CRY-01.4: Conceal / Randomize Communications
Cryptographic mechanisms exist to conceal or randomize communication patterns.
Control Question: Are cryptographic mechanisms utilized to conceal or randomize communication patterns?
General (3)
| Framework | Mapping Values |
|---|---|
| NIST 800-53 R4 | SC-8(4) |
| NIST 800-53 R5 (source) | SC-8(4) |
| NIST 800-53 R5 (NOC) (source) | SC-8(4) |
Capability Maturity Model
Level 0 — Not Performed
There is no evidence of a capability to Cryptographic conceal or randomize communication patterns.
Level 1 — Performed Informally
C|P-CMM1 is N/A, since a structured process is required to Cryptographic conceal or randomize communication patterns.
Level 2 — Planned & Tracked
C|P-CMM2 is N/A, since a well-defined process is required to Cryptographic conceal or randomize communication patterns.
Level 3 — Well Defined
Cryptographic Protections (CRY) efforts are standardized across the organization and centrally managed, where technically feasible, to ensure consistency. CMM Level 3 control maturity would reasonably expect all, or at least most, the following criteria to exist: o Implements Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) key management controls to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of keys. o Implements and maintains an internal PKI infrastructure or obtains PKI services from a reputable PKI service provider.
- The Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), or similar function with technical competence to address cybersecurity concerns, analyzes the organization's business strategy to determine prioritized and authoritative guidance for cryptographic protections.
- The CISO, or similar function, develops a security-focused Concept of Operations (CONOPS) that documents management, operational and technical measures for cryptographic protections.
- A Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) function, or similar function, provides governance oversight for the implementation of applicable statutory, regulatory and contractual cybersecurity and data protection controls to protect the confidentiality, integrity, availability and safety of the organization's applications, systems, services and data using cryptographic protections.
- A steering committee is formally established to provide executive oversight of the cybersecurity and data privacy program, including cryptographic protections.
- Data classification and handling criteria govern requirements to encrypt sensitive/regulated data during transmission and in storage.
- Centrally-managed technologies implement cryptographic mechanisms on endpoints to control how sensitive/regulated data is encrypted during transmission and in storage.
- Certificate management is centrally-managed and the use of certificates is monitored.
- Cryptographic keys are proactively managed to protect the Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability (CIA) of cryptographic capabilities.
- Systems, applications and services that store, process or transmit sensitive/regulated data use cryptographic mechanisms to prevent unauthorized disclosure of information as an alternate to physical safeguards.
- An IT infrastructure team, or similar function:
- IT/cybersecurity personnel perform an annual review of deployed cryptographic cipher suites and protocols to identify and replace weak cryptographic cipher suites and protocols.
Level 4 — Quantitatively Controlled
See C|P-CMM3. There are no defined C|P-CMM4 criteria, since it is reasonable to assume a quantitatively-controlled process is not necessary to Cryptographic conceal or randomize communication patterns.
Level 5 — Continuously Improving
See C|P-CMM4. There are no defined C|P-CMM5 criteria, since it is reasonable to assume a continuously-improving process is not necessary to Cryptographic conceal or randomize communication patterns.
Assessment Objectives
- CRY-01.4_A01 technical and procedural means to confuse and mislead adversaries are defined.
- CRY-01.4_A02 technical and procedural means are employed to confuse and mislead adversaries.