BCD-05: Recovery Operations Criteria
Mechanisms exist to define specific criteria that must be met to initiate Business Continuity / Disaster Recovery (BC/DR) plans that facilitate business continuity operations capable of meeting applicable Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs).
Renumbered: Formerly BCD-01.5 in SCF 2025.4.
Code reused: In SCF 2025.4 and earlier, BCD-05 was Contingency Plan Root Cause Analysis (RCA) & Lessons Learned. That control is now BCD-11.
Control Question: Does the organization define specific criteria that must be met to initiate Business Continuity / Disaster Recover (BC/DR) plans that facilitate business continuity operations capable of meeting applicable Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs)?
General (2)
| Framework | Mapping Values |
|---|---|
| CSA CCM 4.1.0 | BCR-03 |
| NIST CSF 2.0 (source) | RS.MA-05 RC.RP-01 |
US (3)
| Framework | Mapping Values |
|---|---|
| USA Federal C2M2 2.1 | RESPONSE-4h |
| USA Federal NERC CIP 2024 | CIP-009-6 1.1 |
| USA New York DFS 23 NYCRR500 2023 Amd 2 | 500.16(a)(2)(ii) |
EMEA (6)
| Framework | Mapping Values |
|---|---|
| EMEA CHE FINMA Circular 2023/1 | IV.E-86 IV.E-89 |
| EMEA Germany C5 2026 | BCM-01.02B.2 BCM-01.03B BCM-01.04B BCM-03.01B.4 |
| EMEA EU DORA RTS 2024 | Article 24.1(d) Article 26.1(a) Article 26.1(f) Article 39.2(e) |
| EMEA LUX CCSF 20/750 2020 | 3.7.3-83 |
| EMEA LUX CCSF 22/806 2022 | 113.d |
| EMEA UAE NIAF 2023 | 3.4.2 |
APAC (3)
| Framework | Mapping Values |
|---|---|
| APAC Australia Prudential Standard CPS230 2023 | 34(d) |
| APAC India SEBI CSCRF 2024 | RC.RP.S1 |
| APAC Malaysia RMiT 2025 | 8.6(b) 8.6(b)(i) 8.6(b)(ii) 8.6(b)(iii) 10.35 10.35(a) |
Americas (1)
| Framework | Mapping Values |
|---|---|
| Americas Canada OSFI B-13 2022 | 2.9.1 |
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
Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery (BCD) domain capabilities are ad hoc and inconsistent. Capability criteria associated with this control may include: ▪ Policies, standards & procedures associated with BCD domain capabilities provide limited coverage due to the depth and breadth of the existing documentation. ▪ Contingency management-related activities are decentralized (e.g., a localized/regionalized function) and uses non-standardized methods to implement secure, resilient and compliant practices. ▪ Limited technologies exist to support near real-time network infrastructure failover (e.g., redundant ISPs and redundant power). ▪ IT and/or cybersecurity personnel develop limited Disaster Recovery Plans (DRP) to recover business-critical Technology Assets, Applications and/or Services (TAAS) and services. ▪ Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and/or Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) are not formally planned for or resourced to meet.
Level 2 — Planned & Tracked
SCR-CMM Level 2 criteria definitions are not available for this control: ▪ A reasonable person would conclude a well-defined and standardized process is required. ▪ At this level of maturity, the “requirements-driven” nature of performing the control is focused on a localized and/or regionalized implementation, not uniform and consistent across the organization. ▪ Requirements are narrowly scoped for applicability and are primarily derived from compliance obligations (e.g., laws, regulations and contracts).
Level 3 — Well Defined
Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery (BCD) 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 BCD 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 BCD domain capabilities are well-documented and kept current by process owners. ▪ A Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery (BC/DR) team, or similar function, is appropriately staffed and supported to implement and maintain BCD domain capabilities. ▪ Technology is leveraged to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of BC/DR operations (e.g., BC/DR planning software, Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS), Orchestration and Automation Tools). ▪ 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 BCD 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 define specific criteria that must be met to initiate Business Continuity / Disaster Recover (BC/DR) plans that facilitate business continuity operations capable of meeting applicable Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs).
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
- BCD-05_A01 criteria that must be met to initiate Business Continuity / Disaster Recovery (BC/DR) plans that facilitate business continuity operations capable of meeting applicable Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) are defined.
Evidence Requirements
- E-BCD-14 Recovery Operations Criteria
-
Documented evidence of specific criteria to activate Business Continuity / Disaster Recovery (BC/DR) plans.
Business Continuity
Technology Recommendations
Micro/Small
- Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)
- Business Continuity Plan (BCP)
- Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)
- Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs)
- Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs)
Small
- Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)
- Business Continuity Plan (BCP)
- Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)
- Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs)
- Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs)
Medium
- Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)
- Business Continuity Plan (BCP)
- Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)
- Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs)
- Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs)
Large
- Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)
- Business Continuity Plan (BCP)
- Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)
- Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs)
- Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs)
Enterprise
- Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)
- Business Continuity Plan (BCP)
- Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)
- Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs)
- Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs)