CM-10 Software Usage Restrictions
a. Use software and associated documentation in accordance with contract agreements and copyright laws; b. Track the use of software and associated documentation protected by quantity licenses to control copying and distribution; and c. Control and document the use of peer-to-peer file sharing technology to ensure that this capability is not used for the unauthorized distribution, display, performance, or reproduction of copyrighted work.
Source: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5, CM-10. The statement above is our statement of the clause, read from the published text and cited so you can check it against the official text, not the instrument verbatim. Open NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 in the compliance library.
Base controls and their enhancements. Which apply follows the baseline you are assessed against (for example FedRAMP Moderate or High, or the low, moderate and high baselines of SP 800-53B). Text in square brackets is a parameter your organisation sets.
These are the artefacts auditors commonly ask for on this requirement, our guidance rather than text from the standard. Your assessor decides what is sufficient in your context, and asks for samples across the period when a report covers one.
system holds itEvidence a system already holds
none for this control
periodic reviewEvidence produced at each review
- Software license tracking reports · Cloud console / configuration management
- Test of Organizational processes for tracking the use of software protected by quantity licenses; organizational processes for controlling/documenting the use of peer-to-peer file sharing technology; mechanisms implementing software license tracking; mechanisms implementing and controlling the use of peer-t · Cloud console / configuration management
governing documentDocuments that govern the control
- Configuration management policy · Policy repository / GRC workspace
- Software usage restrictions · Policy repository / GRC workspace
- Software contract agreements and copyright laws · Vendor register / contract repository
- Site license documentation · Policy repository / GRC workspace
- List of software usage restrictions · Policy repository / GRC workspace
- Configuration management plan · Policy repository / GRC workspace
- System security plan · Policy repository / GRC workspace
First move
Common gaps auditors find
- Software use is not tracked against quantity licenses, so copying and distribution are uncontrolled
- Peer-to-peer file sharing technology is in use without documented controls against unauthorized distribution of copyrighted work
Do this for your whole sheet
Paste the rows you run your controls from and get this mapping for every control at once, with the periodic-review ones flagged and a first move per row. No account for the first run.
Build my evidence sheetCM-9(1) Configuration Management Plan | Assignment of Responsibility · CM-10(1) Software Usage Restrictions | Open-source Software