Company Background & Operating Environment
Red Clay Renovations is an internationally recognized, awarding winning firm that specializes in the renovation and rehabilitation of residential buildings and dwellings. The company specializes in updating homes using “smart home” and “Internet of Things” technologies while maintaining period correct architectural characteristics. Please refer to the company profile (file posted in Week 1 > Content > CSIA 413 Red Clay Renovations Company Profile.docx) for additional background information and information about the company’s operating environment.
Policy Issue & Plan of Action
The corporate board was recently briefed by the Chief Information Officer concerning the company’s IT Security Program and how this program contributes to the company’s risk management strategy. During the briefing, the CIO presented assessment reports and audit findings from IT security audits. These audits focused upon the technical infrastructure and the effectiveness and efficiency of the company’s implementation of security controls. During the discussion period, members of the corporate board asked about audits of policy compliance and assessments as to the degree that employees were (a) aware of IT security policies and (b) complying with these policies. The Chief Information Officer was tasked with providing the following items to the board before its next quarterly meeting:
Issue Specific Policy requiring an annual compliance audit for IT security policies as documented in the company’s Policy System
Audit Plan for assessing employee awareness of and compliance with IT security policies
Are employees aware of the IT security policies in the Employee Handbook?
Do employees know their responsibilities under those policies?
Audit Plan for assessing the IT security policy system
Do required policies exist?
Have they been updated within the past year?
Are the policies being reviewed and approved by the appropriate oversight authorities (managers, IT governance board, etc.)?
Your Task Assignment
As a staff member supporting the CISO, you have been asked to research this issue (auditing IT security policy compliance) and then prepare an “approval draft” for a compliance policy. You must also research and draft two separate audit plans (a) employee compliance and (b) policy system audit. The audit policy should not exceed two typed pages in length so you will need to be concise in your writing and only include the most important elements for the policy. Make sure that you include a requirement for an assessment report to be provided to company management and the corporate board of directors.
For the employee compliance assessment, you must use an interview strategy which includes 10 or more multiple choice questions that can be used to construct a web-based survey of all employees. The questions should be split between (a) awareness of key policies and (b) awareness of personal responsibilities in regards to compliance.
For the policy system audit, you should use a documentation assessment strategy which reviews the contents of the individual policies to determine when the policy was last updated, who “owns” the policy, who reviewed the policy, and who approved the policy for implementation.
Research:
Review the weekly readings including the example audit assessment report.
Review work completed previously in this course which provides background about the IT Policy System and specific policies for the case study company.
Find additional resources which discuss IT compliance audits and/or policy system audits.
Write:
Prepare briefing package with approval drafts of the three required documents. Place all three documents in a single MS Word (.doc or .docx) files.
Your briefing package must contain the following:
· Executive Summary
· “Approval Drafts” for
· Issue Specific Policy for IT Security Policy Compliance Audits
· Audit Plan for IT Security Policy Awareness & Compliance (Employee Survey)
· Audit Plan for IT Security Policies Audit (Documentation Review)
As you write your policy and audit plans, make sure that you address security issues using standard cybersecurity terminology (e.g. 5 Pillars of IA, 5 Pillars of Information Security). See the resources listed under Course Resources > Cybersecurity Concepts Review for definitions and terminology.
Use a professional format for your policy documents and briefing package. Your policy documents should be consistently formatted and easy to read.
You must include a cover page with the assignment title, your name, and the due date. Your reference list must be on a separate page at the end of your file. These pages do not count towards the assignment’s page count.
Common phrases do not require citations. If there is doubt as to whether or not information requires attribution, provide a footnote with publication information or use APA format citations and references.
You are expected to write grammatically correct English in every assignment that you submit for grading. Do not turn in any work without (a) using spell check, (b) using grammar check, (c) verifying that your punctuation is correct and (d) reviewing your work for correct word usage and correctly structured sentences and paragraphs.
Consult the grading rubric for specific content and formatting requirements for this assignment.
