Virtual Private Network Policy

Virtual Private Network (VPN) Policy

Issue Date:3/24/03

Revision Date:

1. Policy Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for Remote Access IPSec or PPTP/GRE (for AOL ISP users) Virtual Private Network (VPN) connections to the corporate network.

2. Policy Scope

This policy applies to all employees, contractors, consultants, temporaries, and other workers, including all personnel affiliated with third parties using VPNs to access the network. This policy applies to implementations of VPN directed through an IPSec Concentrator.

3. Policy Description

Approved employees and authorized third parties (customers, vendors, etc.) may use the benefits of VPNs, which are a "user managed" service. This means that the user is responsible for selecting an Internet Service Provider (ISP), coordinating installation, installing any required software, and paying associated fees.

User Responsibilities:

1) It is the responsibility of employees with VPN privileges to ensure that unauthorized users are not allowed access to internal networks.

a) Use of the remote client will be limited to employees only.

b) Company-owned machines are not to be shared with non-company family members.

c) Users will only use an company-approved operating system. *

d) Users will ensure that latest operating system software patches have been applied. *

e) Users will ensure that company-approved virus protection software is installed, enabled, and updated. *

f) Users will ensure that company-approved personal firewall software is installed, enabled, and updated. *

g) Users will ensure that company-approved malware/spyware software is installed, enabled, and updated. (Recommended www.pestpatrol.com)

h) Users will not install non-company-approved software on company-owned machines. Software provided by the user's ISP that is required for connectivity is permitted.

i) Users will not enable non-company-approved services on company-owned machines. *

j) Users will not attempt to disable security configuration settings on company-owned machines. *

k) Logging will be enabled on client machines *

l) Time will be synchronized on client machines *

m) Users will be notified when updates requiring their action must be installed.

* Please call the company Information Technology Help desk at xxx for further clarification

2) VPN use is to be controlled using either a one-time password authentication, such as a token device, a public/private key system with a strong pass phrase, or token device implement "must have/must know" security concept. ("Must have/must know" refers to requiring the user to have a physical possession of a hardware token - "must have", but that token not being usable without a password or PIN - "must know".). Floppy tokens must not be copied to hard drive.

3) When actively connected to the corporate network, VPNs will force all traffic to and from the PC over the VPN tunnel. All other traffic will be dropped.

4) Dual (split) tunneling is NOT permitted; only one network connection is allowed.

5) VPN gateways will be set up and managed by company network operational groups.

6) VPN users will be automatically disconnected from company's network after 30 minutes of inactivity. The user must then logon again to reconnect to the network. Pings or other artificial network processes are not to be used