IT security in the federal market is layered and multifaceted. Specific requirements exist for different types of data platforms and technologies. At a more granular level, standards have been developed for individual IT products: NIAP Protection Profiles.
This article will cover why these profiles are essential for federal security, how to find them, and what to do if there isn’t an available profile to follow.
We’ve often focused on security and maintenance from the perspective of technology itself–specifically, how it is deployed and used by individuals in the real world. But, the truth is that assessments of security technologies don’t start when an enterprise deploys them. Rather, in cases of tech like cryptography modules and biometrics, it begins in the lab that creates them. And that’s where the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program comes in.
This article discusses NVLAP and its vital function in enhancing the credibility of laboratories involved in testing and calibration. This includes using third-party assessment and rigorous standards to govern how labs protect and assure the products they produce.
The Common Criteria, recognized worldwide, provides a standardized framework for evaluating the security attributes of IT products and systems. From defining security requirements to testing and verifying products against these requirements, the Common Criteria assure that the evaluation process is rigorous, repeatable, and thorough.
To ensure the success of the program on a national basis, organizations in those locales will manage certified labs that can test for Common Criteria standards. One such organization and program in the United States is the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program, or NVLAP).
This article will discuss Common Criteria and how they are managed under NVLAP.