RUBIC
Executive Summary for the Policy Briefing Package
Max points
The Executive Summary provided an excellent summary of the policy package’s purpose and contents. Information about the case study company was well integrated into the summary. Each policy was individually introduced and clearly explained. The material was well organized and easy to read.
Policy Introduction
Max points
The policy contained an excellent introduction which addressed five or more specific characteristics of the company’s business, legal & regulatory, and/or enterprise IT environments and addressed the reasons why employees must comply with this policy. Compliance requirements are addressed and contact information is provided for questions about the policy.
Policy Content
Max points
The issue specific policy provided excellent (clear and concise) coverage of the following:
· policy issue (do required policies exist and have they been properly vetted & approved)
· policy solution (auditing all IT security policies to determine compliance with security controls)
· applicability (to what and to whom the policy applies)
· compliance requirements
· point of contact (for more information)
The policy was easy to understand and thoroughly covered the required content.
Security Awareness Audit Plan: Audit Background
Max points
The Security Awareness audit plan contained an excellent background section which identified and discussed 5 or more risks which drive the requirements and objectives for this audit. IT security controls for security awareness (AT family of controls from NIST SP 800-53) and related compliance requirements were identified and discussed. Contact information was provided for the audit manager. Information from the case study was well integrated into the background material.
Security Awareness Audit Plan: Audit Objectives
Max points
A clear and concise set of audit objectives were presented. These objectives addressed (and named) each security control in the Awareness & Training (AT) family (as listed in NIST SP 800-53).
Security Awareness Audit Plan: Audit Approach
Max points
The Audit Approach clearly and concisely identified and described the major elements in the data collection strategy (what data will be collected, how it will be collected, what will be measured). The data collection strategy was supported by a checklist (for a document review) or list of questions (for a survey). The relationship between the audit approach and the measurement of the effectiveness of the security controls implementation was explained.
IT Security Policies Audit Plan: Audit Background
Max points
The IT Security Policies audit plan contained an excellent background section which identified and discussed 5 or more risks which drive the requirements and objectives for this audit.
The 18 IT security policies & procedures security controls (e.g. AC-1, AT-1, etc. in NIST SP 800-53) were identified and discussed. Five or more additional controls from the PM & PL families were also addressed. Contact information was provided for the audit manager. Information from the case study was well integrated into the background material.
IT Security Policies Audit Plan: Audit Objectives
Max points
A clear and concise set of audit objectives were presented. These objectives addressed (and named) all 18 policy & procedures security controls (e.g. AC-1, AT-1 as listed in NIST SP 800-53).
IT Security Policies Audit Plan: Audit Approach
Max points
The Audit Approach clearly and concisely identified and described the major elements in the data collection strategy (what data will be collected, how it will be collected, what will be measured). The data collection strategy was supported by a checklist (for a document review) or list of questions (for a survey). The relationship between the audit approach and the measurement of the effectiveness of the security controls implementation was explained.
Execution
Max points
Work is professional in appearance and organization (appropriate and consistent use of fonts, headings, color).
No word usage, grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors. All quotations (copied text) are properly marked and cited using a professional format (APA format recommended but not required.)
Red Clay Renovations
Company Profile
Table of Contents
Company Overview ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 1
Corporate Governance & Management ……………………………………………………………………………………… 1
Operations ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4
Acquisitions …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5
Legal and Regulatory Environment …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5
Policy System ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6
Risk Management & Reporting ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6
IT Security Management …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7
Information Technology Infrastructure…………………………………………………………………………………………8
Enterprise Architecture …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8
Operations Center IT Architecture ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 9
Field Office IT Architecture ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 10
System Interconnections ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 11
Tables
Table 1. Key Personnel Roster ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3
Table 2. Red Clay Renovations Office Locations & Contact Information ……………………………………………. 4
Figures
Figure 1. Red Clay Renovations Organization Chart ……………………………………………………………………….. 2
Figure 2. Overview for Enterprise IT Infrastructure ……………………………………………………………………….. 9
Figure 3. IT Architecture for Operations Center ………………………………………………………………………….. 10
Company Overview
Red Clay Renovations is an internationally recognized, awarding winning firm that specializes in the renovation and rehabilitation of residential buildings and dwellings. The company specializes in updating homes using “smart home” and “Internet of Things” technologies while maintaining period correct architectural characteristics. The company’s primary line of business is Home Remodeling Services (NAICS 236118).
