SOC 2 Criteria: CC6.1, CC6.7

ISO 27001 Annex A: A.8.2.3, A.8.3.1, A.8.3.2, A.8.3.3, A.12.1.1, A.12.4.1, A.12.4.2, A.12.4.3, A.12.4.4, A.13.2.1, A.13.2.2, A.13.2.3, A.18.1.3

Keywords: Data encryption at rest, Data encryption in transit, Data separation, Cloud monitoring

Background

Bangkok Solutions takes the confidentiality and integrity of its customer data very seriously and strives to assure data is protected from unauthorized access and is available when needed.

Purpose

This policy outlines many of the procedures and technical controls in support of data protection.

Scope

Production systems that create, receive, store, or transmit Bangkok Solutions customer data (hereafter “Production Systems”) must follow the requirements and guidelines described in this policy.

Roles and Responsibilities

The acting information security officer and team will facilitate and maintain this policy and ensure all employees have reviewed and read the policy.

Policy

Bangkok Solutions policy requires that:

• Data must be handled and protected according to its classification requirements and following approved encryption standards, if applicable.
• Whenever possible, store data of the same classification in a given data repository and avoid mixing sensitive and non-sensitive data in the same repository. Security controls, including authentication, authorization, data encryption, and auditing, should be applied according to the highest classification of data in a given repository.
• Employees shall not have direct administrative access to production data during normal business operations. Exceptions include emergency operations such as forensic analysis and manual disaster recovery.
• All Production Systems must disable services that are not required to achieve the business purpose or function of the system.
• All access to Production Systems must be logged.
• All Production Systems must have security monitoring enabled, including activity and file integrity monitoring, vulnerability scanning, and/or malware detection, as applicable.

Data Protection Implementation and Processes

Customer Data Protection

Bangkok Solutions hosts on Google Cloud Platform (GCP) in the US-Central1 (Iowa) region by default. Data is replicated or backed up across multiple regions for redundancy and disaster recovery.

All Bangkok Solutions employees adhere to the following processes to reduce the risk of compromising Production Data:

• Implement and/or review controls designed to protect Production Data from improper alteration or destruction.
• Ensure that confidential data is stored in a manner that supports user access logs and automated monitoring for potential security incidents.
• Ensure Bangkok Solutions Customer Production Data is segmented and only accessible to Customer authorized to access data.
• All Production Data at rest is stored on encrypted volumes using encryption keys managed by Bangkok Solutions.
• Volume encryption keys and machines that generate volume encryption keys are protected from unauthorized access. Volume encryption key material is protected with access controls such that the key material is only accessible by privileged accounts.

Access

Bangkok Solutions employee access to production is guarded by an approval process and by default is disabled. When access is approved, temporary access is granted that allows access to production. Production access is reviewed by the security team on a case by case basis.

Separation

Customer data is logically separated at the database/datastore level using a unique identifier for the customer. The separation is enforced at the API layer where the client must authenticate with a chosen account and then the customer unique identifier is included in the access token and used by the API to restrict access to data to the account. All database/datastore queries then include the account identifier.

Monitoring

Bangkok Solutions uses Google Stackdriver and Elastic Cloud to monitor the entire cloud service operation. If a system failure and alarm is triggered, key personnel are notified by text, chat, and/or email message in order to take appropriate corrective action.

Confidentiality/Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)

Bangkok Solutions uses confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements to protect confidential information using legally enforceable terms. NDAs are applicable to both internal and external parties. NDAs will have the following elements:

• Definition of the information to be protected
• Duration of the agreement
• Required actions upon termination of agreement
• Responsibilities and actions to avoid unauthorized disclosure
• Ownership of information, trade secrets and intellectual property
• Permitted use of the confidential information and rights to use information
• Audit and monitor activities that involve confidential information
• Process of notification and reporting of unauthorized disclosure or information leakage
• Information return or destruction terms when agreement is terminated
• Actions in case of breach of agreement
• Periodic review

Data At Rest

Encryption

All databases, data stores, and file systems are encrypted according to Bangkok Solutions’s Encryption Policy.

