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Constructing a Network Access Policy
The best security tool you can have in any computer network is always a smart user. There are two kinds of users, the administrative users and the and the end users. You can purchase the best firewalls and the best antiviruses but with a careless user your security strategy will end up like a mice breakfast. Therefore organizations need a network access policy signed by all employees as regards to what they can do and cannot do on the network: so that the next time they break the policy regulations you will show the agreement you had together, and in that situation you will have to act fast even if some of your best friends in the organization have to work elsewhere. The user is the path of the least resistance and most hackers target them through social engineering. Often times when I go to my bank to withdraw cash I can count about ten things the bankers do that is inappropriate in a computer network which they don’t know.
A network access policy is a documented set of guidelines stipulating what should and shouldn’t be done in regarding computer usage in an organization. This compliance effort is to ensure security of resources in a network environment
Why do we need a network access policy? A well formulated and implemented network access policy reduces IT Risk complexities and IT risk complexities reduces an organization value. IT Risk is a potential damage to an organization’s value, often from inadequate management of IT processes and events as IT Risk is emerging as a significant component of total business risk. Below is an outline of a guideline towards the formulation of a complete security policy for an organization.
PHASE 1: RISK ANALYSIS.
Who makes the security policy?
An organization need to set up a joint committee of technical persons and decision makers usually call an organization’s Security Working Group(SWG) who is to perform a risk analysis regarding:
– what data to protect
– what to protect it form
– How to protect it.
– Determine the likely threats.
– How to protect the data in a cost effective way
– Review the protection process continuously because security planning is an ongoing process
But before determining the likely threats above, the SWG is supposed to outline the possible targets in the organization which includes:-
-Hardwares
-softwares
-users
-documentations
-supplies (ribbon, papers, damage media)
After outlining the target, the next step is to detail the kind of threat:-
(1) Unauthorized access
(2) Disclose of information
3) Denial of services(DOS)
Imagine a glimpse of banking proposal in the financial sector or a glimpse of sensitive vouchers in a ministry, or ebay going down for an hour. At the onset of any policy agreement, it should be stated that employees are responsible for their actions and that they are responsible for understanding and respecting the policy agreement.
WHAT A SECURITY POLICY SHOULD CONTAIN:
(1) Restrictions regarding resources consumptions: issues like the limits of the helpdesk staff and the system admin are set here.
(2) What might constitute an abuse should be clearly stated: Illegal installation of software, sharing of accounts, modification of file are all set in this category.
(3) Handling password and password formation rule: issues like how secure should you keep your password, how often should you change your password is set in the category.
(4) Backup policy: who create the backups, who password the backups, how irregular or regular should one backup his files.
CRATERIA FOR EVALUATING
-Has the policy been around in advance and agreed upon?
-Does the policy deals appropriately with difference form of communication?
– Is the policy workable?
-Does the policy unnecessary compromise the interest of the employee?
-Does the policy comply with law and third party disagreement?
PHASE 2: POLICY VIOLATION
Policies are highly likely to be violated due to:
(1) Negligent
(2) Mistake
(3) Improper understanding
(4) Accident
Also, in this phase, procedures should be stated on how to handle violating
Handling intrusions and incidents
There are two approaches to handling instructions
(1) Evaluating: how serious is the issue
(2) Notification: who to notify, normally the notification goes first to the point of contact (POC) who communicate to the second working group
(3) Response: what is the nature of response to be taken, it is going to be
(a) Protect & proceed. Or,
(b) Pursue and prosecute
(4) Legal implication.
(5) Documentation: during and after the incidents
To be Continued
News
Students Loans’ Beneficiaries to Start Repayment 2 Years after Graduation- NELFUND:
Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has said that students in tertiary institutions and approved vocational centres would start repayment of the loan two years after graduation.
However, NELFUND management specifically stated that the repayment of the loan would commence if the students secured a job or went into business.
Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, managing director, NELFUND, said the Act specify a moratorium of two years after graduation for the students to begin repayment of the loan.
Sawyerr said if the students start work, his employer would be expected to remit 10 percent into NELFUND dedicated account.
