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AST-08: Comprehensive Asset Inventory Management

AST 8 — High Identify

Mechanisms exist to maintain a dynamically updated inventory of Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD) that provides a highly contextualized understanding of every asset that is capable of providing operational visibility required to: (1) Detect anomalies; (2) Manage complex vulnerabilities; (3) Maintain compliance; and (4) Maintain resilient capabilities.

Code reused: In SCF 2025.4 and earlier, AST-08 was Physical Tampering Detection. That control is now AST-29.1.

Control Question: Does the organization maintain a dynamically updated inventory of Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD) that provides a highly contextualized understanding of every asset that is capable of providing operational visibility required to: (1) Detect anomalies; (2) Manage complex vulnerabilities; (3) Maintain compliance; and (4) Maintain resilient capabilities?

Capability Maturity Model

Level 0 — Not Performed

Practices are non-existent, based on the inability to demonstrate an implemented and operational capability. A reasonable person would conclude the control is not being performed.

Level 1 — Performed Informally

SCR-CMM Level 1 criteria definitions are not available for this control: ▪ A reasonable person would conclude this control requires a structured process. ▪ At this level of maturity, the "ad hoc" nature of performing a capability informally would indicate the intent of the control is not met due to a lack of consistency and formality.

Level 2 — Planned & Tracked

Asset Management (AST) capabilities are requirements-driven, but are not standardized across the entity (e.g., local/regional level consistency). Capability criteria associated with this control reasonably expect the following criteria to exist: ▪ Policies and standards associated with AST domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with AST domain capabilities are documented and maintained by process owners. ▪ IT and/or cybersecurity personnel work with business stakeholders and process owners to appropriately scope and reasonably implement cybersecurity and data protection controls associated with AST domain capabilities to address applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). ▪ Asset management-related controls are primarily administrative and preventative in nature (e.g., policies, standards and procedures & guidelines). ▪ Asset management may be a defined function (e.g., team or department) or assigned as an additional duty to existing IT and/or cybersecurity personnel. ▪ The IT department establishes, maintains and updates an inventory that contains a listing of all organizational-owned TAASD, at a minimum covering common devices (e.g., laptops, workstations and servers). ▪ Data/process owners for business-critical assets are documented and are reviewed as part of the annual asset inventories. ▪ Annual IT asset inventories validate or update stakeholders /owners.

Level 3 — Well Defined

Asset Management (AST) capabilities are standardized across the entity for applicability to People, Processes, Technologies, Data and/or Facilities (PPTDF) to ensure consistency for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). Capability criteria associated with this control reasonably expect the following criteria to exist: ▪ Policies and standards associated with AST domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity's Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team, or similar function. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with AST domain capabilities are well-documented and kept current by process owners. ▪ An IT Asset Management (ITAM) team, or similar function, is appropriately staffed and supported to implement and maintain AST domain capabilities. ▪ Technology is leveraged to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of ITAM operations (e.g., ITAM platform, (e.g., Configuration Management Database (CMBD) Asset Management solution). ▪ The entity's Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team, or similar function, works with business stakeholders and process owners to appropriately scope and reasonably implement cybersecurity and data protection controls associated with AST domain capabilities to address Minimum Compliance Requirements (MCR) (e.g., applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements) and Discretionary Security Requirements (DSR) (e.g., entity-required controls).

Level 4 — Quantitatively Controlled

Utilize SCR-CMM Level 3 criteria definitions: ▪ There are no defined Level 4 criteria, since it is reasonable to assume a quantitatively-controlled process is not necessary to operationalize this control. ▪ While it may be possible to develop “metrics-driven” capabilities for this control, the criteria would be organization-specific to define.

Level 5 — Continuously Improving

Utilize SCR-CMM Level 3 or Level 4 (if available) criteria definitions: ▪ There are no defined Level 5 criteria, since it is reasonable to assume a continuously-improving process is not necessary to operationalize this control. ▪ Level 5 capabilities should be considered “world-class” where the control builds on Level 4 capabilities, but are continuously improving through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and/or Machine Learning (ML) technologies. ▪ While it may be possible to develop responsive capabilities for this control through the use of AI and/or ML technologies, the criteria would be organization-specific to define.

Assessment Objectives

  1. AST-08_A01 an inventory of Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD) is maintained and is dynamically updated as assets are added, changed or removed.
  2. AST-08_A02 the contextual attributes to be captured for each inventoried Technology Asset, Application, Service and/or Data (TAASD) entry (e.g., owner, location, criticality, data sensitivity, dependencies, software and configuration details) are defined and populated.
  3. AST-08_A03 inventory data is used to detect anomalies, including unknown, unexpected or non-conforming assets.
  4. AST-08_A04 inventory data is used to manage vulnerabilities, including identifying affected assets and prioritizing remediation.
  5. AST-08_A05 inventory data is used to maintain compliance, including determining which assets are within the scope of statutory, regulatory and/or contractual obligations.
  6. AST-08_A06 inventory data is used to maintain resilient capabilities, including identifying the assets that support business-critical functions and their recovery.

Evidence Requirements

E-AST-01 IT Asset Management (ITAM)

Documented evidence of an IT Asset Management (ITAM) program that addresses the due diligence and due care activities associated with maintaining both secure, compliance and resilient Technology Assets, Applications and/or Services (TAAS).

Asset Management

Technology Recommendations

Micro/Small

  • IT Asset Management (ITAM) program
  • Asset inventory spreadsheet with owner, location and criticality columns
  • Free discovery tooling (e.g., Snipe-IT, Spiceworks)

Small

  • IT Asset Management (ITAM) program
  • Basic CMDB or asset tracking tool (e.g., Snipe-IT, Lansweeper)
  • Cloud provider asset inventory (e.g., AWS Config, Azure Resource Graph)

Medium

  • IT Asset Management (ITAM) program
  • Configuration Management Database (CMDB)
  • ITAM tool with automated discovery (e.g., ManageEngine AssetExplorer, Lansweeper, Axonius)

Large

  • Configuration Management Database (CMDB) (e.g., ServiceNow CMDB, Device42)
  • Cyber asset attack surface management (e.g., Axonius, JupiterOne, runZero)
  • ITAM integrated with vulnerability management and SIEM

Enterprise

  • Enterprise CMDB (e.g., ServiceNow CMDB, BMC Helix CMDB)
  • Cyber asset attack surface management (e.g., Axonius, JupiterOne, runZero)
  • ITAM integrated with GRC, vulnerability management, SIEM and BC/DR planning

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