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BCD-08.1: Continue Essential Mission & Business Functions

BCD 8 — High Recover

Mechanisms exist to continue essential missions and business functions with little or no loss of operational continuity and sustain that continuity until full system restoration of primary processing and/or storage sites is performed.

Renumbered: Formerly BCD-02.2 in SCF 2025.4.

Code reused: In SCF 2025.4 and earlier, BCD-08.1 was Separation from Primary Site. That control is now BCD-12.1.

Control Question: Does the organization continue essential missions and business functions with little or no loss of operational continuity and sustain that continuity until full system restoration at primary processing and/or storage sites?

General (15)
Framework Mapping Values
AICPA TSC 2017:2022 (used for SOC 2) (source) CC7.5 CC7.5-POF1
CR CMM 2026 CR10.1.1
CSA CCM 4.1.0 BCR-03
CSA IoT SCF 2 OPA-05
GovRAMP CP-02(05)
GovRAMP High CP-02(05)
MPA Content Security Program 5.3.1 OR-1.2
NIST 800-53 R4 CP-2(5)
NIST 800-53 R5.2 CP-02(05) CP-02(06)
NIST 800-53B R5 (high) (source) CP-02(05)
NIST SP 800-66 R2 164.308(a)(7)
NIST 800-82 R3 CP-02(05) CP-02(06)
NIST 800-82 R3 HIGH OT Overlay CP-02(05)
NIST 800-160 Vol2 R1 CP-02(05)
Shared Assessments SIG 2025 K.4
US (5)
EMEA (7)
Framework Mapping Values
EMEA CHE FINMA Circular 2023/1 V-102 V-109 VI-112
EMEA Germany C5 2026 BCM-03.01B.5
EMEA EU DORA 2023 Article 16.1(f)
EMEA EU DORA RTS 2024 Article 24.2(c)(i) Article 39.2(e) Article 39.2(f) Article 40.2
EMEA LUX CCSF 20/750 2020 3.7.3-84.a
EMEA LUX CCSF 22/806 2022 38.f.ii 111.c 112.b
EMEA Saudi Arabia OTCC-1 2022 3-1-1-5
APAC (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

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.

Level 2 — Planned & Tracked

Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery (BCD) 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 BCD domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with BCD 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 BCD domain capabilities to address applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). ▪ Business Continuity / Disaster Recovery (BC/DR)-related controls are primarily administrative and preventative in nature (e.g., policies, standards and procedures & guidelines). ▪ BC/DR may be a defined function (e.g., team or department) or assigned as an additional duty to existing IT and/or cybersecurity personnel. ▪ Business stakeholders and process owners identify business-critical TAASD and External Service Providers (ESPs). ▪ IT and/or cybersecurity personnel work with business stakeholders and process owners to identify single points of failure from a TAASD perspective. ▪ Production TAASD support business-critical application and services failover. ▪ IT and/or cybersecurity personnel work with business stakeholders and process owners to develop BC/DR plans to recover business-critical TAASD. ▪ Business stakeholders and process owners define Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) for business-critical TAASD. ▪ Business stakeholders and process owners define Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) for business-critical TAASD.

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 continue essential missions and business functions with little or no loss of operational continuity and sustain that continuity until full system restoration at primary processing and/or storage sites.

Level 4 — Quantitatively Controlled

Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery (BCD) capabilities, in addition to being standardized across the entity and centrally managed to ensure consistency across Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD), efforts are metrics driven to provide sufficient insight for decision makers to predict optimal performance, ensure continued operations and/or identify areas for improvement. Capability criteria associated with this control reasonably expect the following criteria to exist: ▪ Applicable SCR-CMM Level 3 (Well Defined) capabilities are implemented and operational. ▪ Metrics reporting includes quantitative analysis of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). ▪ Metrics reporting includes quantitative analysis of Key Risk Indicators (KRIs). ▪ Scope of metrics, KPIs and KRIs covers organization-wide cybersecurity and data protection controls, including functions performed by third-parties. ▪ Organizational leadership maintains a formal process to objectively review and respond to metrics, KPIs and KRIs (e.g., monthly or quarterly review). ▪ Based on metrics analysis, process improvement recommendations are submitted for review and are handled in accordance with change control processes. ▪ Business and technical stakeholders are involved in reviewing and approving proposed changes to evolve capabilities.

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. BCD-08.1_A01 the continuance of organization-defined criteria mission and business functions with minimal or no loss of operational continuity is planned for.
  2. BCD-08.1_A02 continuity is sustained until full system restoration of primary processing and/or storage sites is performed.

Technology Recommendations

Micro/Small

  • Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)
  • Business Continuity Plan (BCP)
  • Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)

Small

  • Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)
  • Business Continuity Plan (BCP)
  • Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)

Medium

  • Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)
  • Business Continuity Plan (BCP)
  • Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)

Large

  • Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)
  • Business Continuity Plan (BCP)
  • Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)

Enterprise

  • Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)
  • Business Continuity Plan (BCP)
  • Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)

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