Metropolitan Police Service - Assignment Example

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Course Name Date Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Question 1 In determining the best kind of technology to use to manage user identities, organizational leadership has to identify factors such as different kinds of data, the possible variety of identity stores, the levels of employees who access such systems. Some IT infrastructure available in organizations include user directories, enterprise resource management and customer resource management, email, human resources and payroll systems, application servers, and line-of-business applications. Some users who access systems include vendors, customers, employees, contractors, and partners while possible kinds of identity information include personal information, login credentials to target systems, and legal information. For MPS, the relevant technologies to deal with multiple user identities based on their job roles include directories, Meta directories, web access management, enterprise single sign-on, password management, role based access control, and user provisioning among others. With network directories, information managed includes users, organization, and assets like printers and servers. Directories enable users to obtain information about network services and each other. Today, most directories’ access mode is lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) based on X.500 protocol (Clercq & Grillemnmeier 2011, p. 21). In order to benefit efficiently from the directories, MPS must ensure that all business applications are directory-enabled such that there are no identity information silos. Additionally, MPS must ensure that the contents of the directory are managed using effective business processes and technology. Some available inexpensive, scalable, and robust directories include Sun One Directory, Microsoft Active Directory, IBM directory, and Oracle Internet Directory (OID). Meta directories on the other hand, synchronize data regarding users between different systems (Clercq & Grillemnmeier 2011, p. 37). In its functioning, Meta directory uses connectors to read, and writer user profiles to numerous target systems. From the integrated systems, data streams are merged forming a master database of user profile information. If the user’s data differs from that in the master database, the lower priority target system is updated and reflects current information. For MPS, Meta directories simplify user administration by removes instances of manual updates. In order to manage authentication and authorization, MPS can seek for middleware like web access management (WebAM) or web single sign-on (WebSSO) to manage instances where users have access to one or more applications that are web enabled. In its functioning, WebSSO or WebAM basically verify that a user is already authenticated and if not, redirects them to an authentication page requiring the user to provide a password, PKI certificate, or token. Once authenticated, a user has his or her access controlled either by filtering the content to be accessed through URL filtering or depicting and Application Programming Interface (API) to execute runtime decision to or not to display some data, forms, or fields. Authentication synchronization can also be obtained using password management technology combining password synchronization between systems and applications and self-service password rearranged. Through password synchronization, MPS users will maintain one password across numerous systems and this will mean, higher tendency to remember passwords and simpler password management. Two possible password synchronizations are transparent and web-based password synchronization (Clercq & Grillemnmeier 2011). With user provisioning, MPS staff entitlement systems will be put into shared infrastructure by automating one or more processes (Siemens n.d). Additionally, role-based access control (RBAC) approach will assist in the management of entitlements such that users only have appropriate entitlements while those no longer needed are promptly terminated. The implication is that entitlements are granted to roles directly, while users are attached to roles where privileges are obtained through role membership. Question 2 The two major role of biometrics are identification and verification[NEC10]. Identification process involves determining the identity of an individual. The process involves matching a live scan against samples of biometric in a database of known persons. Conversely, verification process involves verifying that the person is who they say they are by matching a live scan against previously obtained biometric sample through a one-on-one matching. According to Rethna, Jeny and Jangid [Ret13], biometrics can be physical or behavioral. Physical biometrics are static and involve measuring individual parts such as retina, palm, hand, face, or fingerprint while behavioral biometric recognizes voice, handwriting, keystroke, or signature (Shanmugapriya & Padmavathi 2009, p. 115). The two biometric data collection techniques are fingerprint biometric and retinal scan. Retinal scan involves using a reader with an aperture such that the user can look into it. The user’s eye is then aligned with an optical target appearing in form of circles. By moving the eyes around, the circles increase or decrease their