CM
Configuration Management
3
3.4.5
Define, document, approve, and enforce physical and logical access restrictions associated with changes to organizational systems.
Define, identify, and document qualified individuals authorized to have access and make physical and logical changes to the organization’s hardware, software, software libraries or firmware components. Control of configuration management activities may involve: * physical access control which prohibits unauthorized users from gaining physical access to an asset (e.g., requiring a special key card to enter a server room) * logical access control which prevents unauthorized users from logging onto a system to make configuration changes (e.g., requiring specific credentials for modifying configuration settings, patching software, or updating software libraries) * workflow automation in which configuration management workflow rules define human tasks and data or files are routed between people authorized to do configuration management based on pre-defined business rules (e.g., passing an electronic form to a manager requesting approval of configuration change made by an authorized employee) * an abstraction layer for configuration management that requires changes be made from an external system through constrained interface (e.g., software updates can only be made from a patch management system with a specific IP address) * utilization of a configuration management change window (e.g., software updates are only allowed between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM or between 6:00PM and 8:00PM). Example 1 You are in charge of IT operations in your organization responsible for configuration management. You need to add an additional network storage appliance to a server farm. However, all of your organization's servers have been consolidated into a single data center that has locked doors. To gain access to that data center, you request and are granted a key card which allows you to enter the data center and modify the hardware configuration. Example 2 You are responsible for patching your organization's software as soon as new versions are released or when emergency patching is required. You configure the patch management system to push patches to all endpoints in the enterprise as soon as a patch or update is available, has been confirmed to have been received from the proper source, and has been validated.
Define, document, approve, and enforce physical and logical access restrictions associated with changes to organizational systems.
Any changes to the hardware, software, or firmware components of systems can potentially have significant effects on the overall security of the systems. Therefore, organizations permit only qualified and authorized individuals to access systems for purposes of initiating changes, including upgrades and modifications. Access restrictions for change also include software libraries. Access restrictions include physical and logical access control requirements, workflow automation, media libraries, abstract layers (e.g., changes implemented into external interfaces rather than directly into systems), and change windows (e.g., changes occur only during certain specified times). In addition to security concerns, commonly-accepted due diligence for configuration management includes access restrictions as an essential part in ensuring the ability to effectively manage the configuration. [SP 800-128] provides guidance on configuration change control.
N/A
CIS Controls v7.1 2.5, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 4.3, 11.1, 11.3, 11.7
NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4 CM-5
NIST SP 800-171 Rev 1 3.4.5
NIST CSF v1.1 PR.IP-1
CERT RMM v1.2 TM:SG4.SP1
UK NCSC Cyber Essentials
CM.3.067.[a] physical access restrictions associated with changes to the system are defined;
CM.3.067.[b] physical access restrictions associated with changes to the system are documented;
CM.3.067.[c] physical access restrictions associated with changes to the system are approved;
CM.3.067.[d] physical access restrictions associated with changes to the system are enforced;
CM.3.067.[e] logical access restrictions associated with changes to the system are defined;
CM.3.067.[f] logical access restrictions associated with changes to the system are documented;
CM.3.067.[g] logical access restrictions associated with changes to the system are approved; and
CM.3.067.[h] logical access restrictions associated with changes to the system are enforced.