SAM—INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Security and Risk Management
Page 4840
SECURITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT 4840
(New 5/88)
The state's information assets (its data processing capabilities and automated files) are an essential public resource. For many agencies, program operations would effectively cease in the absence of key computer systems. In some cases, public health and safety would be immediately jeopardized by the failure of a system. The unauthorized modification, deletion, or disclosure of information included in agency files and data bases can compromise the integrity of state programs, violate individual right to privacy, and constitute a criminal act. Accordingly, each agency must assume responsibility for the proper classification, use, and protection of its automated information. Further, each agency that employs information technology must establish risk management and disaster recovery planning processes for identifying, assessing, and responding to the risks associated with its information assets.
PURPOSE 4840.1
(New 5/88)
The purpose of this policy is to establish and maintain a standard of due care to prevent misuse or loss of state agency information assets. This policy requires agencies to establish internal policies and adopt procedures that:
1. Establish and maintain management and staff accountability for protection of agency information assets;
2. Establish and maintain processes for the analysis of risks associated with agency information assets; and,
3. Establish and maintain cost-effective risk management processes intended to preserve agency ability to meet state program objectives in the event of the unavailability, loss or misuse of information assets.
STATUTORY REFERENCES 4840.2
(Revised 4/97)
Section 11770 (1) and (2) of the Government Code require that the Director of the Department of Information Technology (DOIT), “(1) Develop the policies and standards to be followed in providing for the confidentiality of information. (2) Develop policies necessary to provide for the security of the state’s informational and physical assets.”
Sections 11773 through 11775 of the Government Code require each state agency to develop a Disaster Recovery Plan with respect to information technology and to file a copy of its plan with DOIT by January 31 of each year.
Further, Section 11771 of the Government Code requires that, "The chief executive officer of each state agency that uses, receives, or provides information technology services shall designate an information security officer who shall be responsible for implementing state polices and standards regarding the confidentiality and security of information pertaining to his or her respective agency. The policies and standards shall include, but are not limited to, strict controls to prevent authorized access to data maintained in computer files, program documentation, data processing systems, data files, and data processing equipment physically located in the agency."
The primary provisions affecting the classification and dissemination of information under the control of California state agencies can be found in the State Constitution, in statute, and in administrative policy:
1. Article 1, Section 1, of the Constitution of the State of California defines pursuing and obtaining privacy as an inalienable right.
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Security and Risk Management
Page 4840.2 (Cont. 1)
2. The Information Practices Act of 1977 (Civil Code Section 1798, et seq.) places specific requirements on state agencies in the collection, use, maintenance, and dissemination of information relating to individuals.
3. The California Public Records Act (Government Code Sections 6250-6265) provides for the inspection of public records.
4. The State Records Management Act (Government Code Sections 14740-14770) provides for the application of management methods to the creation, utilization, maintenance, retention, preservation, and disposal of state records, including determination of records essential to the continuation of state government in the event of a major disaster. (SAM Sections 1601 through 1699 contain administrative regulations in support of the Records Management Act.)
5. The Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act (Penal Code Section 502) affords protection to individuals, businesses, and governmental agencies from tampering, interference, damage, and unauthorized access to lawfully created computer data and computer systems. It allows for civil action against any person convicted of violating the criminal provisions for compensatory damages.
APPLICABILITY 4840.3
(New 5/88)
The SAM Sections 4840 through 4845 apply to (1) all categories of automated information, including (but not limited to) records, files, and data bases; and (2) information technology facilities, software, and equipment (including personal computer systems) owned or leased by state agencies.
DEFINITIONS 4840.4
(New 5/88)
Confidential Information. Information maintained by state agencies that is exempt from disclosure under the provisions of the California Public Records Act (Government Code Sections 6250-6265) or other applicable state or federal laws. See SAM Section 4841.3.
