CPL-29: Control Assurance Automation (CAA) Oversight
Mechanisms exist to bring Control Assurance Automation (CAA) engineering pipelines, tooling and automated collection under the same governance and risk oversight applied to other technology functions.
Control Question: Does the organization bring Control Assurance Automation (CAA) engineering pipelines, tooling and automated collection under the same governance and risk oversight applied to other technology functions?
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. ▪ IT and/or cybersecurity personnel perform internal assessments of cybersecurity and data protection controls to determine compliance status. ▪ IT and/or cybersecurity personnel use an informal process to notify stakeholders about audit activities to minimize the impact of audit/assessment activities on business operations.
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.
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).
Level 4 — Quantitatively Controlled
Compliance (CPL) 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
- CPL-29_A01 Control Assurance Automation (CAA) engineering pipelines, tooling and automated collection are identified and documented as technology functions within the scope of the organization's governance.
- CPL-29_A02 Control Assurance Automation (CAA) engineering pipelines, tooling and automated collection are included in the organization's risk assessment and risk register activities in the same manner as other technology functions.
- CPL-29_A03 Control Assurance Automation (CAA) engineering pipelines, tooling and automated collection are subject to the same governance requirements applied to other technology functions, including ownership, access management, change management and monitoring.
- CPL-29_A04 responsibility and authority for the governance and risk oversight of Control Assurance Automation (CAA) are assigned to designated personnel.
- CPL-29_A05 governance and risk oversight of Control Assurance Automation (CAA) is reviewed at a defined frequency.
Evidence Requirements
- E-CPL-11 Control Assurance Automation (CAA) Governance
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Documented evidence that Control Assurance Automation (CAA) pipelines, tooling and automated evidence collection are governed under the organization's technology governance and risk oversight.
Compliance
Technology Recommendations
Micro/Small
- Manual evidence collection; formal CAA tooling typically not in use at this size
- Documented ownership for any compliance scripts or integrations
Small
- Inventory of compliance automation scripts and integrations with assigned owners
- Compliance automation included in change control
Medium
- CAA tooling registered in the asset inventory/CMDB
- GRC solution (e.g., SCFConnect, Cyturus, SureCloud, SimpleRisk, Ignyte, ZenGRC, Galvanize, MetricStream, Archer, etc.) with automated evidence collection
- Annual review of CAA collection logic
Large
- Governed CAA program with designated owner
- Compliance automation platform (e.g., Vanta, Drata, Secureframe, Hyperproof)
- CAA included in risk assessments and vulnerability management
Enterprise
- Enterprise CAA / Compliance as Code program under GRC governance
- Continuous controls monitoring platform (e.g., Hyperproof, MetricStream, ServiceNow IRM, Cyturus)
- CAA pipelines subject to architecture review, SoD and continuous monitoring