Corporate Governance & Management
Red Clay Renovations was incorporated in the State of Delaware in 1991 and is privately held. (Its stock is not publicly traded on a stock exchange.)The company maintains a legal presence (“Corporate Headquarters”) in Delaware to satisfy laws relating to its status as a Delaware corporation. The company has a five member Board of Directors (BoD). The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) each own 25% of the corporation’s stock; both serve on the BoD. The CEO is the chair person for the BoD. The three additional members of the BoD are elected from the remaining stock holders and each serve for a three year term. The BoD provides oversight for the company’s operations as required by state and federal laws. Its primary purpose is to protect the interests of stockholders. Under state and federal law, the BoD has a fiduciary duty to ensure that the corporation is managed for the benefit of the stockholders (see http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/fiduciary-responsibility-corporations.html). The BoD has adopted a centrally managed “Governance, Risk, and Compliance” (GRC) methodology to ensure that the corporation meets the expectations of stakeholders while complying with legal and regulatory requirements.
The company’s senior management includes the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Operating Officer (COO), Director of Architecture & Construction Services (A&C), Director of Customer Relations (CR), Director of Human Resources (HR), the Director of Information Technology Services (ITS), and the Director of Marketing and Media (M&M). The Director of ITS is dual-hatted as the company’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). These individuals constitute the Executive Board for the company and are responsible for implementing the business strategies, policies, and plans approved by the BoD. A separately constituted IT Governance Board is chaired by the Chief Operating Officer. The five directors (A&C, CR, HR, ITS, and M&M) serve as members of the IT Governance board. This board considers all matters related to the acquisition, management, and operation of the company’s information technology resources.
The CEO, CFO, and COO have been with the company since it started in 1991. The Directors for A&C, CR, and HR have over 20 years each with the company. The Director for M&M has ten years of service. The Director of ITS / CISO has been with the company less than two years and is still trying to bring a semblance of order to the IT management program – especially in the area of IT security services. This is a difficult task due to the company’s failure to promptly hire a replacement for the previous director who retired two years ago.
Figure 1. Red Clay Renovations Organization Chart
Table 1. Key Personnel Roster
Name & Title
Office Location
Office Phone No.
Josiah Randell
CEO
Wilmington
910-555-2158
jr@redclayrenovations.com
Isabelle Bromley
Executive Assistant to Mr. Randell
Wilmington
910-555-2150
Isabelle_Bromley@ redclayrennovations.com
Natalie Randell
Chief of Staff
Wilmington
910-555-2152
nr@redclayrenovations.com
Morgan Randell
CFO
Wilmington
910-555-2159
morgan@redclayrenovations.com
Julia Randell
COO
Owings Mills
667-555-5000
julia@redclayrenovations.com
Edward Randell, Esq
Corporate Counsel
Wilmington
910-555-1000
ed@redclayrenovations.com
Erwin Carrington
CIO & Director IT Services
Owings Mills
667-555-6260
Erwin_Carrington@hq.redclayrenovations.com
Eric Carpenter
CISO / Deputy CIO
Owings Mills
667-555-6370
Eric_Carpenter@hq.redclayrenovations.com
Amanda Nordham
Director, Customer Relations
Owings Mills
667-555-6400
an@redclayrenovations.com
Rebecca Nordham
Director, Marketing & Media
Ownings Mills
667-555-6900
rn@redclayrenovations.com
Eugene Nordham
Director, Architecture & Services
Owings Mills
667-555-8000
en@redclayrenovations.com
Charles Knox
Manager & Architect in Charge, Baltimore Field Office
Baltimore
443-555-2900
Charles@balt.redclayrenovations.com
Erica Knox
Office Manager & ISSO, Baltimore Field Office
Baltimore
443-555-2900
Erica@balt.redclayrenovations.com
William Knox Manager & Architect in Charge, Philadelphia Field Office
Philadelphia
267-555-1200
William@philly.redclayrenovations.com
Alison Knox-Smith
Office Manager & ISSO, Philadelphia Field Office
Philadelphia
267-555-1200
Alison@philly.redclayrenovations.com
Operations
Red Clay Renovations has offices in Baltimore, MD, Philadelphia PA, and Wilmington, DE. The contact information for each location is provided in Table 2.
