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What Is High Assurance Guard?
A High Assurance Guard (HAG) is an enclave boundary protection device that controls access between a local area network (LAN) that an enterprise system has a requirement to protect, and an external network that is outside the control of the enterprise system, with a high degree of assurance.
SOURCE: SP 800-32
A guard that has two basic functional capabilities: a Message Guard and a Directory Guard. The Message Guard provides filter service for message traffic traversing the Guard between adjacent security domains. The Directory Guard provides filter service for directory access and updates traversing the Guard between adjacent security domains.
SOURCE: CNSSI-4009
- HAGs are multilevel security devices that are approved through the Common Criteria process.
- They are used to communicate between security domains, such as NIPRNet to SIPRNet.
- HAGs are an example of a Controlled Interface between security levels.
- HAGs are limited by protocol and security policy.
- High assurance products are designed to protect information or networks from high-end threats.
- They are used in places where failure is unacceptable, such as financial institutions, aircraft, and defense systems.
Why Should We Care? Today, government & private sector cybersecurity requirements are rapidly converging. While many traditional cyber defense methods failing in corporate environments, governments are increasingly needing to reduce their reliance on custom approaches to security. This can help deliver operational benefits, flexibility and cost advantages of emerging technologies – from cloud to mobile and IoT. See article in Digitalsation World.