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Details
The Common Standards for Identity Verification and Authentication (CSIVA) of DWP customers is under review. You should refer to Good Practice Guides 45 and 44 instead.
Note, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is unable to reply to general enquiries or questions about these security standards and policies.
These security standards and policies apply to DWP suppliers and contractors only. They do not apply to other government departments, their agencies or arm’s length bodies.
They have been published to help inform DWP Invitations to Tender and other contracting processes.
DWP may choose in an Invitation to Tender or the bid process to reference the standards and policies published here. Questions about a specific standard or policy should be sent to the DWP team managing responses to bids. This team is the only DWP authorised responder on any question about a bid and a standard or policy.
A new or changed policy or standard does not mean a new requirement for any existing contract. DWP will notify contract holders or partners of any changes to a contract.
Suppliers and contractors should contact their DWP contract managers with any questions about:
varying contracts
changing the agreed delivery of contracted services
the applicability of a standard or policy for their contracts
Published updated versions of the Physical Security policy, Security standard SS-012 Protective Monitoring Standard, Security standard SS-018 Network Security Design and Security standard SS-022 Voice and Video Communications.
10 February 2025
SS-006 Security Standards document has been updated.
5 February 2025
Published an updated version of "Security standard SS-014: Security Incident Management ".
28 November 2024
Updated Protective Monitoring Security policy.
22 October 2024
Published updated DWP Microsoft Teams Recording and Transcription Policy . There are changes to Section 5 "Responsibilities".
17 October 2024
Published an updated version of the DWP SMS text policy.
5 September 2024
The Security Classification Policy has been updated.
5 August 2024
DWP forensic readiness policy has been updated.
2 August 2024
SS-033 - Security Patching has been updated.
24 July 2024
Published an updated DWP Security Classification Policy. Under 'Compliance', added at paragraph (e) guidance on what to do where systems or applications do not allow for an automatic security classification to be applied. There have also been changes to paragraph numbering.
19 July 2024
Updated DWP Security standard SS-011: Containerisation.
7 March 2024
Published updated DWP Security Classification Policy.
7 February 2024
The email policy has been updated to the latest version.
5 February 2024
Acceptable Use policy updated to include amendments around use of public Vs Private AI and also amendments around use of Non-Corporate Communication Channels.
31 January 2024
Replaced the User Access Control Policy. Updated guidance on password management to advise users must change their passwords on indication or suspicion of compromise.
24 January 2024
Removed Security standard SS-030: Oracle Database Security because it is out of date. The guidance is now included in Security standard SS-005: Database Management Systems.
16 January 2024
Updated Security standard SS-018: Network Security Design and removed out of date Security standard SS-027: Application Security Testing.
12 December 2023
Updated DWP Security standard SS-013: Firewall Security, Security standard SS-023: Cloud Computing and Security standard SS-028: Microservices Architecture (version 2).
8 November 2023
Published updated security standards: SS-001 (part 1): Access and Authentication Controls; SS-001 (part 2): Privileged User Access Controls; SS-014: Security Incident Management; SS-029: Securely Serving Web Content; SS-036: Secure Sanitisation and Destruction.
20 September 2023
Updated the DWP Email policy.
5 September 2023
Security Standard SS-035: Backup and Recovery attachment published in error, replaced with correct version.
4 September 2023
Updated 'Security Standard SS-035: Backup and Recovery' attachment.
27 June 2023
Added revised versions of Security standard SS-003: Software Development
and SS-005: Database Management Systems.
15 June 2023
Added Security standard SS-014: Security Incident Management.
12 June 2023
Added revised version of Security Standard SS-033: Security Patching.
7 June 2023
New 'Security Standard (SS-035): Backup and Recovery' added.
Updated 'Security standard SS-008: Server Operating System'.
Deleted 'Security standard SS-014: Security Incident Management' and 'Form: Security incident response team referral (for Security standard SS-014: Security Incident Management)'.
9 May 2023
Updated Security standards SS-009 Hypervisor, SS-022: Voice and Video Communication and
SS-025: Virtualisation (the new versions are labelled version 2.0 and dated 27/04/2023).
27 April 2023
Updated the Technical Vulnerability Management policy.
12 April 2023
Updated Security standard SS-002: Public Key Infrastructure & Key Management, SS-010: Desktop Operating System and SS-031: Domain Management.
20 March 2023
Updated Security standards SS-017: Mobile Device and SS-019: Wireless Network.
22 February 2023
Updated security standard SS-15: Malware protection.
