure, these standards may also be considered as a reference. These standards, which become effective upon approval by the Secretary of Commerce, provide guidance for categorizing information and information systems collected or maintained by all federal agencies and their representatives based on risk levels.

    It is important to note that in addition to FIPS Publication 199, NIST has developed other relevant standards and guidance to support additional missions in the information security arena. These standards and guides provide comprehensive information security guidance to federal agencies to help them enhance the protection of information and information systems in accordance with industry best practices. By applying these standards and guidance together, agencies can more effectively address security risks and ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information and information systems.

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  12. Zhang Yunpeng says

    February 29, 2024 at 10:12 pm

    When it comes to the classification of information or information systems at the federal level, agency officials are required to adhere to the security classifications outlined in FIPS Publication 199. These classifications provide an appropriate level of control based on the risk level associated with the information. Additionally, agencies have the discretion to develop and utilize other security markers as deemed necessary. Entities such as state, local, and tribal governments, as well as private sector organizations that constitute the critical infrastructure of the United States, may find it beneficial to adopt these standards where appropriate. Once approved by the Secretary of Commerce, these standards become effective and serve as the basis for providing appropriate information security level classifications for all information and information systems collected or maintained by or on behalf of federal agencies.

    The ultimate goal of this standard is to offer guidance on the categorization of information security for federal information systems. It aims to establish a common set of information system security guidelines for all categories of information, ensuring that the level of control is commensurate with the risk associated with the information. Key elements encompassed by this standard include the classification of information security, the security classification of information types, the security classification of information systems, and its applicability. This standard complements other NIST security standards, such as NIST SP 800-53, to form a comprehensive framework for federal information systems security. By adhering to these standards, agencies can gain a deeper understanding of the risks posed to their information assets and take the necessary security measures to safeguard them effectively.

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  13. Yujie Cao says

    February 29, 2024 at 10:13 pm

    The purpose of FIPS Pub 199 is to provide criteria for classifying federal information and information systems based on an agency’s level of concern for confidentiality, integrity, and availability, and the potential impact on agency assets and operations if its information and information systems are compromised by unauthorized access, use, disclosure, interruption, modification, or destruction. It classifies information systems into three levels based on the potential impact on an organization or individual if these security attributes are compromised: low impact systems, medium impact systems, and high impact systems. To determine these levels, the standard considers a variety of factors, including the sensitivity of the information, the criticality of the system, and potential security threats.

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  14. Yujie Cao says

    February 29, 2024 at 10:14 pm

    The purpose of FIPS Pub 199 is to provide criteria for classifying federal information and information systems based on an agency’s level of concern for confidentiality, integrity, and availability, and the potential impact on agency assets and operations if its information and information systems are compromised by unauthorized access, use, disclosure, interruption, modification, or destruction. It classifies information systems into three levels based on the potential impact on an organization or individual if these security attributes are compromised: low impact systems, medium impact systems, and high impact systems. To determine these levels, the standard considers a variety of factors, including the sensitivity of the information, the criticality of the system, and potential security threats.

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  15. Yiwei Hu says

    March 1, 2024 at 2:16 am

    The objective of the Federal Classification of Information and Information Systems Security is to ensure that appropriate security controls are in place to protect critical information and to maintain the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of federal systems and data. Clear security classifications and risk-based decisions will benefit the federal government’s strong need for information security. FIPS PUB 199 provides a standardized framework for assessing and managing information and information system security risks.

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  16. Xuanwen Zheng says

    March 1, 2024 at 2:44 am

    FIPS PUB 199 Classification standards for the potential impact of federal information and information system security vulnerabilities to ensure that appropriate security controls for sensitive information are applied and maintain the integrity, confidentiality and availability of federal systems and data. The standard provides the federal government with a standardized approach to ensure consistent and effective information security practices. With this approach, the FIPS PUB 199 plays a key role in ensuring the information security of the federal government.

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  17. Zhaomeng Wang says

    March 1, 2024 at 12:11 pm

    FIPS Pub 199 is a part of the Federal Information Processing Standards in the United States, commonly known as the Standards for Security Classification for Federal Information and Information Systems. This standard aims to provide a unified framework for federal government agencies to securely classify information and information systems.

    The content of FIPS Pub 199 mainly includes the following aspects:

    1. Security classification: This standard defines three security classification levels, namely Low, Moderate, and High. These classification levels are based on the importance of information, its impact on institutions, and the security requirements of information systems.

