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CPL-19: Legal Assessment of Investigative Inquires

CPL 2 — Low Respond

Mechanisms exist to determine whether a government agency has an applicable and valid legal basis to request data from the organization and what further steps need to be taken, if necessary.

Renumbered: Formerly CPL-05 in SCF 2025.4.

Control Question: Does the organization determine whether a government agency has an applicable and valid legal basis to request data from the organization and what further steps need to be taken, if necessary?

General (1)
Framework Mapping Values
CSA CCM 4.1.0 DSP-18
US (2)
Framework Mapping Values
USA New York DFS 23 NYCRR500 2023 Amd 2 500.2(e) 500.17(a)(2)
USA Tennessee TIPA 2025 47-18-3206(c)
EMEA (1)
Framework Mapping Values
EMEA EU AI Act Article 21.1 Article 22.3(c) Article 22.3(d) Article 24.5 Article 24.6 Article 91.4 Article 91.5 Article 92.4 Article 92.5
APAC (3)
Framework Mapping Values
APAC China Cybersecurity Law 2017 Article 72
APAC Malaysia RMiT 2025 A10-A5(c)
APAC Singapore PDPA 2012 3.12(d) 3.12(d)(i) 3.12(d)(ii)
Americas (1)
Framework Mapping Values
Americas Canada PIPEDA 2000 P1-4.1.2

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

Compliance (CPL) 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 CPL domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with CPL 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 CPL domain capabilities to address applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). ▪ Compliance management controls-related controls are primarily administrative and preventative in nature (e.g., policies, standards and procedures & guidelines). ▪ Compliance management may be a defined function (e.g., team or department) or assigned as an additional duty to existing IT and/or cybersecurity personnel. ▪ External compliance requirements for cybersecurity and data privacy are identified and documented, based on applicable laws, regulations and contractual obligations. ▪ IT and/or cybersecurity personnel work with the organization's legal counsel for guidance on how to respond to legal orders (e.g., court orders and investigations).

Level 3 — Well Defined

Compliance (CPL) 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 CPL 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 CPL domain capabilities are well-documented and kept current by process owners. ▪ A Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team, or similar function, is appropriately staffed and supported to implement and maintain CPL domain capabilities. ▪ Technology is leveraged to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of governance, risk management and compliance operations (e.g., GRC platform). ▪ 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 CPL 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 determine whether a government agency has an applicable and valid legal basis to request data from the organization and what further steps need to be taken, if necessary.

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. CPL-19_A01 a formal process exists to receive and document government agency data requests and to determine whether the agency has an applicable and valid legal basis for the request.
  2. CPL-19_A02 based on an applicable and valid legal basis for a data request by a government agency, data request fulfillment actions are formally assigned to an individual or group with explicitly-specified criteria that limit disclosure to the data the legal basis requires.

Evidence Requirements

E-GOV-22 Contacts With Authorities

Documented evidence of established points of contact with regulatory authorities and law enforcement (e.g., contact roster, notification procedures).

Security, Compliance & Resilience Governance

Technology Recommendations

Micro/Small

  • Legal review

Small

  • Legal review

Medium

  • Legal review

Large

  • Legal review

Enterprise

  • Legal review

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