CM-4: Impact Analyses
Control Family:
Previous Version:
- NIST Special Publication 800-53 Revision 4:
- CM-4: Security Impact Analysis
Control Statement
Analyze changes to the system to determine potential security and privacy impacts prior to change implementation.
Supplemental Guidance
Organizational personnel with security or privacy responsibilities conduct impact analyses. Individuals conducting impact analyses possess the necessary skills and technical expertise to analyze the changes to systems as well as the security or privacy ramifications. Impact analyses include reviewing security and privacy plans, policies, and procedures to understand control requirements; reviewing system design documentation and operational procedures to understand control implementation and how specific system changes might affect the controls; reviewing the impact of changes on organizational supply chain partners with stakeholders; and determining how potential changes to a system create new risks to the privacy of individuals and the ability of implemented controls to mitigate those risks. Impact analyses also include risk assessments to understand the impact of the changes and determine if additional controls are required.
Control Enhancements
CM-4(1): Separate Test Environments
Baseline(s):
- High
Analyze changes to the system in a separate test environment before implementation in an operational environment, looking for security and privacy impacts due to flaws, weaknesses, incompatibility, or intentional malice.
CM-4(2): Verification of Controls
Baseline(s):
- Moderate
- High
After system changes, verify that the impacted controls are implemented correctly, operating as intended, and producing the desired outcome with regard to meeting the security and privacy requirements for the system.