    2. Information types: The standard divides information into four types, namely sensitivity, importance, impact, and availability. These types of information help determine the security classification level of information.

    3. Security objectives: The standard defines three security objectives, namely confidentiality, integrity, and availability. These objectives are used to determine the security classification level of information systems.

    4. Security Control: The standard provides a series of security controls to protect information and information systems of different security classification levels. These controls include access control, identity authentication, encryption, auditing, etc.

    5. Security assessment: The standard requires federal government agencies to conduct a security assessment of their information and information systems to ensure they meet the requirements of the corresponding security classification level.

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  18. Chenhao Zhang says

    March 1, 2024 at 9:03 pm

    FIPS Pub 199, also known as the Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 199, is a standard published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Used to guide the U.S. federal government on how to securely classify its information systems. The standard was released in 2004 to provide a unified approach to assessing and managing security risks to federal information systems.
    The core concept of FIPS Pub 199 is the Security category, which is based on three key security attributes: Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. Each attribute has three possible impact levels: Low, Moderate, and High. Through the combination of these attributes and levels, a unique security category can be identified for each information system.
    Specifically, FIPS Pub 199 requires organizations to first identify all types of information processed within their information systems, such as private information, contractor sensitive information, proprietary information, etc. Each information type is then assessed for its potential impact in terms of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Then, according to the “take high” principle, the highest impact level of each attribute is selected as the overall security category of the information system.
    Finally, FIPS Pub 199 provides a generic expression for a security category (SC), namely SC={(confidentiality, impact level), (integrity, impact level), (availability, impact level)}. This expression can be used to describe the security requirements of an information system or information type.
    By following the guidelines of FIPS Pub 199, organizations can develop more specific and consistent security policies and management measures for their information systems, thereby improving the security of their systems and reducing potential risks.

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  19. Hao Zhang says

    March 1, 2024 at 10:39 pm

    When implementing risk management strategies, enterprises need to conduct a comprehensive assessment of hardware, software and data according to their own operating models and objectives. This helps to identify potential risks and further analyze the extent to which these risks affect business operations. Depending on the impact level, enterprises can develop corresponding risk response strategies to reduce the risk to an acceptable level. Furthermore, the residual risk can be retained by continuous monitoring and review to ensure that it is within acceptable limits. The Federal Information and Information System Security Classification Standard (FIPS PUB199) provides strong support for the realization of information security. The standard emphasizes that the security of information and information systems is not only about protecting the data, but also about maintaining the continuity of the business and ensuring the normal operation of the organization. In order to achieve this goal, the organization needs to establish a complete set of safety measures, covering personnel training, technical protection, emergency response and other aspects.

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  20. Hao Li says

    March 2, 2024 at 3:30 am

    FIPS Publication 199 establishes security categories for information and information systems. The security categories are based on the potential impact on the organization of certain events that jeopardize the information and information systems needed by the organization to accomplish its assigned mission, protect its assets, meet its legal responsibilities, maintain its day-to-day functions and protect individuals. The security categories will be used in conjunction with vulnerability and threat information when assessing risks to the organization. Security categories for types of information can be associated with user information and system information and can apply to information in electronic or non-electronic form. Three security objectives for information and information systems are defined:Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability.

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  21. Yue Wang says

    March 2, 2024 at 3:39 am

    The purpose of FIPS Pub 199 is to provide standards for classifying Federal information and information systems based on an agency’s level of concern for confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as well as the potential impact on agency assets and operations in the event of a compromise of an agency’s information and information systems.
    FIPS PUB 199 provides a standardised framework for assessing and managing security risks to information and information systems. The purpose of this standard is to provide security classification guidelines for information in federal information systems.
    Its purpose is to provide appropriate levels of control based on the risk level of the information and to recommend common information system security guidelines for all categories of information. Examples include security level, security type, security objective, security classification, security controls, security assessment, and applicability. The standard complements other NIST security standards (e.g., NIST SP 800-53), which together form the foundational framework for federal information systems security. By following these standards, agencies can better understand the risks to their information assets and take appropriate security measures to protect those assets.

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  22. Nana Li says

    March 2, 2024 at 5:12 am

    FIPS PUB 199 is a United States government standard for the security classification of information and information systems. The standard defines a new category of information and information systems security and provides guidance to federal government agencies and contractors on how to protect sensitive data and transactions.

