Topic

Device access control software

Applicable to

all

History

Priority

should

Mar 2022

If there is no business requirement for writing to removable media and devices, such functionality is disabled via the use of device access control software or by disabling external communication interfaces.

Existing language for the use of device access control software has been standardised around reading from and writing to both removable media and devices.

Dec 2021

Removable media is prevented from being written to via the use of device access control software if there is no business requirement for its use.

Miscellaneous changes were made to rationale and security controls throughout the publication. This included:

• A review from the Using the Information Security Manual chapter through to the Guidelines for Media chapter.

• Security controls suitable for all audiences have been identified with the ‘All’ applicability marking while additional security controls suitable for just government audiences have been identified with the O, P, S and TS applicability markings.

• Security controls suitable for specific classifications have been amended to include their classification(s) in the wording of the security controls to reduce the reliance on applicability markings to confer suitability.

• Tables in security controls have been converted into prose to allow for inclusion in the SSP annex template and the XML list of security controls.

• The use of ‘official’ and ‘highly classified’ terminology has been replaced with specific classifications to remove ambiguity.

• Security controls relating to high assurance ICT equipment have had their applicability narrowed to ‘S, TS’ reflecting that they are intended for the protection of SECRET and TOP SECRET systems and data.

2015

Agencies should prevent media being written to, via the use of device access control or dataloss prevention software, if there is no business need.

2010

When writable media is connected to a writable communications port or device, agencies should implementcontrols to prevent the unintended writing of data to the media.