Citrix Workspace given highest level IRAP assessment

After a review from an Australian Government auditor, Citrix Workspace has been assessed at the 'Protected' level in the Information Security Registered Assessors Program (IRAP).

This assessment targets Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service, which includes the Citrix Workspace platform, Citrix Gateway service (HDX Proxy) and the Citrix Identity service.

"As remote working styles become more common and the needs of Australian workplaces shift, it is essential we keep pace with new developments and regulations in order to maintain the highest level of data and application security," says Citrix Asia Pacific and Japan field CTO Safi Obeidullah.

"This assessment is a reflection on Citrix's continued commitment to providing partners and customers with the utmost transparency and accessibility. Businesses deserve safe and secure access to their most valuable assets, especially at a time of great economic and social uncertainty that has forced so many Australians to work remotely."

The regulatory framework is based upon a risk assessment approach, examining the specific strengths and weaknesses of each individual security control.

Each applicant is assessed by an Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) auditor.

The Protected level classification for Citrix Workspace means that security controls required for processing, storing, and communicating sensitive information (including personal details and authentication data) were evaluated, and satisfied the testing criteria.

"This IRAP assessment represents the highest standard of protection for data available in Australia, and our partners and customers should feel more confident than ever," Obeidullah says.

The IRAP assessment is an ASD initiative aimed at providing government organisations with in-depth security assessment on information and communications technology services.

As a Citrix customer, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has already observed the benefits of investing in technology to mobilise their entire workforce with Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops – especially during a global pandemic.

"With Citrix now completing a Protected IRAP assessment for the Virtual Apps and Desktops service on Citrix Cloud, we will be looking to build on our hybrid IT strategy," says Australian Bureau of Statistics CISO Julian Doak.

"By reducing the complexity and embracing the benefits of Citrix managed services, we have retained control of where and how we deploy our workloads both on-premise and in the cloud. This hybrid approach will be particularly important during Census, where Citrix Cloud will provide the agility needed for us to quickly scale up and down to suit fluctuating workloads."