Table 2. Red Clay Renovations Office Locations & Contact Information
Location
Mailing Address
Phone Number
Baltimore Field Office
200 Commardy Street, Suite 450
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-555-2900
Philadelphia Field Office
1515 Chester Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
267-555-1200
Operations Center (Owings Mills)
12209 Red Clay Place
Owings Mills, MD 21117
667-555-6000
Wilmington Office
12 High Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
910-555-2150
The Operations Center is the company’s main campus and is located in suburban Baltimore, MD (Owings Mills). The Owings Mills facility houses the company’s data center as well as general offices for the company’s operations. These operations include: accounting & finance, customer relations, human resources, information technology services, marketing, and corporate management. There are approximately 100 employees at the Operations Center. Day to day management of the Owings Mills facility is provided by the company’s Chief Operating Officer (COO).
The company’s Chief Executive Officer, corporate counsel, and support staff maintain a presence in the company’s Wilmington, DE offices but spend most of their time at the Owings Mills operations center.
Field Offices are located in downtown Baltimore and suburban Philadelphia. Each office has a managing director, a team of 2-3 architects, a senior project manager, a business manager, and an office manager. Support personnel (receptionist, clerks, etc.) are contractors provided by a local staffing services firm. Each office operates and maintains its own IT infrastructure.
The company’s architects, project managers, and other support personnel frequently work from renovation sites using cellular or WiFi connections to access the Internet. Many field office employees are also authorized to work from home or an alternate work location (“telework site”) one or more days per week.
Acquisitions
Red Clay acquired “Reality Media Services,” a five person digital media & video production firm in 2015 (NAICS Codes 512110, 519130, and 541430). RMS creates a video history for each residential construction project undertaken by Red Clay Renovations. RMS also provides Web design and social media services for Red Clay Renovations to promote its services. RMS employees work primarily out of their own home offices using company provided equipment (computers, video / audio production equipment). Each employee also uses personally owned cell phones, laptops, digital cameras, and camcorders. While RMS is now wholly owned by Red Clay, it continues to operate as an independent entity. Red Clay senior management is working to change this, however, starting with bringing all IT and IT related resources under the company’s central management. As part of this change, Red Clay has set up a media production facility (“Media Studio”) in its headquarters location which includes office space for RMS personnel. The production facility and RMS operations are under the management control of the Director, Marketing & Media Services.
Legal and Regulatory Environment
The firm is licensed to do business as a general contractor for residential buildings in three states (DE, MD, PA). The company’s architects maintain professional licensure in their state of residence. The company’s general counsel is licensed to practice law in Delaware and Maryland. The Chief Financial Officer is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and licensed to practice in all three states.
The company collects, maintains, and stores personal information from and about customers over the normal course of doing business. This includes credit checks, building plans and drawings for homes, and information about a customer’s family members which needs to be taken into consideration during the design and construction phases of a project (e.g. medical issues / disabilities, hobbies, etc.).