17 February 2023
Added a new version of the Remote Working Security policy. Updated paragraph 3.3 and 7.5 of the Acceptable Use policy.
30 January 2023
Published a revised version of the DWP Acceptable Use Policy (the new version is still labelled version 3). Published a revised version of DWP Security standard SS-006: Security Boundaries (the new version is labelled version 2 and dated 16/01/2023), and a revised version of Security standard SS-016: Remote Access (the new version is labelled version 2 and dated 16/01/2023).
16 December 2022
Published a revised version of DWP Security Standard SS-007: Use of Cryptography (the new version is labelled version 2.0, dated 07/12/2022) and DWP Security Standard SS-033: Security Patching (the new version is labelled version 2.0, dated 07/12/2022).
17 November 2022
Published a revised version of the Security standard: Physical and Electronic Security (part 1) - the new version is labelled version 1.1, dated 16/11/2022.
7 November 2022
Added the DWP policy for Protective Monitoring Security (version 1). This is for the use of DWP suppliers and contractors only.
21 October 2022
Published a revised version of the Security Standard SS-012: Protective Monitoring Standard (the new version is labelled version 2.0, dated 11/10/2022). Also published a new standard - Security Standard SS-036: Secure Sanitisation and Destruction (this new standard is labelled version 1, dated 11/10/2022).
17 October 2022
Published a revised version of the DWP Security Standard – Containerisation (SS-011) (the new version is labelled version 2.0, dated 22/08/2022).
23 September 2022
Revised version of the DWP Microsoft Teams recording and transcription policy (the new version is labelled version 1.5, dated 22/09/22).
9 May 2022
Revised version of DWP Physical Security Policy (new version is labelled version 2.1). Also published a new standard - Security standard: Physical and Electronic Security (part 1) (this new standard is labelled version 1).
28 April 2022
Revised version of DWP Acceptable Use Policy (new version is labelled version 3).
27 January 2022
Revised version of DWP Personnel Security Policy (new version is labelled version 2).
21 December 2021
Revised version of Security Standard SS-031: Domain Management (new version is labelled version 1.2 and dated December 2021).
20 August 2021
Added the DWP policy for Microsoft Teams Recording and Transcription. This is for DWP suppliers and contractors only.
21 May 2021
Revised version of Social Media policy (new version is labelled version 2).
1 March 2021
Added Personnel Security policy for DWP suppliers and contractors.
29 January 2021
Revised version of Security Standard SS-033: Security Patching (new version is labelled version 1.3 and dated January 2021).
8 September 2020
Revised version of Security Standard SS-033: Security Patching (now labelled version 1.2).
13 August 2020
Revised version of Security standard SS-016: Remote Access (now labelled version 1.2). Typo correction in entry 10.3.2, from ‘Authority’ to ‘Contractor’.
14 July 2020
Published revised version of Security incident response team referral form for Security standard SS-014. The revised form is dated 3 June 2020.
22 May 2020
Added the following 10 DWP policies: Cryptographic Key Management Policy, Email Policy, Forensic Readiness Policy, Privileged Users Security Policy, Remote Working Security Policy, Security Classification Policy, SMS Text Policy, Social Media Policy, Technical Vulnerability Management Policy and User Access Control Policy.
4 May 2020
Published updated versions of the DWP security standards. All are now dated March 2020, except standard SS-014 which is dated 4/3/2020. These have been revised to reflect changes in DWP processes, laws, and national and international security standards and practices.
24 February 2020
Added DWP Security Standard SS-033: Security Patching.
30 January 2020
Removed the Common Standards for Identity Verification and Authentication (CSIVA) of DWP customers document. This document is currently under review.
17 October 2019
Revised versions of the Acceptable Use (version 2.5) and Physical Security (version 2) policies.
9 April 2019
Revised versions of 'Security Standard - Firewall Security (SS-013)' and 'Security Standard - Network Security Design (SS-018)'. Both are now dated 9 April 2019.
4 April 2019
Added 'Common Standards for Identity Verification and Authentication (CSIVA) of DWP customers' (version 1.7).
28 November 2018
Published revised version of Security standard SS-003: Software Development (now version 1.1, dated 07/10/2018).
27 June 2018
Published revised versions of Acceptable Use (version 2.5), Information Security (version 1) and Physical Security (version 1) policies.
12 June 2018
Added 'Security standard SS-012: Protective Monitoring Standard'.
26 April 2018
Added 'Security standard SS-001 (part 2): Privileged User Access Controls'.