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GOV-16: Materiality Determination

GOV 7 — High Govern

Mechanisms exist to define materiality threshold criteria capable of designating an incident as material.

Control Question: Does the organization define materiality threshold criteria capable of designating an incident as material?

General (7)
Framework Mapping Values
AICPA TSC 2017:2022 (used for SOC 2) (source) CC3.1-POF6
NAIC Insurance Data Security Model Law (MDL-668) 4.E(2)(b)
NIST CSF 2.0 (source) DE.AE-04
SCF CORE Mergers, Acquisitions & Divestitures (MA&D) GOV-16
SCF CORE ESP Level 1 Foundational GOV-16
SCF CORE ESP Level 2 Critical Infrastructure GOV-16
SCF CORE ESP Level 3 Advanced Threats GOV-16
US (3)
Framework Mapping Values
US SEC Cybersecurity Rule 17 CFR 229.105(a) 17 CFR 229.105(b) 17 CFR 229.106(a) 17 CFR 229.106(b)(2) 17 CFR 229.106(c)(2) Form 8-K Item 1.05(a)
US - NV NOGE Reg 5 5.260.4
US - NY DFS 23 NYCRR500 2023 Amd 2 500.4(b) 500.4(b)(3) 500.4(b)(5) 500.9(b)(1) 500.9(b)(2)

Capability Maturity Model

Level 0 — Not Performed

There is no evidence of a capability to define materiality threshold criteria capable of designating an incident as material.

Level 1 — Performed Informally

C|P-CMM1 is N/A, since a structured process is required to define materiality threshold criteria capable of designating an incident as material.

Level 2 — Planned & Tracked

C|P-CMM2 is N/A, since a well-defined process is required to define materiality threshold criteria capable of designating an incident as material.

Level 3 — Well Defined

Cybersecurity & Privacy Governance (GOV) 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:

  • Statutory, regulatory and contractual compliance requirements for cybersecurity and data privacy are identified and documented. Recurring testing is utilized to assess adherence to internal standards and/or external compliance requirements.
  • A Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) function, or similar function, provides scoping guidance to determine control applicability.
  • Internal policies and standards address all statutory, regulatory and contractual obligations for cybersecurity and data privacy.
  • Controls are standardized across the organization to ensure uniformity and consistent execution.
  • Corporate governance (executive oversight) exists for the cybersecurity and data privacy, which includes regular briefings to ensure executives have sufficient situational awareness to properly govern the organization.
  • Procedures are established for sensitive/regulated compliance obligations that are standardized across the organization.
  • Defined roles & responsibilities require data/process owners to define, implement and maintain cybersecurity and data protection controls for each system, application and/ or service of which they have accountability.
  • The organization designates one or more qualified individuals to govern the cybersecurity and data privacy programs (e.g., Chief Information Security Officer or Chief Privacy Officer).
  • Risk management processes are defined, to include materiality considerations.
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 define materiality threshold criteria capable of designating an incident as material.

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 define materiality threshold criteria capable of designating an incident as material.

Assessment Objectives

  1. GOV-16_A01 organization-specific criteria to define a materiality threshold capable of designating an incident as material is documented.

Evidence Requirements

E-GOV-14 Materiality Threshold Definition

Documented evidence of criteria to define the organization's materiality threshold.

Cybersecurity & Data Protection Management

Technology Recommendations

Micro/Small

  • SCF Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Risk Management Model (C|P-RMM) (https://securecontrolsframework.com/risk-management-model)

Small

  • SCF Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Risk Management Model (C|P-RMM) (https://securecontrolsframework.com/risk-management-model)

Medium

  • SCF Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Risk Management Model (C|P-RMM) (https://securecontrolsframework.com/risk-management-model)

Large

  • SCF Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Risk Management Model (C|P-RMM) (https://securecontrolsframework.com/risk-management-model)

Enterprise

  • SCF Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Risk Management Model (C|P-RMM) (https://securecontrolsframework.com/risk-management-model)

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