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sensitive_data [2020/12/02 18:23] root |
sensitive_data [2022/01/26 09:40] (current) root [Encrypted Disk Volumes] |
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Some cluster users may have data that is classified as sensitive (e.g. data from dbGaP). Extra care should be taken with this data to prevent unauthorized access. | Some cluster users may have data that is classified as sensitive (e.g. data from dbGaP). Extra care should be taken with this data to prevent unauthorized access. | ||
- | One way in which this type of data can be protected is by only storing it on encrypted disk volumes. Currently, | + | Specific security requirements for your data may vary depending |
- | If you have a project that includes the use of sensitive data please talk to the system administrators to see whether you should store that data on /home6, or have your entire home directory moved to /home6. | + | * The cluster is housed in a server room with card-controlled access. Accesses to the room are logged. |
+ | * The cluster backup machines are housed in server rooms with card-controlled, | ||
+ | * The cluster can be accessed only over SSH. No other services are active on the cluster, and no other ports are open to the internet. | ||
+ | * The cluster is kept up to date with operating system security patches. | ||
+ | * The cluster provides encrypted disk volumes for sensitive data that must be stored on an encrypted volume (see below). | ||
+ | |||
+ | The cluster may not conform to some best practices... | ||
+ | |||
+ | * The cluster generally uses Unity Ids and passwords for user accounts. Unity passwords do not have very strong security requirements (e.g. they do not have to be very long). | ||
+ | * The cluster does not expire passwords (although unused accounts are locked after 6 months). Newer best practices do not consider complexity requirements and expiration of passwords to be worthwhile (e.g. 2019 NIST 800-63). | ||
+ | * The cluster does not limit copying of data which you have permission to read. | ||
+ | * The cluster does not yet have 2-factor authentication. | ||
+ | |||
+ | **It is your responsibility to ensure that your sensitive data is adequately protected (the system administrators can't determine which data are sensitive): but you can let the administrators know about specific needs and get help with making sure that the data are secure.** | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Encrypted Disk Volumes ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | One way in which sensitive data can be protected is by only storing it on encrypted disk volumes. Currently, of the cluster disk volumes, only /home1, /home6, and /scratch are encrypted (i.e. all the data is encrypted before being written to disk and decrypted when read). (This is also known as encryption "at rest" | ||
+ | |||
+ | If you have a project that includes the use of sensitive data please talk to the system administrators to see whether you should store that data on / | ||
+ | |||
+ | The /scratch volume is not backed up, but is encrypted. | ||
+ | |||
+ | If you have sensitive data you should ensure that your home directory, or the directories containing the sensitive data, or the data files themselves are not world readable. | ||
+ | |||
+ | For example: | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | chmod o-rwx sensitive_directory | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | will stop general users of the cluster accessing files in " | ||
- | If you have sensitive data you should ensure that your home directory, or the directories containing the sensitive data are not world readable. | ||