    FIPS PUB 199 determines the security categories of information and information systems based on the impact of breaches of the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information processed by an information system. It first requires the identification of all types of information within the system, because an information system may contain more than one type of information, such as private information, contractor sensitive information, proprietary information, and system security information.

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  23. Yuming He says

    March 2, 2024 at 5:13 am

    This standard addresses the first task of reference – developing classification standards for information and information systems, providing a common framework and understanding for expressing security; These standards apply to all information within the federal government, as well as all federal information systems outside of the information systems of the national security system; This publication identifies the security categories of information and information systems; FISMA defines three security objectives for information and information systems, as well as the potential impact on organizations and individuals and the security classification applied to information systems: SC Information Systems=(Confidentiality, Impact), (Integrity, Impact), (Availability, Impact).

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  24. Chunqi Liu says

    March 2, 2024 at 5:49 am

    The Federal Classification of Information and Information Systems Security (FIPS PUB 199) is a system classification concept published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in February 2004. The standard is based on the fact that the occurrence of certain events can lead to the loss of three security objectives (confidentiality, integrity, and availability), with a potential impact on agency operations (mission, function, image, reputation), as well as on institutional assets or individuals.
    Specifically, FIPS PUB 199 defines a new category of information and information systems security that is measured based on the “impact level” resulting from the loss of the three natures. This means that different systems and information can be classified into different levels of security based on their importance and the possible impact of their loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

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  25. Yue Ma says

    March 2, 2024 at 8:00 am

    The key point I noticed is that there are three security objectives for information and information systems: 1. CONFIDENTIALITY 2. INTEGRITY 3. AVAILABILITY and there are three levels(low, moderate, high) of potential impact of them. Whether you’re a Department of Defense contractor that deals with life-or-death information of military operations, or a financial vendor that deals with sensitive financial information, FISMA mandates that both your systems and data be protected from security threats and vulnerabilities at the appropriate level of security categorization. Determining which level each system or date type fits into (Low, Medium, or High) will be a product of Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability disruption in the event of a cyber incident or data security breach.

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  26. Yi Liu says

    March 2, 2024 at 2:14 pm

    This paper introduces the rules of information system security classification. Determining the security category of an information system requires slightly more analysis, and the security categories of all information types residing on that information system must be considered. For an information system, the potential impact value assigned to each security objective (confidentiality, integrity, availability) shall be the highest value in the security category determined for each information on the information system.

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  27. Haixu Yao says

    March 2, 2024 at 8:05 pm

    FIPS 199 establishes a security classification of information and information systems with a compromise of confidentiality, integrity or availability as a potential impact. These security classifications are based on the potential impact on the organization and the occurrence of certain events that cause harm to information and information systems. Security classifications, along with vulnerable and threatened information, are used to conduct risk assessments of organizations.
    FISMA defines three types of security objectives for information and information systems.
    (1) Confidentiality
    Retain authorized restrictions on information access and disclosure, including methods to protect personal secrets and ownership of information. Loss of confidentiality means unauthorized disclosure of information.
    (2) Integrity
    Prevent inappropriate modification and destruction of information, including ensuring non-repudiation and authentication of information. Loss of integrity means unauthorized modification and destruction of information.
    (3) Availability
    Ensure real-time, reliable access and use of information. Loss of availability is an unauthorized disclosure of information.

    The “security category” of information and information systems is a system-level concept introduced in FIPS 199. This definition is based on the fact that certain events occur that have a potential impact on the organization. Specific to the three types of information and information system security objectives (confidentiality, integrity and availability), that is, the loss of confidentiality, integrity or availability, the organization’s operations, institutional assets and individuals have different degrees of impact. FIPS 199 defines three impact levels: low, medium and high, as shown in the table.

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READINGS & CASE STUDY QUESTIONS

  • 0a – Introduction (1)
  • 0b – The Threat Environment (5)
  • 1a – System Security Plan (4)
  • 1b – Planning and Policy (4)
  • 2a – Case Study 1 (4)
  • 2b – Cryptography (4)
  • 3a – Secure Networks (5)
  • 3b – Firewalls and IDS and IPS (3)
  • 4b – Case Study 2 (4)
  • 5a – Access Control (5)
  • 5b – Host Hardening (3)
  • 6a – Application Security (4)
  • 6b – Data Protection (2)
  • 7a – Incident and Disaster Response (3)
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