When renovations are required due to a medical condition or disability, the company works with health insurance companies, Medicare/Medicaid, and medical doctors to plan appropriate modifications to the home and to obtain reimbursement from insurers. This sometimes requires that the company receive, process, store, and transmit Protected Health Information (PHI) generated by medical practitioners or as provided by the customer. The company’s legal counsel has advised it to be prepared to show compliance with the HIPAA Security Rule for PHI for information stored on computer systems in its field offices and in the operations center.
Red Clay began offering “Smart Home” renovation services in 2005 (NAICS Codes 541310 and 236118). These services are primarily offered out of the Baltimore and Philadelphia field offices. A large percentage of the company’s “smart home” remodeling work is financed by customers through the Federal Housing Administration’s 203K Rehab Mortgage Insurance program. Red Clay provides assistance in filling out the required paperwork with local FHA approved lenders but does not actually
process mortgages itself. Red Clay does, however, conduct credit checks on prospective customers and accepts credit card payments for services.
As a privately held stock corporation, Red Clay Renovations is exempt from many provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. But, in certain circumstances, i.e. a government investigation or bankruptcy filing, there are substantial criminal penalties for failure to protect business records from destruction or spoliation.
Policy System
The company’s Chief of Staff is responsible for the overall organization and management of the company’s collection of formal policies and procedures (“policy system”). The company’s policies provide guidance to employees and officers of the company (CEO, CFO, and the members of the Board of Directors) with respect to their responsibilities to the company. Policies may be both prescriptive (what “must” be done) and proscriptive (what “must not” be done). Responsibility for writing and maintaining individual policies is assigned to a designated manager or executive within the company. Each policy identifies the responsible individual by title, e.g. Director of Human Resources.
The major policy groupings are:
Human Resources
Financial Management
Information Technology
Employee Handbook
Manager Deskbook
Selected policies are published as an Employee Handbook and a Manager’s Deskbook to communicate them to individual employees and managers and to ensure that these individuals are aware of the content of key policies which affect how they perform their duties.
Risk Management & Reporting
The company engages in a formal risk management process which includes identification of risks, assessment of the potential impact of each risk, determination of appropriate risk treatments (mitigation, acceptance, transfer), and implementation of the risk management strategy which is based upon the selected risk treatments. For information technology related risks, the CISO working in conjunction with the IT Governance Board is responsible for identifying and assessing risks.
Corporate-wide, high level risks which could impact the company’s financial performance are disclosed to shareholders during the annual meeting and in the Annual Report to Investors. For the current year, the following high level cybersecurity related risks will be disclosed.
1. Cyber-attacks could affect our business.
2. Disruptions in our computer systems could adversely affect our business.
3. We could be liable if third party equipment, recommended and installed by us (e.g. smart home controllers), fails to provide adequate security for our residential clients.
The company’s risk treatments for cybersecurity related risks include purchasing cyber liability insurance, implementing an asset management and protection program, implementing configuration baselines, implementing configuration management for IT systems and software and auditing compliance with IT security related policies, plans, and procedures.
The corporate board was recently briefed by the Chief Information Officer concerning the company’s IT Security Program and how this program contributes to the company’s risk management strategy. During the briefing, the CIO presented assessment reports and audit findings from IT security audits. These audits focused upon the technical infrastructure and the effectiveness and efficiency of the company’s implementation of security controls. During the discussion period, members of the corporate board asked about audits of policy compliance and assessments as to the degree that employees were (a) aware of IT security policies and (b) complying with these policies. The CIO was tasked with providing audit reports for these items before the next quarterly meeting of the corporate board.
The corporate board also asked the CIO about future plans for improvements to the IT Security program. The CIO reported that, in the coming year, the CISO will begin implementation of an IT vulnerability management program. The CIO also reported that the CISO is working with the IT Governance Board to restart the company’s security education, training, and awareness (SETA) program. SETA activities had fallen into disuse due to a perceived lack of quality and lack of timeliness (out of date materials). The CISO has also determined that the System Security Plans for the field offices are out of date and lacking in important security controls. These plans have been scheduled for update in the near future to ensure that the company’s risk management strategy for cybersecurity risks is fully implemented.
