An overview of controlling, analyzing, auditing, and reporting security test data

Security controls can be grouped as administrative and technical. The physical verification of an employee badge is a procedural administrative security control. Similarly, an access control system, such as a card reader that automates such a verification, is a technical security control. The function of a security control is based on data.

There are two types of applicable data pertaining to security controls. One is the data that is provided to the control for processing, in other words, the input data to the control. The other is security process data, in other words, the output data. For example, during a vulnerability scan on systems, lots of process data is available. Similarly, monitoring systems, such as intrusion prevention or detection systems, generate process data during control operations.

The input and output data of a security process has to be secured for analysis and establish an audit trail...