ComplianceNIST 800-53 control

NIST-RA-9 Criticality Analysis

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Framework
NIST SP 800-53 rev5 (5.2.0)
Family
RA Risk Assessment
Control
RA-9
ATT&CK techniques mitigated
12

Control statement

Identify critical system components and functions by performing a criticality analysis for [Assignment: systems, system components, or system services] at [Assignment: decision points in the system development life cycle].

Discussion

Not all system components, functions, or services necessarily require significant protections. For example, criticality analysis is a key tenet of supply chain risk management and informs the prioritization of protection activities. The identification of critical system components and functions considers applicable laws, executive orders, regulations, directives, policies, standards, system functionality requirements, system and component interfaces, and system and component dependencies. Systems engineers conduct a functional decomposition of a system to identify mission-critical functions and components. The functional decomposition includes the identification of organizational missions supported by the system, decomposition into the specific functions to perform those missions, and traceability to the hardware, software, and firmware components that implement those functions, including when the functions are shared by many components within and external to the system. The operational environment of a system or a system component may impact the criticality, including the connections to and dependencies on cyber-physical systems, devices, system-of-systems, and outsourced IT services. System components that allow unmediated access to critical system components or functions are considered critical due to the inherent vulnerabilities that such components create. Component and function criticality are assessed in terms of the impact of a component or function failure on the organizational missions that are supported by the system that contains the components and functions. Criticality analysis is performed when an architecture or design is being developed, modified, or upgraded. If such analysis is performed early in the system development life cycle, organizations may be able to modify the system design to reduce the critical nature of these components and functions, such as by adding redundancy or alternate paths into the system design. Criticality analysis can also influence the protection measures required by development contractors. In addition to criticality analysis for systems, system components, and system services, criticality analysis of information is an important consideration. Such analysis is conducted as part of security categorization in [RA-2](#ra-2).

ATT&CK mappings (CTID)

• T1195.003 Compromise Hardware Supply Chain • T1495 Firmware Corruption • T1542 Pre-OS Boot • T1542.001 System Firmware • T1542.003 Bootkit • T1542.004 ROMMONkit • T1542.005 TFTP Boot • T1553 Subvert Trust Controls • T1553.006 Code Signing Policy Modification • T1601 Modify System Image • T1601.001 Patch System Image • T1601.002 Downgrade System Image

Related

Mitigates · MITRE ATT&CK (12)

  • T1553.006 Code Signing Policy Modification sub-technique
  • T1542.004 ROMMONkit sub-technique
  • T1542.005 TFTP Boot sub-technique
  • T1601 Modify System Image technique
  • T1601.001 Patch System Image sub-technique
  • T1601.002 Downgrade System Image sub-technique
  • T1195.003 Compromise Hardware Supply Chain sub-technique
  • T1553 Subvert Trust Controls technique
  • T1542.001 System Firmware sub-technique
  • T1542.003 Bootkit sub-technique
  • T1542 Pre-OS Boot technique
  • T1495 Firmware Corruption technique

Related control · Compliance (11)

  • NIST-CP-2 Contingency Plan NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-PL-11 Baseline Tailoring NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-PL-2 System Security and Privacy Plans NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-PL-8 Security and Privacy Architectures NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-PM-1 Information Security Program Plan NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-PM-11 Mission and Business Process Definition NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-RA-2 Security Categorization NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-SA-15 Development Process, Standards, and Tools NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-SA-20 Customized Development of Critical Components NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-SA-8 Security and Privacy Engineering Principles NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-SR-5 Acquisition Strategies, Tools, and Methods NIST 800-53 control

Referenced by Compliance · has member (1)

  • NIST-RA Risk Assessment NIST 800-53 family

Referenced by Compliance · related control (17)

  • NIST-CP-2(8) Identify Critical Assets NIST 800-53 enhancement
  • NIST-PL-11 Baseline Tailoring NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-PL-2 System Security and Privacy Plans NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-PL-8 Security and Privacy Architectures NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-PM-1 Information Security Program Plan NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-PM-11 Mission and Business Process Definition NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-PM-32 Purposing NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-PM-9 Risk Management Strategy NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-RA-3(1) Supply Chain Risk Assessment NIST 800-53 enhancement
  • NIST-SA-15(3) Criticality Analysis NIST 800-53 enhancement
  • NIST-SA-20 Customized Development of Critical Components NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-SA-23 Specialization NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-SA-24 Design For Cyber Resiliency NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-SA-3(1) Manage Preproduction Environment NIST 800-53 enhancement
  • NIST-SA-8 Security and Privacy Engineering Principles NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-SR-4 Provenance NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-SR-5(1) Adequate Supply NIST 800-53 enhancement