How The State Declarations Portal Provides A Secure Communication Channel With The Department Of Safeguards

This paper will demonstrate the features and benefits of the State Declarations Portal (SDP). Historically, there have been many channels of communication, including traditional mail, fax, email and other custom secure channels. This presented a confusing array of options when sending and receiving information. The SDP was developed to provide external users a single, preferred channel to communicate with the Department of Safeguards in a secure manner. The SDP is a modern, web-based, application that may be accessed from any Internet-connected computer. It allows timely and secure communications despite worldwide Covid-19 related lockdowns, where traditional mail may be unreliable and many people are working from home. The SDP is secured with a multi-layered approach, including the use of two-factor authentication and asymmetric encryption. Within a State or regional authority, other actors, such as Facility Operators, may also participate in this channel in a siloed manner. Other features include the ability to add non-formal comments related to communications. Finally, the SDP aids in long-term knowledge management. The records of all incoming and outgoing communications, including comments, are available to active users in the Portal. Users are able to filter and search for particular records. This establishes a shared history with the Department of Safeguards and ensures continuity of knowledge over time.