UK Border Agency

VEGA’s information security team helped with the successful roll out of the UK Border Agency’s biometrics collection system.

The Challenge

The UK Border Agency (then UK Visas) wished to roll out a global biometric collection system in support of the visa application decision-making process. The programme involves over 100 sites spread across five continents. The agency needed to ensure that the system achieved security accreditation before it was deployed.

 

How VEGA helped

VEGA was tasked to ensure that the programme maintained this accreditation through each of three deployment phases (development, transitional, steady-state). VEGA provided the client with a team approach led by a highly experienced CLAS consultant and former CHECK team leader, who developed the overall security assurance strategy and provided continuity throughout the assignment. The VEGA team produced and maintained the required security documentation, carried out penetration testing on the core elements of the system, and managed the security assurance aspects of the roll-out programme.

 

Value Delivered

VEGA fully supported the client in completing the system rollout a full three months ahead of schedule, saving several million pounds of taxpayers’ money. Our close alignment of the penetration testing programme with the production and presentation of the Risk Management and Accreditation Document Set (RMADS), gained high marks with the Accreditor.

 

Testimonial

Programme Manager, Geoff Lockwood, said: “The contribution of the VEGA team has been instrumental in ensuring that the Programme will meet its key objectives.“

 

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