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AST-20: Unattended End-User Equipment

AST 9 — Critical Protect

Mechanisms exist to implement enhanced protection measures for unattended technology assets to protect against tampering and unauthorized access.

Renumbered: Formerly AST-06 in SCF 2025.4.

Code reused: In SCF 2025.4 and earlier, AST-20 was Video Teleconference (VTC) Security. That control is now CFG-04.16.

Control Question: Does the organization implement enhanced protection measures for unattended technology assets to protect against tampering and unauthorized access?

General (11)
EMEA (3)
Framework Mapping Values
EMEA Germany C5 2026 AM-12.01B.9 PS-08.01B.2 PS-08.01B.3
EMEA Spain CCN-STIC 825 mp.eq.1 mp.eq.2 mp.eq.3 mp.eq.4
EMEA EU DORA RTS 2024 Article 18.2(c) Article 18.2(e)
APAC (2)
Framework Mapping Values
APAC Australia ISM June 2026 ISM-0161
APAC Japan ISMAP 6.2.1.18 6.2.1.19 8.2.3.5 11.2.8 11.2.8.1 11.2.8.2 11.2.8.3 11.2.8.4

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

Asset Management (AST) domain capabilities are ad hoc and inconsistent. Capability criteria associated with this control may include: ▪ Policies, standards & procedures associated with AST domain capabilities provide limited coverage due to the depth and breadth of the existing documentation. ▪ Asset management-related activities are decentralized (e.g., a localized/regionalized function) and uses non-standardized methods to implement secure, resilient and compliant practices. ▪ Asset management is informally assigned as an additional duty to existing IT/cybersecurity personnel.

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).

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). ▪ An implemented and operational capability exists to implement enhanced protection measures for unattended technology assets to protect against tampering and unauthorized access.

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-20_A01 enhanced protection measures for unattended systems are implemented to protect against tampering and unauthorized access.

Technology Recommendations

Micro/Small

  • Lockable casings
  • Tamper detection tape
  • Full Disk Encryption (FDE)

Small

  • Lockable casings
  • Tamper detection tape
  • Full Disk Encryption (FDE)

Medium

  • Lockable casings
  • Tamper detection tape
  • Full Disk Encryption (FDE)
  • File Integrity Monitoring (FIM)
  • CimTrak Integrity Suite (https://cimcor.com/cimtrak)
  • Netwrix Auditor (https://netrix.com)

Large

  • Lockable casings
  • Tamper detection tape
  • Full Disk Encryption (FDE)
  • File Integrity Monitoring (FIM)
  • CimTrak Integrity Suite (https://cimcor.com/cimtrak)
  • Netwrix Auditor (https://netrix.com)

Enterprise

  • Lockable casings
  • Tamper detection tape
  • Full Disk Encryption (FDE)
  • File Integrity Monitoring (FIM)
  • CimTrak Integrity Suite (https://cimcor.com/cimtrak)
  • Netwrix Auditor (https://netrix.com)

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