> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://syteca.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Syteca Endpoint Geolocation policy

> Monitor endpoint geographic location to identify access from approved, high-risk, or prohibited regions and support compliance with security, privacy, and regulatory requirements.

## Overview

The Syteca Endpoint Geolocation Policy establishes controls for validating the geographic location of endpoints to ensure alignment with organizational security requirements, privacy obligations, and regulatory expectations. By evaluating endpoint locations against approved, high-risk, and prohibited geographic regions, the organization can identify potentially unauthorized access, reduce exposure to regional threats, and support compliance with frameworks such as GDPR, ISO 27701, NIST SP 800-53, and CIS Controls.

## Controls

### Data Protection & Recovery

Data Protection & Recovery safeguards sensitive information and supports business continuity by ensuring that organizational assets are accessed only from authorized geographic locations. Monitoring endpoint location helps prevent unauthorized access, reduce exposure to geopolitical and regulatory risks, and strengthen the protection of corporate data.

By validating endpoint geolocation, the organization can:

* Detect access from prohibited or restricted regions.
* Identify anomalous or unexpected endpoint locations.
* Support geographic access and compliance requirements.
* Reduce the risk of unauthorized access and data exposure.
* Strengthen data protection and business continuity efforts.

## Risk Factors

### Endpoint Location

The actual geographic location of an endpoint is identified at the country level and evaluated against predefined location risk categories.

#### Prohibited Locations (Critical Risk)

Endpoints detected in the following locations are considered **Critical Risk** due to sanctions, regulatory restrictions, security concerns, or organizational policy requirements:

* Russia (RU)
* Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine (UA-14)
* Lugansk Oblast, Ukraine (UA-09)
* Crimea, Ukraine (UA-43)
* Sevastopol, Ukraine (UA-40)
* Belarus (BY)
* Iran (IR)
* North Korea (KP)
* Syria (SY)
* Cuba (CU)
* Venezuela (VE)
* China (CN)
* Hong Kong (HK)
* Afghanistan (AF)
* Macao (MO)
* Iraq (IQ)
* Lebanon (LB)
* Libya (LY)
* Myanmar (MM)
* Ethiopia (ET)
* Sudan (SD)
* Yemen (YE)
* Zimbabwe (ZW)
* South Sudan (SS)

#### High-Risk Locations (High Risk)

Endpoints detected in the following locations are considered **High Risk** and may require additional scrutiny or approval:

* Georgia (GE)
* Armenia (AM)
* Kazakhstan (KZ)
* Uzbekistan (UZ)
* Egypt (EG)
* Morocco (MA)
* Tunisia (TN)
* Turkmenistan (TM)

#### Approved Locations (Zero Risk)

Endpoints detected in the following locations are considered **Approved** and present no location-related risk under this policy:

* All European Union member states
* Ukraine (UA)
* United States (US)
* Canada (CA)
* United Kingdom (GB)
* Australia (AU)
* New Zealand (NZ)
* Japan (JP)
* South Korea (KR)
* Israel (IL)
* Switzerland (CH)
* Norway (NO)

#### Unknown Locations (Low Risk)

Any location not included in the lists above is classified as **Unknown Risk** and assigned a risk score of **25**. These locations should be reviewed to determine whether they should be categorized as approved, high risk, or prohibited.

<Note>
  Location classifications are aligned with international sanctions programs, geopolitical risk assessments, and organizational security requirements. These classifications are subject to change as regulations, sanctions, and threat landscapes evolve.

  If a country is not currently included in any category and is classified as an Unknown Location, please contact the support team for review and assessment.
</Note>

## Business Value

This policy provides a simple and effective mechanism for enforcing geographic access controls across the environment. By identifying endpoints operating from prohibited, high-risk, or unexpected locations, organizations can reduce exposure to regional threats, support regulatory compliance, strengthen data protection measures, and improve overall security posture.

## Related

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