He added: “The loan does not have a specified repayment tenure. It makes it easy for students to apply for the loan. NELFUND would pay according to the documents provided by the institutions. We cannot put tenure on the loan; some will die, drop out, ‘Japa’ or refuse to pay. While those who went into business would pay into same account.
“It is a revolving a loan. We will not put students under pressure to get the loan and we are not going to state a tenure because it is not a commercial loan.’’
According to him, the loan is meant for students in public universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and vocational institutes, who apply via NELFUND portal and are expected to present their JAMB admission letter, NIN and BVN.
He explained that non-students would not have access to the loan and that NELFUND has put the necessary machinery in place to ensure that beneficiaries can be reached when the need arises.
His words: “We are using technology to run the new system. The process of application is online through our dedicated portal and we are limiting human contact as much as possible. Once you have a Bank Verification Number (BVN) and National Identification Number (NIN), which are parts of the requirements, we will have access to your data and all your accounts. This will also help us to know if you are qualified or not,” Sawyerr stated.
The MD disclosed that students already in institution are eligible to apply for the loan at any level of their study and must be at the beginning of each academic session.
He noted that such students would have to provide their admission and matriculation details in addition to BVN and NIN.
Sawyerr added that about 1.2 million Nigerian students in tertiary institutions and government-recognized vocational centres would be among the first batch of beneficiaries and that the figure would increase as time goes on.
The NELFUND boss disclosed that the scheme would be funded from one per cent of the total annual revenue by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), which would amount to N194 billion if the agency meets its projection.
Sawyerr observed that the loan would be paid in two segments, the first, being the school fees, which would be paid directly to the institutions while stipend would be paid into students’ account for their day-to-day upkeep.
He added that the amount individual students would access varies because of the course of study, school fees and geographical location of the institutions.
“You don’t start paying back the loan until two years after your National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme and you have secured a job or business. A beneficiary can defer repayment if he has not secured a job, but if after due diligence, he/she defaulted, then the student becomes a criminal and we will work with government agency that can help us get the money back, for example, EFCC, ICPC,” Sawyerr stated.
News
GPA Raises Alarm, Says Malaria Vaccine Can Cause Meningitis
Global Prolife Alliance (GPA), global health organization, has told the National Assembly that the intended malaria vaccine currently proposed by Bill Gates, American billionaire, for Nigeria can trigger meningitis in the populace.
Dr. Philip Njemanze, chairman of GPA, gave the warning in a statement released to newsmen in Owerri, the Imo state capital.
Njemanze, known for being pro-health in the Catholic church, charged the national assembly not to be in a hurry to succumb to the pressure of the bill currently before the house.
He said the vaccine may trigger the deaths of millions of Nigerian children prone to cerebral meningitis, especially in the northern part of the country.
Part of the letter read “Among the side effects is a tenfold increase in cerebral meningitis. Nigeria is endemic for cerebral meningitis. A tenfold increase could cause the deaths of millions of children, especially in northern Nigeria.
“Please intervene and call for a public hearing, for an open public discussion on the pros and cons with expert opinions from both sides. This will help the Nigerian people to be better informed about granting or withholding consent for the vaccination.
“Your intervention could save millions of lives, especially in northern Nigeria, where meningitis is most endemic, particularly at this time of serious insecurity,” Njemanze warned.
News
NERC Cedes Regulatory Oversight of Enugu Electricity Market to State Government Agency
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has ceded the regulatory oversight of the Enugu electricity market to the Enugu Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC), which is owned by the state government with effect from May 1, 2024.
This is the first-ever transfer of regulatory powers from the NERC to a state government electricity regulator.
“On completion of the Transfers under subsections (2) and (3), whichever occurs later in time, the Commission shall have no further regulatory responsibility whatsoever for electricity market activities carried on entirely within the State to which regulatory responsibility has been transferred and for which the Additional Successor Company has been incorporated and conferred with assets, liabilities, employees, rights and obligations,” NERC said in a statement signed by Sanusi Garba and Dafe Akpeneye.
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