SC-51 Hardware-based Protection
a. Employ hardware-based, write-protect for organization-defined system firmware components; and b. Implement specific procedures for organization-defined authorized individuals to manually disable hardware write-protect for firmware modifications and re-enable the write-protect prior to returning to operational mode.
Source: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5, SC-51. 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
- System audit records · Policy repository / GRC workspace
- Test of Organizational processes for modifying system firmware; mechanisms supporting and/or implementing hardware-based write-protection for system firmware · Document repository
governing documentDocuments that govern the control
- System and communications protection policy · Policy repository / GRC workspace
- Procedures addressing firmware modifications · Policy repository / GRC workspace
- System design documentation · Document repository
- System configuration settings and associated documentation · Policy repository / GRC workspace
- System architecture · Policy repository / GRC workspace
- System security plan · Policy repository / GRC workspace
First move
Common gaps auditors find
- Hardware write-protect is not employed for the defined firmware components
- No procedures govern authorized individuals manually disabling write-protect for updates
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 sheetSC-50 Software-enforced Separation and Policy Enforcement · SI-1 Policy and Procedures