Q-SOLUTION LIMITED

Certificate Authority as a Service

A Private Certificate Authority service, hosted within public cloud, providing X.509 client certificates for users, devices and systems. Designed for use by an organisation or closed community for applications such as API messaging, server mutual TLS, VPNs, IoT devices, mobile device or laptop authentication, user access to secure systems.

Features

• Private Certificate Authority service
• Dedicated Root CA / Issuing CA per customer environment
• FIPS 140-2 level 3 hardware protection of CA private keys
• Certificate revocation with optional public CRL distribution points
• Database of issued certificates
• Comprehensive logging and monitoring
• Fully automated certificate issuing option
• GitOps certificate issuing option with approval step
• 99.95% availability

Benefits

• Provides effective and secure authentication of users, devices and systems
• Helps to enable secure communications via Internet
• Can integrate with an organisation's existing systems and services
• Highly reliable and scalable
• Low operational overhead

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at contact@q-solution.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 15

Service ID

495614043503723

Contact

Kevin Hoskins
07538023530
contact@q-solution.co.uk

About your service

• Service categories:

  Applications

  Production and operations

  • Other operations
• Multi cloud support: No

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model: Public cloud
• Service constraints: Administrators require an identity within their own organisation’s Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), which can be used for federated identity - this will normally be the case if their organisation is a Microsoft 365 customer
• System requirements: Applications using certificates must follow X.509 standard

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes
• Support response times: Response times to incidents are as per our SLA. Questions raised on an incident are responded to within an appropriate timeframe to ensure the incident is resolved within the given SLA
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
• Online ticketing support accessibility: None or don’t know
• Phone support: No
• Web chat support: No
• Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: Support hours for the service desk is between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday excluding UK Public Holidays. Our Protective Monitoring and System Monitoring however operates 24/7/365 and will generate alerts throughout this period in the event of any priority incidents occurring.; ; The service availability outside of core hours allows for patches, change requests and enhancements to be made to the service. A scheduled maintenance window will operate with notification of changes published to the Service Desk Portal as well as communicated via the customers preferred channel.; ; By design, the services provides the necessary resilience to allow patching to occur without service interruption
• Support available to third parties: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: We have a detailed onboarding process that supports users and that can be provided upon request. The process details how users are provisioned onto the service and details the levels of support Q-Solution provides.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats: PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: The principal data held by the system is the contents of the X.509 certificates. A data extraction facility is not considered necessary and is not provided.
• End-of-contract process: Customers wishing to change supplier should move to a new Certificate Authority infrastructure, issue new certificates, and reconfigure their systems to trust the new Certificate Authority.
• Documentation accessibility standard: None or don’t know
• How the documentation is accessible: Onboarding and offboarding documentation sent during onboarding

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: No
• Service interface: No
• User support accessibility: None or don’t know
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: The API can be used to:; - issue client certificates; - issue server certificates; - revoke certificates
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats: PDF
• API sandbox or test environment: Yes
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: Service can be integrated with an organisation's existing systems for automated certificate issuing workflow. This can either be implemented by the customer organisation, or by Q-Solution on a professional services basis.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Our design maximises the use of all UK Hyperscale AWS Availabilities Zones to ensure any increases or spikes in capacity have no detrimental impact on the services or customers. The service is monitored 24/7 with alerting to Q-Solution and customer service desks as required.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: Ability to query certificate database for information such as total numbers of certificates issued, date issued, expiry date, revocations.
• Reporting types:
  • API access
  • Real-time dashboards
  • Regular reports
  • Reports on request
• Resource tagging: Yes
• FOCUS resource tagging: Yes

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Other security clearance
• Government security clearance: Security Clearance (SC)

Asset protection

• Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Data storage and processing locations: United Kingdom
• User control over data storage and processing locations: No
• Datacentre security standards: Complies with a recognised standard (for example CSA CCM version 4.0)
• Penetration testing frequency: At least once a year
• Penetration testing approach: ‘IT Health Check’ performed by a CHECK service provider
• Protecting data at rest:
  • Physical access control, complying with another standard
  • Encryption of all physical media
  • Other
• Other data at rest protection approach: We have a detailed Access Control Policy as well as Malware and Encryption policy, subjected to annual security review that details our approach to securing customers data at rest. These can be provided to the customer upon request
• Data sanitisation process: No
• Equipment disposal approach: Complying with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0, CAS (Sanitisation) or ISO/IEC 27001

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Certificates issued by the service can be downloaded via an API
• Data export formats: Other
• Other data export formats: X.509 Certificate
• Data import formats: Other
• Other data import formats: X.509 Certificate Signing Request

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks: TLS (version 1.2 or above)
• Data protection within supplier network: TLS (version 1.2 or above)

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: Availability of the service during working hours (8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday excluding Bank Holidays) - 99.9%; ; Availability of the service outside of working hours - 99.5%
• Approach to resilience: The service is designed and built to be entirely cloud native and serverless. Detailed information on the design for resilience of the solution can be provided during the On Boarding process and subject to confidentiality provisions
• Outage reporting: Email alerts and a customer facing dashboard

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Limited access network (for example PSN)
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Only support staff with SC clearance have access. Access is restricted to individuals accredited machines. Support staff required password and MFA. Account activity is protectively monitored and alerted. Staff have a single master account for logging in and 'Assume Role' into other accounts enable fine grain authentication and access on a 'needs to know' basis.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Management access authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Limited access network (for example PSN)
  • Username or password

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
• How long user audit data is stored for: At least 12 months
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: At least 12 months
• How long system logs are stored for: At least 12 months

