nanog mailing list archives

RE: OPM Data Breach - Whitehouse Petition - Help Wanted


From: "Naslund, Steve" <SNaslund () medline com>
Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2015 14:43:08 +0000

No I intentionally left those out.  Here is why.  If they would do small incremental work, they don’t get into the 
areas of congressional approval and GSA.  You can just do the small incremental projects under your IT operations 
budgeting. There is a big misconception that everything requires congressional approval or a lot of red tape to get 
done, it is all about thresholds.  If you wanted to replace an old obsolete switch or router, you don't need to go 
there.  If you propose to replace 10,000 switches and routers, then you would.

Steven Naslund
Chicago IL

On Fri, Jun 19, 2015 at 9:55 AM, Darden, Patrick <Patrick.Darden () p66 com> wrote:
Good point.  It's a massive job, and sometimes it is best to look at those piecemeal.  Start with small goals, and 
pick low hanging fruit--your example of the server room is good.  Set it up with and IDS, a firewall, harden the 
hosts by turning off/removing unused/unneeded services, setting up tripwire, and encrypt all data on the drives, 
then look to password policy enforcement.  Then start actively securing it (monthly audits, daily log checks, etc.). 
 >>Doable.  Then pick the next lowest hanging fruit and repeat.

You left out:
   Formulate Bid Solicitation team
   Procure funding for Bid Solicitation team
   Request Congressional approval for Bid Solicitation team
   Request funding for team to win Congressional approval of Bid Solicitation team
   Receive first round funding for team to win Congressional approval.....
   Director retires, project status in limbo
   New round of higher funding sought
   Congressional recess, projects in limbo
   Bid process begins, 3 of 4 are non-GSA and require further funding for new approval process
   After 2 years of paperwork, initial funding for 2 year old IDS
v1.1 (that's what was approved!) is approved.
   repeat, ad nauseam

-Jim P.

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