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BCD-22: Failover Capability

BCD 8 — High Recover

Mechanisms exist to implement real-time or near-real-time failover capability to maintain availability of critical Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD).

Renumbered: Formerly BCD-12.2 in SCF 2025.4.

Control Question: Does the organization implement real-time or near-real-time failover capability to maintain availability of critical Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD)?

General (9)
Framework Mapping Values
AICPA TSC 2017:2022 (used for SOC 2) (source) A1.2
CSA CCM 4.1.0 BCR-03 BCR-11
CSA IoT SCF 2 OPA-03 OPA-06
IEC 62443-4-2 2019 CR 2.10(b) CR 7.1
NIST 800-53 R4 CP-10(5)
NIST 800-53 R5.2 SI-13
NIST 800-82 R3 SI-13
NIST 800-82 R3 HIGH OT Overlay SI-13
NIST Privacy Framework 1.0 PR.PT-P4
EMEA (4)
Framework Mapping Values
EMEA EU DORA 2023 Article 12.4
EMEA EU DORA RTS 2024 Article 24.2(c)(i)
EMEA UK DEFSTAN 05-138 2024 4202
EMEA UK DEFSTAN 05-138 - L3 2024 4202
APAC (2)
Framework Mapping Values
APAC India RBI Digital Payments 2021 4.e 70.b
APAC Malaysia RMiT 2025 10.31(c)

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). ▪ Backups are performed ad-hoc and focus on business-critical Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). ▪ IT and/or cybersecurity personnel use a backup methodology (e.g., grandfather and father & son rotation) to create backups to support business needs (e.g., Recovery Time Objectives).

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.

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 implement real-time or near-real-time failover capability to maintain availability of critical TAASD.

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. BCD-22_A01 system components for which Mean Time to Failure (MTTF) should be determined are defined.
  2. BCD-22_A02 Mean Time to Failure (MTTF) is determined for system components in specific environments of operation.
  3. BCD-22_A03 Mean Time to Failure (MTTF) substitution criteria to be used as a means to exchange active and standby components are defined.
  4. BCD-22_A04 substitute system components and a means to exchange active and standby components are provided in accordance with Mean Time to Failure (MTTF) substitution criteria.

Evidence Requirements

E-BCD-19 Isolated Recovery Environment & Reserve Hardware

Documented evidence of an isolated recovery environment, reserve hardware, redundant secondary systems and/or failover capability.

Business Continuity

Technology Recommendations

Micro/Small

  • Load balancers
  • High Availability (HA) network appliances (e.g., firewalls, routers, switches, etc.)

Small

  • Load balancers
  • High Availability (HA) network appliances (e.g., firewalls, routers, switches, etc.)

Medium

  • Load balancers
  • High Availability (HA) network appliances (e.g., firewalls, routers, switches, etc.)

Large

  • Load balancers
  • High Availability (HA) network appliances (e.g., firewalls, routers, switches, etc.)

Enterprise

  • Load balancers
  • High Availability (HA) network appliances (e.g., firewalls, routers, switches, etc.)

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