Critical Application. An application that is so important to the agency that its loss or unavailability is unacceptable. With a critical application, even short-term unavailability of the information provided by the application would have a significant negative impact on the health and safety of the public or state workers; on the fiscal or legal integrity of state operations; or on the continuation of essential agency programs.
Custodian of Information. An employee or organizational unit (such as a data center or information processing facility) acting as a caretaker or an automated file or data base.
Disaster. A condition in which an information asset is unavailable, as a result of a natural or man-made occurrence, that is of sufficient duration to cause significant disruption in the accomplishment of agency program objectives, as determined by agency management.
Information Assets. (1) All categories of automated information, including (but not limited to) records, files, and data bases; and (2) information technology facilities, equipment (including personal computer systems), and software owned or leased by state agencies.
(Continued)
REV. 378 4840 MARCH 2002
SAM—INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Security and Risk Management
Page 4840.4 (Cont. 1)
Information Integrity. The condition in which information or programs are preserved for their intended purpose; including the accuracy and completeness of information systems and the data maintained within those systems.
Information Security. The protection of automated information from unauthorized access (accidental or intentional), modification, destruction, or disclosure.
Owner of Information. An organizational unit having responsibility for making classification and control decisions regarding an automated file or data base.
Physical Security. The protection of information processing equipment from damage, destruction or theft; information processing facilities from damage, destruction or unauthorized entry; and personnel from potentially harmful situations.
Privacy. The right of individuals and organizations to control the collection, storage, and dissemination of information about themselves.
Public Information. Any information prepared, owned, used, or retained by a state agency and not specifically exempt from the disclosure requirements of the California Public Records Act (Government Code Sections 6250-6265) or other applicable state or federal laws.
Risk. The likelihood or probability that a loss of information assets or breach of security will occur.
Risk Analysis. The process of evaluating: (a) the vulnerability of information assets to various threats, (b) the costs or impact of potential losses, and (c) the alternative means of removing or limiting risks.
Risk Management. The process of taking actions to avoid risk or reduce risk to acceptable levels.
Sensitive Information. Information maintained by state agencies that requires special precautions to protect it from unauthorized modification, or deletion. See SAM Section 4841.3. Sensitive information may be either public or confidential (as defined above).
User of Information. An individual having specific limited authority from the owner of information to view, change, add to, disseminate or delete such information.
AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES 4841
(Revised 5/88)
Each agency must provide for the proper use and protection of its information assets. Accordingly, each agency must:
1. Assign management responsibilities for information technology risk management, including the appointment of an Information Security Officer. See SAM Section 4841.1.
2. Provide for the integrity and security of automated information, produced or used in the course of agency operations. See SAM Sections 4841.2 through 4841.7.
3. Provide for the security of information technology facilities, software, and equipment utilized for automated information processing. See SAM Section 4842.2.
4. Establish and maintain an information technology risk management program, including a risk analysis process. See SAM Section 4842.
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Page 4841 (Cont. 1)
5. Prepare and maintain an agency Operational Recovery Plan. See SAM Section 4843.1.
6. Comply with the state audit requirements relating to the integrity of information assets. See SAM Sections 4844 and 20013, and
7. Comply with state reporting requirements. See SAM Section 4845.
AGENCY MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES 4841.1
(Revised 5/94)
Executive Management–The agency director has ultimate responsibility for information technology security and risk management within the agency. Each year, the agency director must certify that the agency is in compliance with state policy governing information technology security and risk management. See SAM Section 4900.5. The director must also transmit each year an updated copy of the agency's Operational Recovery Plan to the Department of Information Technology. See SAM Sections 4843.1 and 4845.
Information Security Officer–In accordance with Government Code Section 11771, the director of each state agency must designate an Information Security Officer (ISO) to oversee agency compliance with policies and procedures regarding the security of information assets. See SAM Section 4840.2. The ISO must be responsible to the agency director for this purpose and be of a sufficiently high-level classification that he or she can execute the responsibilities of the office in an effective and independent manner. To avoid conflicts of interest, the ISO (for agencies other than state data centers) should not have direct responsibility for information processing or information security functions or for agency programs that employ confidential information.