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards: ISO/IEC 27001
• Information security policies and processes: Our Security Working Group oversees the implementation, maintenance and improvement of our ISO27001:2022 Information Security Management System (ISMS). This ISMS encompasses numerous process, policies and procedures including Information Security Policy, Acceptable Usage Policy, Statement of Applicability (SOA), Risk Assessment, Secure Development Policy, MMAE Policy, Business Continuity Policy and Plan and Change and Configuration Management among many others. Additionally we have an independent IT Health Check (ITHC) performed by a CHECK Team annually and are certified to Cyber Essentials Plus (CES+)
• Software Security Code of Practice: Yes

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: All software and infrastructure components are built through Infrastructure as Code, stored within a secure and backed up repository. As well as peer reviews through PR's the CI/CD Pipeline implements a number of security detection techniques to prevent compromised code being deployed into the environments
• Vulnerability management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Vulnerability management approach: We have a separately documented vulnerability management process that can be shared with customers upon request covering areas such as Monitoring, Threat Detection, Security Alerting, Compliance, Audit Logging, SIEM, Patch Management and anti malware
• Protective monitoring type: Supplier-defined controls
• Protective monitoring approach: We have a separately documented Protective Monitoring process that can be shared with customers upon request covering areas such as Monitoring, Threat Detection, Security Alerting, Compliance, Audit Logging and SIEM
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Incident management approach: We have a comprehensive documented approach to both Incident and Problem Management. This information, in the form of PDF can be provided to customers on request
• Post-quantum cryptography secure: No

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Independent review of processes (for example CESG CPA Build Standard, ISO/IEC 27034, ISO/IEC 27001 or CSA CCM v4.0)

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: Yes
• Connected networks: Public Services Network (PSN)

Pricing

• Discount for educational organisations: No
• Free trial available: No

Discount percentage by annual call-off contract value (excluding VAT)

• Less than £250,000: 0%
• Between £250,000 and £500,000: 0%
• Between £500,001 and £1,000,000: 0%
• Between £1,000,001 and £2,500,000: 0%
• Between £2,500,001 and £5,000,000: 0%
• Over £5,000,001: 0%

Non-mandatory Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: BSI
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: Saturday 17 June 2023
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: N/A
• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• ISO 9001 certification: No
• Quality management systems (QMS): Yes
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Certificate Number: C47ab28a-34ed-45e1-93b4-3d1f9215cce2
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Plus Certificate Number: 4c984142-4fb8-4f4d-85e1-78567c6a7427
• Other security certifications: No

Social value

• Section B - Commitment for Future: Delivery:

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 1: Fair work: That offers fair wages and good working conditions. Help people get a job, stay in work, and progress in their careers, with good employment opportunities across the country. Notes: Where there is a large proportion of labour costs in the contract, commercial teams should consider MAC in Outcome 1 as a priority

    • New or retained jobs on the contract workforce in the relevant area that meet the criteria set out in MAC 1b, 1c and 1d
    • New apprenticeships on the contract workforce in the relevant area that meet the criteria set out in MAC 1b
    • Activities that support an environment where staff are educated about and feel empowered to report and address bullying and harassment
    • Payment of more than the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage (as appropriate) to the contract workforce
    • Monitoring and reporting of gender and ethnicity pay gaps and plans to address them where necessary
    • Entitlement to sick pay for the contract workforce, with provision in place for any staff who do not meet the earnings threshold for statutory sick pay, payment of sick pay from day one of absence and payment of staff on the contract workforce who are off sick a replacement income of 100% of their usual earnings for as long as possible
    • Understanding of in-work progression issues affecting the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors
    • Measures to support in-work progression to help people in the contract workforce, to move into higher paid work by developing new skills relevant to the contract
    • Support for the contract workforce by providing career advice, and providing opportunities for staff working on the contract with in-work progression career development into known skills shortages or high growth areas
    • Support for educational attainment relevant to the contract, including training schemes that address skills gaps and result in recognised qualifications
    • Understanding of the modern slavery risks and issues affecting the market, industry, sector or country (of origin or of source) relevant to the contract, and the workforce in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key subcontractors
    • Outline policies and practices to be applied to or put in place for the contract to mitigate and manage modern slavery risks, including: Pre-employment checks, recruitment practices. Workplace conditions, safeguarding plans and processes in place and regular monitoring with relevant groups considered, which may include sampling

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 2: Skills for growth: Supporting growth sectors and addressing skills gaps.

    • Understanding of employment and relevant skills issues, and of the education and training issues relating to the contract. Illustrative examples: demographics, skills shortages, new opportunities in high growth sectors, geographic/local community and skills/employment challenges
    • Support for educational attainment relevant to the contract, including training schemes that address skills gaps and result in recognised qualifications
    • Activities to support relevant sector related skills growth and sustainability in the contract workforce. Illustrative examples: careers talks, curriculum support, literacy support, safety talks and volunteering
    • Delivery of apprenticeships, supported internships and T Level industry placement opportunities (Level 2, 3 and 4+) in relation to the contract

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 3: Resilient, innovative and flexible supply chains: Support economic growth through enabling resilient businesses, opportunities for small businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises

    • Activities that demonstrate a collaborative way to work with a diverse range of businesses as part of the supply chain
    • Advertising of supply chain opportunities openly and to ensure they are accessible to a diverse range of businesses, including advertising all subcontracting opportunities on Contracts Finder
    • Ensuring accessibility to contracting and subcontracting opportunities for disabled business owners and employees
    • Structuring of the supply chain selection process to ensure fairness (e.g. anti-corruption) and encourages participation by a diverse range of businesses, including with regard to new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutual

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at contact@q-solution.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.