Fremont City Council Meeting: 05/02/23 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: Information Technology Services Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Agreements and Contracts
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 4862) DOC ID: 4862 A
Updated: 4/28/2023 8:07 AM by Alberto Quintanilla A Page 1 WEB CONTENT MONITORING AND SECURITY SOFTWARE RENEWAL - Authorize the City Manager, or Designee, to Issue a Purchase Order and to Execute Implementing Documents with Solutions Simplified, for the Annual Software Licenses of the Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA) Web Monitoring and Security Contact Persons:
Name: David Yu Sanford Taylor
Title: Infrastructure Services Manager IT Director
Div/Dept: Information Technology Services Information Technology Services Phone: 510-494-4826 510-494-4802
E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected]
Executive Summary: In FY 2021/22, the City tested and deployed a web content and security software called Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA). This technology offers 24/7 protection for City staff and City information systems from malicious internet websites and bad actors when employees are using the internet whether in the office or away from the office. The initial year one cost for the software was $52,630. The existing software licenses will expire on May 26, 2023. The second year and third year license costs are $46,050 and $45,932 respectively. The total amount for all three years exceeds $100,000 and requires City Council approval.
BACKGROUND: The Information Technology Services (ITS) Cybersecurity Program continues to expand the City’s capability to monitor, in real-time, city-wide information system assets for anomalies and malicious behaviors, which result in the detection and reductions in response time to cyberthreats such as malware, ransomware, distributed denial of service (DDoS), spoofing, backdoor, tampering, spam, and phishing attacks. In addition, the ITS Cybersecurity Program has been improving City information systems and data backup practices by investing in modern backup and recovery technologies. This ensures a secure and current City information systems backed-up data storage and optimized system restoration process in the event of cyber-attack and/or data loss. The program also focuses on communicating cybersecurity trends and cybersecurity best practices to City Staff and equip them with information they need to become human firewalls.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS: Today’s cyber-threat is real. The City is at an increased risk of experiencing an unforeseen cyber-attack from internet threat actors. In fact, cyber-attacks such as ransomware have had an enormous negative impact on several of our neighboring cities. Many of the public services that these cities provide were taken offline for an extended period of time. In order to help mitigate today’s high risk of experiencing a cyber- attack in our city, ZIA was selected because it meets the City’s standards for this type of software. These standards include ease of deployment and administration, minimal impact to the operating system, transparency for the end user, and proven overall effectiveness.
Additionally, ZIA has the following comprehensive features to help mitigate potential cyber - threats against the City including 1) 24/7 monitoring and protecting the users’ device while on the City’s network and outside the City’s network; 2) built-in artificial intelligence to Council Staff Report (ID # 4862) Meeting of May 2, 2023 Updated: 4/28/2023 8:07 AM by Alberto Quintanilla A Page 2 detect and quarantine unknown threats; 3) ability to detect and prevent zero-day attacks; and 4) scalability to support a zero trust network architecture.
City staff developed a Request for Bids (RFB #22-029) that was issued and posted on Periscope Holdings (BidSync.com) in March 2022. In response to the RFB, the City received 4 bids for the Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA) Web Monitoring and Security Solution, from Optm, Ridge IT, Solutions Simplified and Zones, LLC. After evaluation, the City selected the top bidder – Solutions Simplified.
In late 2022, the Information Technology Services (ITS) Department conducted a trial of Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA). The security software was deployed on all ITS workstations and laptops. The software ran seamlessly and transparently, while analyzing incoming and outgoing internet traffic for cyber-threats. Just as important, ZIA did not have any impact on the performance of other City applications running on staff’s workstations or laptops.
The trial was extended to the Human Resources Department’s workstations and laptops ZIA proved to be effective in detecting and protecting the end user computer from cyber-threats by preventing employees from visiting malicious websites.
Today, Zscaler is considered a leader in the cloud security market. Its architecture provides scalability and flexibility, enabling the Information Technology Department (ITS) to quickly and easily deploy security policies across the network of end user devices. Previous deployed web filtering software such as Websense provided end user protection only while the employee was at work and while the workstation/laptop was on the City’s network.
This on-premise protection was offered via an appliance gateway that analyzed internet traffic to and from the internet. The security protection was lost as soon as the employee left the City’s network. However, with today’s modern web filtering software such as ZIA, the software protects the users’ workstation or laptop 24/7, anywhere in the world. This is accomplished through a client software installed on the user’s end device that is constantly communicating with ZIA’s threat detection database in the cloud. Specifically, ZIA protects users against malicious websites, malicious URL links, malware, phishing, adware/spyware, and cyberthreats including ransomware.
The following non-business-related URL categories will be incorporated into our Zscaler security policy since many forms of internet malware are often associated with websites pertaining to:
Online Gambling sites
Computer Hacking
Profanity
Hate and Extremism
Pornography
Guns and Weapons
Other Adult Themes
Infringement
Anonymizer sites
Blocked URLs
Zscaler will proactively display a warning message as well as block employees from visiting the above websites.
Council Staff Report (ID # 4862) Meeting of May 2, 2023 Updated: 4/28/2023 8:07 AM by Alberto Quintanilla A Page 3 Consequently, staff is seeking authority to purchase additional licenses for all City laptops and workstations and renewal of those licenses for an additional year.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funds are appropriated for the Annual Software Licenses of the Zscaler Zero Trust Security Platform in the Information Technology Services Department Operating Fund FY 2022/23 operating budget (Fund 620). Funding for subsequent years will be requested as part of the City’s annual budget process.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: The purchase of computer software licenses is exempt from and not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because, without limitation, it is not a “project” as defined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(2) and/or 15378(b)(5) and as it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity may have a significant effect on the environment per CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), each as a separate and independent basis for CEQA compliance.
ATTACHMENTS: None.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to issue a purchase order and to execute implementing documents with Solutions Simplified, for the Annual Software Licenses of the Zscaler Zero Trust Security Platform in the amount not-to-exceed $46,050.00.
2. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to renew the Annual Software Licenses of the Zscaler Zero Trust Security Platform with Solutions Simplified, for an additional one-year term in an amount not-to-exceed $45,932.00.