Topic

Using peripheral switches

Applicable to

all

History

Priority

must

Mar 2022

Evaluated peripheral switches are used when sharing peripherals between systems.

Miscellaneous changes were made to rationale and recommendations throughout the publication to clarify content without changing intent. This included a review from the Guidelines for System Hardening chapter through to the Guidelines for Data Transfers chapter.

Dec 2021

An evaluated peripheral switch is used when sharing peripherals between systems.

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.

2017

A Common Criteria-evaluated KVM must be used when sharing peripherals between acombination of unclassified/DLM and PROTECTED systems.

Control Text Changed. No public explaination.

2015

Agencies must use a Common Criteria-evaluated product when accessing a classified systemand a sensitive system via a peripheral switch.

2010

Agencies accessing a classified system and an unclassified or public system via a peripheral switch must usean EAL2 product from DSD’s EPL.

2008

Agencies accessing a protected or restricted network and an unclassified network via a peripheral switch should use an evaluated product with an Evaluation Assurance Level (EAL) of EAL2.