PR.PT-2: Removable media is protected and its use restricted according to policy

Develop, document, and disseminate to [Assignment: organization-defined personnel or roles]: [Assignment (one or more): organization-level, mission/business process-level, system-level] media protection policy that: Addresses purpose, scope, roles, responsibilities, management commitment, coordination among organizational entities, and compliance; and Is consistent with applicable laws, executive orders, directives, regulations, policies, standards, and guidelines; and Procedures to facilitate the implementation…

Restrict access to [Assignment: organization-defined types of digital and/or non-digital media] to [Assignment: organization-defined personnel or roles].

Mark system media indicating the distribution limitations, handling caveats, and applicable security markings (if any) of the information; and Exempt [Assignment: organization-defined types of system media] from marking if the media remain within [Assignment: organization-defined controlled areas].

Physically control and securely store [Assignment: organization-defined types of digital and/or non-digital media] within [Assignment: organization-defined controlled areas]; and Protect system media types defined in MP-4a until the media are destroyed or sanitized using approved equipment, techniques, and procedures.

Protect and control [Assignment: organization-defined types of system media] during transport outside of controlled areas using [Assignment: organization-defined controls]; Maintain accountability for system media during transport outside of controlled areas; Document activities associated with the transport of system media; and Restrict the activities associated with the transport of system media to authorized personnel.

[Assignment: Restrict, Prohibit] the use of [Assignment: organization-defined types of system media] on [Assignment: organization-defined systems or system components] using [Assignment: organization-defined controls]; and Prohibit the use of portable storage devices in organizational systems when such devices have no identifiable owner.

Establish [Assignment: organization-defined system media downgrading process] that includes employing downgrading mechanisms with strength and integrity commensurate with the security category or classification of the information; Verify that the system media downgrading process is commensurate with the security category and/or classification level of the information to be removed and the access authorizations of the potential…

System media includes digital and non-digital media. Digital media includes diskettes, magnetic tapes, external and removable hard disk drives, flash drives, compact disks, and digital video disks. Non-digital media includes paper and microfilm. Protecting digital media includes limiting access to design specifications stored on compact disks or flash drives in the media library to the…

Access can be limited by physically controlling system media and secure storage areas. Physically controlling system media includes conducting inventories, ensuring procedures are in place to allow individuals to check out and return system media to the media library, and maintaining accountability for all stored media. Secure storage includes a locked drawer, desk, or cabinet,…

This requirement applies to all system media, digital and non-digital, subject to disposal or reuse. Examples include: digital media found in workstations, network components, scanners, copiers, printers, notebook computers, and mobile devices; and non-digital media such as paper and microfilm. The sanitization process removes information from the media such that the information cannot be retrieved…

The term security marking refers to the application or use of human-readable security attributes. System media includes digital and non-digital media. Marking of system media reflects applicable federal laws, Executive Orders, directives, policies, and regulations. See [NARA MARK].

Controlled areas are areas or spaces for which organizations provide physical or procedural controls to meet the requirements established for protecting systems and information. Controls to maintain accountability for media during transport include locked containers and cryptography. Cryptographic mechanisms can provide confidentiality and integrity protections depending upon the mechanisms used. Activities associated with transport include…

This requirement applies to portable storage devices (e.g., USB memory sticks, digital video disks, compact disks, external or removable hard disk drives). See [NIST CRYPTO]. [SP 800-111] provides guidance on storage encryption technologies for end user devices.

In contrast to requirement 3.8.1, which restricts user access to media, this requirement restricts the use of certain types of media on systems, for example, restricting or prohibiting the use of flash drives or external hard disk drives. Organizations can employ technical and nontechnical controls (e.g., policies, procedures, and rules of behavior) to control the…

Requiring identifiable owners (e.g., individuals, organizations, or projects) for portable storage devices reduces the overall risk of using such technologies by allowing organizations to assign responsibility and accountability for addressing known vulnerabilities in the devices (e.g., insertion of malicious code).