IT Security Management
The company’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) is responsible for providing management oversight and technology leadership for the company’s Information Technology security program. This program is designed around the ISO 27001/27002 requirements but is not fully compliant. For cost reasons, the Chief Information Officer (CIO) has decided not to pursue implementation of CobiT or ITIL standards for managing IT systems and services. A less costly alternative, using NIST guidance documents, was approved at the CISO’s suggestion. The CISO’s selected guidance documents include:
NIST SP 800-12 “An Introduction to Computer Security: The NIST Handbook:
NIST SP 800-18 “Guide for Developing Security Plans for Federal Information Systems”
NIST SP 800-53 “Security and Privacy Controls for Federal Information Systems and Organizations”
NIST SP 800-100 “Information Security Handbook: A Guide for Managers”
NISTIR 7621 “Small Business Information Security: The Fundamentals”
The CISO has determined that the closest fit for the level of security required by law for the company’s IT systems is the “moderate level” as defined in the FIPS 199/200 standards and specified in NIST SP 800-53 Revision 4. The company has created its own minimum security controls baseline which is used for developing system security plans.
Under the company’s existing IT Security Management Plan, the following individuals are responsible for the security of its IT systems.
1. Chief Information Officer: designated approving official for all IT systems certification and authorization.
2. Chief Information Security Officer: responsible for developing security plans and procedures.
3. Chief Financial Officer: responsible for negotiating and providing oversight for contracts and service level agreements for IT services.
4. Chief Operating Officer: responsible for approval of and compliance with security plans and procedures for the company’s IT Operations Center. The COO is the system owner for all IT systems in the operations center.
5. Field Office Manager: responsible for approval of and compliance with security plans and procedures for his or her field office. The field office manager is the system owner for all IT systems in his or her field office.
6. Field Office Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO): responsible for day to day implementation of security plans, processes, and procedures.
Information Technology Infrastructure
Enterprise Architecture
The overview for the enterprise IT architecture for Red Clay Renovations is shown in Figure 2. This diagram shows the interconnections between the company’s field offices and the operations center. Each facility-to-facility interconnection is made via a Virtual Private Network (VPN). The VPN connects the Local Area Networks (LANs) in the operations center and the field offices to the company’s enterprise network. All IT systems are in the operational phase of the Systems Development Lifecycle. The company does not have plans at this time to upgrade (“major modification”) or implement (“under development”) any IT systems.
Figure 2. Overview for Enterprise IT Infrastructure
Operations Center IT Architecture
The Owings Mills facility (see Figure 3) contains the company’s operations (data) center as well as general offices for the company’s operations. These operations include: accounting & finance, customer relations, human resources, information technology services, marketing, and corporate management.
Figure 3. IT Architecture for Operations Center
Field Office IT Architecture
The company’s corporate headquarters are located in Wilmington, DE. These offices have the same IT architecture as is used by the field offices in Baltimore and Philadelphia (see Figure 4). The company’s Chief Executive Officer and support staff maintain a presence in Delaware but spend most of their time at the Owings Mills operations center. The company’s architects, project managers, and other support personnel frequently work from renovation sites using cellular or WiFi connections to access the Internet. Many field office employees, including “Reality Media Services” staff, are also authorized to work from home or an alternate work location (“telework site”) one or more days per week.
Red Clay’s offices have been remodeled to use the “smart home” and “Internet of Things” technologies which it installs in the residential buildings that it rehabilitates. These devices have IP addresses and are connected to the in-office wireless network (WiFi). Each smart device has a controller which can be accessed via a Web-based interface that runs on the office’s application server (username and password required). The brand and type of equipment varies. The majority of these devices have little to no security beyond a password protected Web-based logon. Every Red Clay location also has one or more conference rooms which provide “smart” podiums, projection and video conferencing technologies, and wireless network access to both the internal network and the Internet.
