SC-51: Hardware-based Protection

Control Family:

System and Communications Protection

CSF v2.0 References:

Threats Addressed:

Baselines:

  • Low

    N/A

  • Moderate

    N/A

  • High

    N/A

  • Privacy

    N/A

  • OT Low (SP 800-82r3)

    N/A

  • OT Moderate (SP 800-82r3)

    N/A

  • OT High (SP 800-82r3)

    N/A

Info icon.

Control is new to this version of the control set and incorporates the following item from the previous version: SC-34(3): Hardware-Based Protection.

Control Statement

  1. Employ hardware-based, write-protect for [Assignment: organization-defined system firmware components] ; and
  2. Implement specific procedures for [Assignment: 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.

Supplemental Guidance

None.

OT Discussion

Some OT systems support write-protection by implementing physical key switches or write-protect switches. Organizations define the systems for which write-protection will be enabled and develop a process for how to take the system out of write-protect mode.