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CRY-03: Cryptographic Management

CRY 5 — Medium Protect

Mechanisms exist to govern assets involved in providing cryptographic protections according to the organization's configuration management processes.

Renumbered: Formerly CHG-02.5 in SCF 2025.4.

Code reused: In SCF 2025.4 and earlier, CRY-03 was Transmission Confidentiality. That control is now CRY-05.

Control Question: Does the organization govern assets involved in providing cryptographic protections according to its configuration management processes?

General (7)
Framework Mapping Values
GovRAMP CM-03(06)
GovRAMP High CM-03(06)
NIST 800-53 R4 CM-3(6)
NIST 800-53 R5.2 CM-03(06)
NIST 800-53B R5 (high) (source) CM-03(06)
NIST 800-82 R3 CM-03(06)
NIST 800-82 R3 HIGH OT Overlay CM-03(06)
US (1)
Framework Mapping Values
USA Federal FedRAMP R5 (high) CM-03(06)
APAC (1)
Framework Mapping Values
APAC Singapore CCOP CII 2026 5.17.2

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

Change Management (CHG) domain capabilities are ad hoc and inconsistent. Capability criteria associated with this control may include: ▪ Policies, standards & procedures associated with CHG domain capabilities provide limited coverage due to the depth and breadth of the existing documentation. ▪ Change management-related activities are decentralized (e.g., a localized/regionalized function) and uses non-standardized methods to implement secure, resilient and compliant practices.

Level 2 — Planned & Tracked

Change Management (CHG) 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 CHG domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with CHG 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 CHG domain capabilities to address applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). ▪ Change management-related controls are primarily administrative and preventative in nature (e.g., policies, standards and procedures & guidelines). ▪ Change management may be a defined function (e.g., team or department) or assigned as an additional duty to existing IT and/or cybersecurity personnel. ▪ Business stakeholders and process owners ensure changes to Technology Assets, Applications and/or Services (TAAS) within the System Development Lifecycle (SDLC) are controlled through formal change control procedures.

Level 3 — Well Defined

Cryptographic Protections (CRY) 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 CRY 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 CRY domain capabilities are well-documented and kept current by process owners. ▪ A security engineering team, or similar function, is appropriately staffed and supported to implement and maintain CRY domain capabilities. ▪ Technology is leveraged to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of cryptographic protections operations (e.g., PKI management tool). ▪ 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 CRY 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 govern assets involved in providing cryptographic protections according to the organization's configuration management processes.

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. CRY-03_A01 controls provided by cryptographic mechanisms that are to be under configuration management are defined.
  2. CRY-03_A02 cryptographic mechanisms used to provide organization-defined controls are under configuration management.

Evidence Requirements

E-CRY-01 Cryptographic Protections

Documented evidence of organization-approved cryptographic solutions and modules for both data at rest and in transit.

Cryptographic Protections

Technology Recommendations

Micro/Small

  • Track certificates, keys and encryption settings in the asset inventory

Small

  • Cryptographic assets (certificates, keys, HSM/KMS) recorded in asset inventory and change control

Medium

  • Cryptographic governance program
  • Cryptographic assets managed as configuration items in the CMDB
  • Changes to cryptographic configuration via change management

Large

  • Cryptographic governance program
  • Key management and PKI infrastructure under configuration management
  • Certificate lifecycle management (e.g., Venafi, Keyfactor)

Enterprise

  • Enterprise cryptographic governance with cryptographic assets under formal configuration management
  • Certificate and key lifecycle platforms (e.g., Venafi, Keyfactor, CyberArk)
  • Change control integration

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