concentric nature. For the MPS, retinal scan will ensure that only persons whose retina pattern is properly aligned and appears concentric is allowed into MPS premises and easily tracked (Newman 2009, p. 249). After retina pattern alignment, an infrared light illuminates the retina heating the blood vessels of the retina while the camera then captures an image of the infrared-enhanced blood vessel pattern. AT MPS, fingerprints would work well for effective user identification. This will involve using a charge-coupled glass plate to capture high-resolution optical image (Li & Jain 2009). In addition, finger prints are reliable since they provide real-time fingerprint image. For MPS, retinal scans errors resulting from operator’s instructions, staff’s ability to focus correctly by the infrared a light illumination (Modi 2011). With fingerprints, the image is first captured, then the fingerprint features are extracted and a template created. This is the followed by storage. MPS will benefit from the implementation of fingerprints through location, reducing security risks, and monitoring the number of expected users. Question 3 Vincent [Vin12] defines digital identity as a set of claims that a digital subject makes with regards to itself or other subjects. For the police, accessing computer systems require his digital identity unlike biological qualities that are mostly used during his normal polices duties such as gender and height, skin color among others. Additionally, Sullivan [Sul111] reveals that digital identities are derived from an individual’s biological identity like name, place and date of birth, and other physical qualities. Conversely, biological identity refers to something a person knows or memorizes, some physical characteristics, and something a person carries. When the police is in Police Computer Unit, his identification to the police systems is digital verification such as PINs, Tokens, shared secrets, passwords, and numbers and function indirectly recognizes persons trying to access a system (Volner & Bores 2009, p. 55). However, biological identities are used as a proxy for the person. The digital identifiers must, however, match precisely since there is no permissibility within class variability. For the police, a PIN entered must match the PIN stored with consideration of using the correct case. However, biological identity does not change with changes in a behavior or environment. Unlike the biological identifiers, the digital identities are not secure especially if application is dependent on authorizations nontransferrence (Bertino & Takahashi 2010, p. 13). Whether biological or digital identity, the main question is “Who are you?” Figure 1: The big question in both digital and biological identities is answering who you are? In some cases, x.509 certificates are digital certificates using x.509 public key infrastructure standard to confirm to which service, computer, or user a public key belongs (Redbooks 2012, p. 278). The certificate comprises of information about the identity to which a certificate has been issued and the source. For a police officer, digital certificates would serve a great role in obtaining during message sending to prevent unauthorized access or interruptions. Figure 2: Process of public key encryption and decryption Question 4 MPS must first understand that PKI is not a technology but a deployment method on which other security systems are founded. Additionally, PKI does not authenticate or audit data but supports high level internet security. As a security infrastructure, PKI solves problems with data integrity, confidentiality, non-repudiation, and confidentiality (Martinelli & Preneel 2010, pp. 1-3). PKI confidentiality ensures that police information is safe and not disclosed to unauthorized user while data integrity ensures that information transmitted is not tampered or altered in any way. For MPS staff, non-repudiation in a secure infrastructure ensures that the receiver can irrefutably confirm that the information originated from a given sender unlike data authentication that confirms the sender’s identity. Like other digital identities, PKI has numerous management issues despite proper installment and operation. These issues include key generation, destruction of expired keys, backing up keys, keys reissuance, managed compromised keys, and reliable public keys distribution. However, these drawbacks are minimized through the use of digital certificates founded on PKI infrastructure. The police should not trust cryptographic techniques used as an integral part of PKI. This is because techniques such as RSA algorithm require the sender to encrypt with the receiver’s public key such that the receiver can decrypt it using their private key. The sender is hence expected to know the sender’s public key so as to encrypt the message. Since MPS comprises numerous employees, communication with each other will require maintaining a unique key for each person one wishes to communicate. In addition, Chin & Older [Chi111] highlight that RSA algorithms do not support the separation of authenticity and privacy concerns since anyone with the knowledge of key decrypts the message and could fake new messages. These disadvantages can, however be prevented using relays. Reference List NEC10: , (NEC, 2010), Ret13: , (2013, p. 449), Vin12: , (2012, p. 7), Sul111: , (2011, p. 21), Chi111: , (2011, p. 125), Read More