All locations use Dell computers for laptops, desktop computers, and servers. The laptops and desktops were recently upgraded to Windows 10 Enterprise for their operating systems. The servers are running Windows server 2012. All Windows systems have Symantec Endpoint Protection installed for host-based security (anti-malware, host-based firewall, host-based intrusion detection).
Figure 4. “Smart” Office IT Architecture (Baltimore, Philadelphia, Wilmington)
Each field office uses the same logical architecture. This infrastructure consists of a local area network with both wired and wireless segments. A wiring closet containing the premises router and switches is located in the office space (labeled “Utilities” in the diagram). The “smart office” and “IoT” devices are also located within the office suites and are connected via WiFi to the Wireless Access Points and from there to the office LAN. These devices are individually addressable via their IP addresses. Some have onboard programmable controllers with Web based interfaces. Others have limited onboard functionality and must be controlled via a central console (which has an IP address and Web based interface). The RFID system used to control access to doors has sensor plates affixed to the walls. These sensors are hard wired to a controller in the utilities closet. This controller connects to the local area network and can be accessed via a Web based interface using its IP address. Access control for the Web based interfaces (used for RFID system and “smart” device control) is limited to password protected logons.
System Interconnections
The Operations Center and the individual Field Offices connect to the Internet via a business grade Internet Services Provider with a standard Service Level Agreement (as established by the ISP). Systems interconnections between internal systems and between facilities are certified and approved by the Chief Information Officer. These interconnections include Virtual Private Network connections between the Operations Center and the Field Offices over ISP provided networks). The VPN is used to protect the confidentiality and integrity of information transmitted between IT systems located in the company’s
field offices, its headquarters, and the operations center. (See Information Technology Infrastructure later in this document for additional information about system interconnections.)
The operations center and field offices each have their own network infrastructure built on CISCO branded equipment (Virtual Private Network (VPN), wired and wireless local area networks, wireless access points, switches, a premise firewall, and intrusion detection system). Offices and server rooms have RJ-45 wall jacks for 100BaseT “wired” connections to the local area network. Network equipment serving individual LAN segments is located in locked equipment closets (“wiring closets”) within the office areas.
The company’s Wide Area Networking (WAN) and Internet services are provided by Verizon Business services. These services include static IP addresses for the company’s network connections and domain name service for the company’s primary domain name (RedClayRenovations.com) and multiple third level domain names (e.g. balt.redclayrenovations.com, philly.redclayrenovations.com, etc.). The company owns, operates, and manages its own Active Directory server, multiple Web servers, Email servers, file and print servers, and multiple application /database servers. These servers are accessed via local area network (LAN) and virtual private network (VPN) connections. The Email and public Web servers are located in a protected network segment (Demilitarized Zone AKA DMZ) and are accessible from both internal and external networks.
Verizon provides fiber optic cables to the building demarc. Internally, the company owns the cable infrastructure and has predominantly Cat 5 cabling inside the buildings. Company owned cabling also runs from the Verizon owned demarc to a company owned/maintained central wiring closet. This closet also contains routers and switches serving the internal LANs.
Telephone service is provided to each office building via fiber optic cables (as part of the FiOS business services). Internal to the buildings, telephone service routes through an Alcatel Private Brach Exchange (PBX) system over ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B compliant wiring (predominantly Cat 3 cabling). The PBX system does not connect to the company’s internal networks.
The company allows employees to bring and use their own personal digital devices (laptops, cell phones, cameras, etc.) provided that these devices are required to perform their duties. Contract employees are not allowed to “bring your own device” (BYOD) and will be terminated if they are found to be using cell phones or personal computers on the company’s premises. Employees carry an RFID enabled “proximity access” card which they use to access offices and other restricted areas. BYOD devices are NOT allowed to connect directly to the company’s VPN. These devices are restricted to WiFi access to the Internet using the company’s wireless access points.