Retention

Stored data must be properly categorized and a retention schedule applied accordingly in conjunction with Bangkok Solutions’s Asset Management Policy, Data Classification Policy and Data Deletion Policy. Considerations for retention timeframe include:

• Statutory, regulatory or contractual requirements
• Type of data (e.g., accounting records, database records, audit logs)
• Type of storage media (e.g., paper, hard drive, server)

Storage and Disposal

Stored data must be properly stored and handled while at rest. Considerations for storage and disposal of data at rest in conjunction with Bangkok Solutions’s Asset Management Policy, Data Classification Policy and Data Deletion Policy include:

• Authorization to access or manage stored data
• Proper identification of records and their retention period
• Technology change and ability to access data throughout retention period
• Acceptable timeframe and format to retrieve data
• Appropriate methods of disposal

Data In Transit

Necessity

Data will only be transferred where strictly necessary for effective business processes.

Transfer Factors

Before choosing the method of data transfer, the following must be considered:

• Nature, sensitivity, confidentiality, and value of the information
• Size of data being transferred
• Impact of loss during transit

Encryption

To ensure the safety of data in transit:

• All external data transmission must be encrypted end-to-end using encryption keys managed by Bangkok Solutions. This includes, but is not limited to, cloud infrastructure and third party vendors and applications.
• All internet and intranet connections are encrypted and authenticated using a strong protocol, a strong key exchange, and a strong cipher.

End-user Messaging Channels

• Restricted and sensitive data is not allowed to be sent over electronic end-user messaging channels such as email or chat, unless end-to-end encryption is enabled.
• Messages must be protected from unauthorized access, modification or denial of service commensurate with the classification scheme adopted by the organization.
• Messages must be reviewed prior to sending to ensure correct addressing and transportation of the message.
• The reliability and availability of the messaging channel must be verified.
• All applicable legal requirements will be adhered to.
• Use of external public services such as instant messaging, social networking or file sharing will require prior approval and authorization.
• Publicly accessible networks will be controlled by stronger authentication.

Event Logs

All Bangkok Solutions systems that handle confidential information, accept network connections, or make access control (authentication and authorization) decisions will record and retain audit-logging information sufficient to answer: What activity was performed? Who performed it? Where, when, and how (with what tools) was it performed? And, what was the status, outcome, or result of the activity?

Logged Activities

The logs will be created whenever the system is asked to perform any of the following activities:

• Create, read, update, or delete confidential information, including confidential authentication information such as passwords;
• Create, update, or delete information not covered in above;
• Initiate a network connection;
• Accept a network connection;
• User authentication and authorization for activities covered above such as user login and logout;
• Grant, modify, or revoke access rights, including adding a new user or group, changing user privilege levels, changing file permissions, changing database object permissions, changing firewall rules, and user password changes;
• System, network, or services configuration changes, including installation of software patches and updates, or other installed software changes;
• Application process startup, shutdown, or restart; and
• Application process abort, failure, or abnormal end, especially due to resource exhaustion or reaching a resource limit or threshold (such as for CPU, memory, network connections, network bandwidth, disk space, or other resources), the failure of network services such as DHCP or DNS, or hardware fault.

Log Elements

Each log will identify or contain at least the following elements, directly or indirectly (unambiguously inferred):

• Type of action – examples include authorize, create, read, update, delete, and accept network connection.
• Subsystem performing the action – examples include process or transaction name, process or transaction identifier.
• Identifiers (as many as available) for the subject requesting the action – examples include user name, computer name, IP address, and MAC address. Note that such identifiers should be standardized in order to facilitate log correlation.
• Before and after values when action involves updating a data element, if feasible.
• Date and time the action was performed, including relevant time-zone information if not in Coordinated Universal Time.
• Whether the action was allowed or denied by access-control mechanisms.
• Description and/or reason-codes of why the action was denied by the access-control mechanism, if applicable.

Formatting, Storage, Clock Synchronization

• The system will support the formatting and storage of audit logs in such a way as to ensure the integrity of the logs and to support enterprise-level analysis and reporting. Note that the construction of an actual enterprise-level log management mechanism is outside the scope of this document.
• The system will also ensure clock synchronization for the accuracy of audit logs. A clock linked to a radio time broadcast from a national atomic clock can be used as the master clock for logging systems. A network time protocol will be used to keep all of the servers in synchronization with the master clock.

Administrators and Operator Logs

To safeguard and prevent manipulation of logs by privileged users the following will be implemented where appropriate and possible:

• System administrators are not permitted to erase or de-activate logs of their own activities.
• Real-time copying of logs to a system outside the control of a system administrator or operator.
• Monitoring system and network administration activities by using an intrusion detection system managed outside of the control of system and network administrators.
• Frequent review of logs to maintain accountability of privileged users.

Revision History

Version	Date	Editor	Description of Changes
V1	October 1st, 2021	Bangkok Solutions	Initial Creation