Technical Management–Agency information technology management is responsible for (1) ensuring that the necessary technical means of preserving the security and integrity of the agency's information assets and managing the risks associated with those assets and (2) meeting the responsibilities associated with its role as a custodian of information.
Program Management–Agency program managers are responsible (1) for specifying and monitoring the integrity and security of information assets and the use of those assets within their areas of program responsibility and (2) for ensuring that program staff and other users of the information are informed of and carry out information security responsibilities.
The establishment of positions to meet agency information security responsibilities must be justified in accordance with established personnel and budgetary requirements.
INFORMATION INTEGRITY AND SECURITY 4841.2
(Revised 10/91)
Each agency must provide for the integrity and security of its automated files and data bases by:
1. Identifying all automated files and data bases for which the agency has ownership responsibility (see SAM Section 4841.4);
2. Ensuring that responsibility for each automated file or data base is defined with respect to:
a. The designated owner of the information within the agency,
b. Custodians of information, and
c. Users of the information;
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Security and Risk Management
Page 4841.2 (Cont. 1)
3. Ensuring that each automated file or data base is identified as to its information class in accordance with law and administrative policy;
4. Establishing appropriate policies and procedures for preserving the integrity and security of each automated file or data base including:
a. Identifying computing systems that allow dial-up communication access to sensitive or confidential information and information necessary for the support of agency critical applications,
b. Auditing usage of dial-up communications for security violations,
c. Periodically changing dial-up access telephone numbers, and
d. Responding to losses, misuse, or improper dissemination of information.
Each state data center must carry out these responsibilities for those automated files and data bases for which it has ownership responsibility. See SAM Sections 4841.4 and 4841.5.
Oversight responsibility at the agency level for ensuring the integrity and security of automated files and data bases must be vested in the agency Information Security Officer.
CLASSIFICATION OF INFORMATION 4841.3
(New 5/88)
The state's automated files and data bases are an essential public resource that must be given appropriate protection from loss, inappropriate disclosure, and unauthorized modification. Two classes of information require extra precautions:
1. Confidential Information–information maintained by state agencies that is exempt from disclosure under the provisions of the California Public Records Act (Government Code Sections 6250-6265) or other applicable state or federal laws; and,
2. Sensitive Information—information maintained by state agencies that requires special precautions to protect from unauthorized modification or deletion.
Sensitive information, as defined above, may be either public or confidential. It is information that requires a higher than normal assurance of accuracy and completeness. Thus, the controlling factor for confidential information is dissemination, while the key factor for sensitive information is that of integrity. Typically, sensitive information includes records of agency financial transactions and regulatory actions.
Subject to executive management review, the agency unit that is the designated owner of a file or data base is responsible for making the determination as to whether that file or data base should be classified as confidential or sensitive and for defining any special security precautions that must be followed to control access to and ensure the integrity of the information. See SAM Section 4841.5.
Security and Risk Management
Page 4841.4
OWNERSHIP OF INFORMATION 4841.4
(New 5/88)
Agency management must assign ownership of each automated file or data base used by the agency. Normally, responsibility for automated information resides with the manager of the agency program that employs the information. When the information is used by more than one program, considerations for determining ownership responsibilities include:
1. Which program collected the information;
2. Which program is responsible for the accuracy and integrity of the information;
3. Which program budgets the costs incurred in gathering, processing, storing, and distributing the information;
4. Which program has the most knowledge of the useful value of the information; and,
5. Which program would be most affected, and to what degree, if the information were lost, compromised, delayed, or disclosed to unauthorized parties.
RESPONSIBILITY OF OWNERS OF INFORMATION 4841.5
(New 5/88)
The responsibilities of an agency unit that is the designated owner of an automated file or data base consist of: