Detailed Control implementation guide - alishahbaz/ITGRC GitHub Wiki

ITGRC Control Implementation Guide

1. Access Control

Purpose: Prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data and systems.

Implementation Steps:

  • Define Access Policies

    • Establish Role-Based Access Control (RBAC).
    • Implement the principle of least privilege (PoLP).

  • User Authentication & Authorization

    • Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for privileged accounts.
    • Implement Single Sign-On (SSO) for ease of access.

  • Periodic Access Review & Recertification

    • Conduct quarterly or annual access reviews.
    • Automate user access deprovisioning for inactive employees.

Tools & Technologies:

  • Microsoft Azure AD, Okta, CyberArk, IBM IAM, AWS IAM.

Framework-Specific Controls:

Framework Control ID Requirement
SOX Section 404 Segregation of Duties (SoD), user access review.
PCI DSS Req. 7 & 8 Restrict access based on business need.
ISO 27001 A.9 Identity & Access Management (IAM).
NIST CSF PR.AC Protect (Access Control).
GDPR Article 32 Ensure confidentiality & restrict access.

2. Privileged Access Management (PAM)

Purpose: Protect admin accounts from unauthorized use.

Implementation Steps:

  • Identify Privileged Accounts

    • Admin, root, database, and application accounts.
    • Service accounts with elevated privileges.

  • Implement Least Privilege & Just-in-Time (JIT) Access

    • Use Privileged Access Workstations (PAWs) for critical tasks.
    • Implement session recording & keystroke logging for admin users.

  • Regularly Rotate and Audit Credentials

    • Enforce automatic password rotation.
    • Audit privileged user activities.

Tools & Technologies:

  • CyberArk, BeyondTrust, Thycotic Secret Server, Microsoft PIM.

Framework-Specific Controls:

Framework Control ID Requirement
SOX Section 404 Admin access logs & monitoring.
PCI DSS Req. 7 Limit privileged account access.
ISO 27001 A.9.4 Secure privileged access.
NIST CSF PR.AC-6 Enforce strong authentication.
GDPR Article 25 Minimize access to personal data.

3. Change Management

Purpose: Ensure secure changes to IT infrastructure.

Implementation Steps:

  • Establish a Change Advisory Board (CAB)

    • Define approval workflows for changes.
    • Conduct impact assessments before implementation.

  • Implement a Change Management System (CMS)

    • Track changes in a ticketing system (ServiceNow, Jira, BMC Remedy).

  • Enforce Segregation of Duties (SoD)

    • Developers should not deploy changes directly.
    • Separate testing, development, and production environments.

  • Conduct Post-Change Testing & Rollback Planning

    • Perform functional & security testing before rollout.

Framework-Specific Controls:

Framework Control ID Requirement
SOX Section 302 Ensure change accuracy & completeness.
PCI DSS Req. 6 Secure system development lifecycle (SDLC).
ISO 27001 A.14 Secure software development.
NIST CSF PR.IP-3 Implement change management.
GDPR Article 5 Ensure security & integrity in processing.

4. Logging & Monitoring (SIEM)

Purpose: Detect and respond to security incidents.

Implementation Steps:

  • Centralize Log Collection

    • Use Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solutions.

  • Enable Security Event Correlation & Alerting

    • Define alerts for suspicious logins, privilege escalations, and anomalies.

  • Conduct Regular Log Review & Retention

    • Retain logs per compliance requirements (e.g., SOX: 7 years, PCI DSS: 1 year).

Tools & Technologies:

  • Splunk, ELK Stack, Microsoft Sentinel, IBM QRadar, AWS CloudTrail.

Framework-Specific Controls:

Framework Control ID Requirement
SOX Section 404 Audit logs for compliance.
PCI DSS Req. 10 Log all system activities.
ISO 27001 A.12.4 Enable security logging.
NIST CSF DE.AE-3 Detect anomalies & events.
GDPR Article 30 Maintain activity logs.

5. Encryption & Data Security

Purpose: Protect sensitive data at rest and in transit.

Implementation Steps:

  • Identify Sensitive Data

    • Financial, cardholder, or personal identifiable information (PII).

  • Implement Strong Encryption Standards

    • AES-256 for data at rest.
    • TLS 1.2+ for data in transit.

  • Enable Key Management Best Practices

    • Store keys in Hardware Security Modules (HSMs).

Tools & Technologies:

  • Microsoft Azure Key Vault, AWS KMS, Thales CipherTrust.

Framework-Specific Controls:

Framework Control ID Requirement
SOX Section 404 Protect financial records.
PCI DSS Req. 3 Encrypt cardholder data.
ISO 27001 A.10 Secure cryptographic controls.
NIST CSF PR.DS-1 Implement data security.
GDPR Article 32 Encrypt & pseudonymize data.

6. Incident Response (IR) & Business Continuity (BCP/DRP)

Purpose: Ensure rapid recovery from cyber incidents.

Implementation Steps:

  • Develop an Incident Response Plan (IRP)

    • Define roles, escalation, and containment strategies.

  • Implement Disaster Recovery (DR) & Business Continuity (BCP) Plans

    • Define Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO).
    • Conduct regular tabletop exercises & penetration testing.

Tools & Technologies:

  • IBM Resilient, Splunk SOAR, Microsoft Defender XDR.

Framework-Specific Controls:

Framework Control ID Requirement
SOX Section 302 Ensure continuity in financial reporting.
PCI DSS Req. 12 Define security response plans.
ISO 27001 A.16 Incident management.
NIST CSF RS Respond & recover.
GDPR Article 33 Breach notification within 72 hours.

This guide provides step-by-step implementation for each ITGRC control across SOX, PCI DSS, ISO 27001, NIST CSF, and GDPR.