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Develop a Secure Network Infrastructure Plan **Background** Organizations rely heavily on their network infrastructure to support core business operations, making the security of these networks paramount. A well-designed security architecture safeguards sensitive data and critical systems and ensure…
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Develop a Secure Network Infrastructure Plan
**Background**
Organizations rely heavily on their network infrastructure to support core business operations, making the security of these networks paramount. A well-designed security architecture safeguards sensitive data and critical systems and ensures the continuity of essential functions. This assignment explores how to develop a secure network infrastructure plan using the NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF), which provides a structured approach to managing security and privacy risks. The plan should prioritize a mission-critical-centric approach, focusing resources on protecting the most crucial assets to the organization's objectives. This approach allows for integrating security and privacy requirements into the very design of your systems.
## **Instructions**
For this assignment, you will develop a secure network infrastructure plan for a hypothetical organization (you may create an organization or use a real one). The plan should be detailed and comprehensive, using the NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF) and focusing on a mission-critical approach. Your paper should be 5 to 6 pages in length, excluding the title page and references, and should address the following key areas:
– **Introduction:** Provide an overview of the hypothetical organization, its mission, and the importance of securing its network infrastructure. Briefly introduce the NIST Risk Management Framework and the mission-critical-centric approach.
– **Prepare Phase:**Explain how the "Prepare" step of the RMF would be applied to this specific organization. In this section, you will need to:
– Define risk management roles described in task P-1 of the RMF.
– Outline a risk management strategy, including organizational risk tolerance levels, as described in task P-2 of the RMF.
– Conduct a high-level risk assessment to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities described in task P-3 of the RMF.
– Identify the systems critical to your organization's mission, as described in task P-8 of the RMF.
– Determine the system's stakeholders, as described in task P-9 of the RMF.
– Identify and prioritize assets, as described in task P-10 of the RMF.
– Define the system authorization boundary described in task P-11 of the RMF.
– Identify types of information that need to be protected, as described in task P-12 of the RMF.
– Describe the information life cycle for each identified information type, as described in task P-13 of the RMF.
– Conduct a system-level risk assessment described in task P-14 of the RMF.
– Define security and privacy requirements described in task P-15 of the RMF.
– Determine where the system fits within the enterprise architecture, as described in task P-16 of the RMF.
– Allocate security and privacy requirements to the system and its operating environment, as described in task P-17 of the RMF.
– Register the system, as described in task P-18 of the RMF.
– **Categorize Phase:** Describe the system, as described in task C-1 of the RMF, and then categorize the system's security impact level (low, moderate, or high) according to FIPS 199 and 200 standards, as described in task C-2 of the RMF. Justify your categorization. A moderate-impact system is a system where at least one security objective is assigned a moderate impact value, and no security objective is assigned a high impact value.
– **Select Phase:** Select the appropriate security controls to protect your system commensurate with risk, as described in task S-1 of the RMF, tailoring controls to your specific organization, as described in task S-2 of the RMF, and then allocate controls to the system and its environment, as described in task S-3 of the RMF. Document how these controls will be implemented, as described in task S-4 of the RMF. Finally, describe your system's continuous monitoring strategy, as described in task S-5 of the RMF, and state that the system's security and privacy plans have been reviewed and approved, as described in task S-6 of the RMF.
– **Implement Phase:** Explain how the selected security controls would be implemented within the network infrastructure as described in task I-1 of the RMF, and discuss the need for updating control implementation plans, as described in task I-2 of the RMF.
– **Assess Phase:** Describe how you would assess the effectiveness of the implemented security controls (task A-1 of the RMF), including your choice of assessor and assessment methodology (task A-2 and A-3 of the RMF), and how you would document the assessment results (task A-4 and A-5 of the RMF), including developing a plan of action and milestones to address any identified deficiencies (task A-6 of the RMF).
– **Authorize Phase:** Explain the process for developing an authorization package for submission to the authorizing official, if in government or company leadership if private sector (task R-1 of the RMF), and how the risk would be analyzed and determined (task R-2 of the RMF) to reach a decision regarding authorization (task R-3 of the RMF). The authorization decision is directly linked to the management of risk related to the acquisition and use of component products, systems, and services from external providers.
– **Monitor Phase:** Describe how the network infrastructure will be continuously monitored, as described in task M-1 of the RMF, including change management strategies (task M-2 and M-3 of the RMF), and conducting periodic reviews of the system’s security controls, as described in task M-4 of the RMF, as well as how you will generate security and privacy reports (task M-5 of the RMF).
– **Mission-Critical Focus:** Demonstrate how the security plan prioritizes and protects mission-critical assets and functionalities, aligning security measures with core organizational goals, using the mission-critical approach described in our class material.
– **Conclusion:** Summarize your secure network infrastructure plan and discuss its strengths and potential challenges.
Grading Rubric
**References:** Cite all sources used in APA format.
APA Paper
### **Additional Guidelines:**
– **Mission-Critical Approach:** Your plan should clearly demonstrate how a mission-critical approach is used to prioritize the protection of key assets and functionalities.
– **NIST RMF Compliance:** Ensure all steps of the NIST RMF are addressed, with clear explanations of how each step is implemented in your hypothetical organization.
– **Security Controls:** The selected security controls must be appropriate for the organization's needs, considering threat analysis, risk assessment, and vulnerabilities.
– **Clarity:** Use clear and concise language.
– **Analysis:** Provide well-reasoned and supported arguments and use class readings to support your work.
– **Originality:** This paper should reflect your own understanding of the concepts and your own work.
This assignment will help you gain a practical understanding of how to apply the NIST Risk Management Framework in a mission-critical context, enhancing your ability to design and manage secure network infrastructures.
Length: This assignment must be 6 to 7 pages (excluding the title and reference page).
References: Include 4 scholarly resources.
