Skip to main content

CPL-20: Government Surveillance

CPL 10 — Critical Protect

Mechanisms exist to constrain the host government from having unrestricted and unmonitored access to the organization's Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD) that could potentially violate other applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual obligations.

Renumbered: Formerly CPL-06 in SCF 2025.4.

Control Question: Does the organization constrain the host government from having unrestricted and non-monitored access to its Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD) that could potentially violate other applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual obligations?

EMEA (1)
Framework Mapping Values
EMEA Germany C5 2026 INQ-01.01B INQ-01.02B INQ-02.01B INQ-03.01B INQ-03.01AC INQ-04.01B INQ-04.02B INQ-04.02B.1 INQ-04.02B.2 INQ-04.02B.5
APAC (3)
Framework Mapping Values
APAC China Cybersecurity Law 2017 Article 28 Article 29
APAC China Data Security Law 2021 Article 27 Article 31
APAC China Privacy Law 2021 Article 38

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

Compliance (CPL) domain capabilities are ad hoc and inconsistent. Capability criteria associated with this control may include: ▪ Policies, standards & procedures associated with CPL domain capabilities provide limited coverage due to the depth and breadth of the existing documentation. ▪ Compliance management-related activities are decentralized (e.g., a localized/regionalized function) and uses non-standardized methods to implement secure, resilient and compliant practices. ▪ Compliance efforts are narrowly-limited to certain compliance requirements. ▪ IT and/or cybersecurity personnel use an informal process to govern statutory, regulatory and contractual compliance obligations.

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

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 constrain the host government from having unrestricted and non-monitored access to the organization's TAASD that could potentially violate other applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual obligations.

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-20_A01 a formal process exists to intake and document access requests from host governments for unrestricted and unmonitored access to the organization's Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD) that could potentially violate other applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual obligations.
  2. CPL-20_A02 executive leadership, along with legal counsel, formally identifies risks associated with non-compliance, including at a minimum: fines and operational impacts.
  3. CPL-20_A03 executive leadership, along with legal counsel, formally identifies primary risks associated with compliance, including at a minimum: loss of confidentiality and/or integrity of the organization's data.
  4. CPL-20_A04 executive leadership, along with legal counsel, formally identifies secondary risks associated with compliance, including at a minimum: non-compliance with other laws, regulations and contractual agreements.
  5. CPL-20_A05 executive leadership, along with legal counsel, formally identifies tertiary risks associated with compliance, including at a minimum: human rights abuses, theft of intellectual property and espionage.
  6. CPL-20_A06 executive leadership, along with legal counsel, formally adopts an action plan to respond to host government requests for unrestricted and unmonitored access to the organization's Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD) that could potentially violate other applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual obligations.

Technology Recommendations

Micro/Small

  • Legal review
  • Least functionality enforcement
  • Legal privilege enforcement

Small

  • Legal review
  • Least functionality enforcement
  • Legal privilege enforcement

Medium

  • Legal review
  • Least functionality enforcement
  • Legal privilege enforcement
  • Board of Directors (BoD) review

Large

  • Legal review
  • Least functionality enforcement
  • Legal privilege enforcement
  • Board of Directors (BoD) review

Enterprise

  • Legal review
  • Least functionality enforcement
  • Legal privilege enforcement
  • Board of Directors (BoD) review

The Secure Controls Framework (SCF) is maintained by SCF Council. Use of SCF content is subject to the SCF Terms & Conditions.

Manage this control in SCF Connect

Track implementation status, collect evidence, and map controls to your compliance frameworks automatically.