Building a Robust PAW Strategy with Becrypt: Aligning with NCSC Principles
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NSCS) recently published a blog post outlining key principles for organisations implementing a Privileged Access Workstation (PAW) solution.
A privileged access workstation (PAW) is a trusted physical user device that is used to protect high-risk accesses from compromise by an attacker.
In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, organisations face an ever-increasing threat to their security, particularly when it comes to PAWS. There is a crucial need for a balanced approach, where the advantages of technology and user convenience are weighed against the potential risks of compromise. Such breaches can have far-reaching consequences, impacting not only individual businesses but also critical national infrastructure, especially within high-risk sectors.
As organisations look to strengthen their security posture in line with NCSC guidance, Becrypt’s solutions can play a pivotal role in deploying an effective PAW strategy. Here’s how:
Establishing a robust privileged access strategy
The NCSC advises that the foundation of an effective Privileged Access Workstation Solution (PAWS) is understanding its role within an organisations existing privileged access management strategy (PAMS).
Becrypt OS was designed with the understanding that each organisation faces unique threats, risk tolerances, and access requirements allowing it to integrate seamlessly into any privileged access management system.
With a much smaller attack surface than any other commercially available operating system, Becrypt OS provides robust protections against phishing and malware, ensuring that local users cannot inadvertently elevate their privileges. This security is further enhanced by incorporating the Becrypt Device Authentication Service, which adds extra layers of protection to the network. This safeguards critical services such as Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) or management boxes and the PAM system itself.
Furthermore, Becrypt VDI Guard, cross domain technology can be integrated to provide hardware-based protections against even the most sophisticated insider threats. By leveraging Becrypt APP-XD cross domain gateway appliance, Becrypt VDI Guard ensures that only the mouse and keyboard inputs are allowed into VDI or remote management servers from endpoint devices. This drastically reduces the risk of remote compromise in virtual desktop environments.
Balancing Usability and Security
The NCSC emphasises that an effective PAWS must meet both user needs and risk tolerances. Becrypt OS excels in this area by being user-friendly while maintaining strict security measures. Its read-only nature ensures system integrity, a reboot will always return the system to a known good working state and any updates can be deployed centrally. The highly customisable desktop environment can be adapted to meet any organisations requirements and user preferences. By prioritising usability alongside security, Becrypt OS helps organisations avoid less secure workarounds, effectively reinforcing their security posture.
Building a Foundation of Trust
Establishing trust in a PAWS is paramount. Becrypt’s Linux-based operating system provides a clean slate, eliminating the complexities of reusing existing Windows management systems. The Becrypt OS security architecture will measure the hardware components, firmware and the entire software stack to ensure the device is in a trusted state at all times. Becrypt OS can also enforce the use of a Hardware backed root of trust. There is no other commercially available OS that offers this level of trust.
Becrypt Enterprise Management system (BEM) further enhances this trust, offering a PAWS-as-a-Service solution that simplifies the adoption process for organisations.
Scaling Security Controls Effectively
The NCSC guidelines advise that as organisations expand their PAWS across multiple devices, scalable security controls become increasingly important. Becrypt Enterprise Manager supports over 10,000 endpoints, providing a unified view of device compliance and enabling consistent policy enforcement. By leveraging Becrypt APP-XD, BEM can be physically segregated behind the cross domain solution which will verify in hardware that all of the Becrypt OS management API’s are legitimate and no other connections from outside of this segregated enclave can be made.
The Becrypt Device Authentication Service is the only Device Health Attestation system that will completely verify (using cryptographic proofs backed by a hardware root of trust) the status of an endpoint device (PAW) before allowing its onward connection to a backend service. This process is also supported using a BEM protected behind the Becrypt APP-XD cross domain solution.
Minimising the Attack Surface
Reducing the attack surface of PAWS is a critical principle outlined by the NCSC. Becrypt OS minimises unnecessary functionality and connections, allowing only essential external access. This careful configuration helps prevent threat actors from exploiting vulnerabilities. With strict control over peripheral devices and the absence of remote access capabilities, Becrypt OS significantly reduces the risk of compromise.
Isolating High-Risk Activities
In certain scenarios, it may be necessary to enable features that compromise security. Becrypt’s high assurance solutions provide robust isolation for high-risk activities, leveraging virtualisation technologies to maintain security while allowing necessary functionalities. Becrypt VDI Guard ensures that only validated inputs are permitted when connecting to remote systems, significantly mitigating risks associated with remote access.
Implementing Protective Monitoring
To maintain trust in PAWS, the NCSC advises that organisations must implement robust protective monitoring and auditing. Becrypt’s components are designed to integrate seamlessly with modern Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems, providing real-time logs and alerts for any anomalous activity. The ability to monitor and respond to potential threats ensures that organisations remain vigilant against attacks.
Controlling Data Transfers
Lastly, the NCSC advises that data integrity is vital for PAWS. Organisations should carefully manage data that is both imported to and exported from your PAW environment. Becrypt Impex products supports secure data import and export functions, leveraging Glasswall’s Content Disarm and Reconstruction (CDR) technologies to mitigate risks associated with transferring sensitive data. By implementing effective data transfer measures, organisations can avoid the pitfalls of shadow IT and maintain control over their critical information.
Conclusion: A strong PAW strategy with Becrypt
In light of the NCSC’s updated guidance, there is a significant opportunity for CNI organisations to re-evaluate their approach to privileged access management by adopting a holistic strategy that integrates Becrypt’s comprehensive product suite, including Becrypt OS, Becrypt Enterprise Manager, Becrypt VI Guard, Becrypt APP-XD and Becrypt Impex. This integration not only enables organisations to meet but also to exceed the principles outlined by the NCSC, ensuring strict access controls and continuous monitoring. By prioritising security alongside usability and compliance, organisations can align with NCSC principles while enhancing their privileged access workstations. Becrypt’s commitment to security makes us an essential partner for organisations focused on protecting their critical infrastructure. Together, we can create a robust security framework that not only mitigates risks but also fortifies vital systems, ultimately fostering a more secure and resilient future for all.
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