Storage networks have become critical components of corporate computing environments. Regardless of the type of storage technology, these networks have been designed as if the storage environment and all of the components are already secure because security is provided by other networked systems. Most storage vendors, storage application developers, and storage network designers/engineers operate under the false and dangerous assumption that storage networks are both safe and protected from malicious activity. What's true is that storage networks are just as safe as any other unprotected network. It takes only a single exposed entry point for an attacker to gain access to a storage network and compromise everything the organization is trying to protect.
Elements of Security
There are several basic elements to consider when discussing security. The typical security elements that must be addressed by any secure solution are authentication, authorization, auditing, integrity, encryption, and availability/stability.Most storage product vendors support these elements to some degree, but not in any uniform, standards-based method. Typically, product vendors focus on only a single component of a storage network, so they only provide for selected elements of security based on a single scenario. This limited focus has a direct impact on the user's environment as a whole.
A complete and secure storage solution must address each element of security. The solution must also address the growth and evolution of the storage environment. In order for products to function together, the newer versions often operate in some form of backwards-compatibility mode. This effectively reduces the security of all of the storage products to that offered by the oldest, and most likely, the weakest version.
The problem doesn't end with backwards compatibility. The storage network environment includes network and host elements that are part of the overall corporate computing environment and may even provide backbone functionality (in the case of switches). These elements are often overlooked as part of the overall security posture.
Overlooked items in terms of security include the storage products themselves as well as any other networking or host equipment that is used to make the environment function. If any one of these elements can be replaced, Trojaned, or subverted, then the entire environment is at risk. While lesser degrees of security may be applied to an environment that is fully contained or localized, the decision to do this and the assumptions made about the design must be understood and recorded. Otherwise, future environmental and functional design changes may fail to take previous design assumptions regarding security into account.
Security and the SNIA Shared Storage Model
By addressing security in the context of the layering scheme of the SNIA Shared Storage Model, we can easily identify areas where the elements of security can be applied.If we break the model down into its component parts we can begin to identify where elements of security should be applied to the SNIA Shared Storage Model (see Figure 1). Determining whether or not one or more of the elements of security may be required for the individual layer and how that security is going to be achieved is the important part.
