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GOV-17: Quality Management System (QMS)

GOV 4 — Medium Govern

Mechanisms exist to govern a Quality Management System (QMS) to ensure security, compliance and resilience processes conform with applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual obligations.

Renumbered: Formerly GOV-18 in SCF 2025.4.

Code reused: In SCF 2025.4 and earlier, GOV-17 was Cybersecurity & Data Protection Status Reporting. That control is now CPL-27.

Control Question: Does the organization govern a Quality Management System (QMS) to ensure security, compliance and resilience processes conform with applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual obligations?

General (2)
Framework Mapping Values
COBIT 2019 APO11.01 APO14.04 BAI01.07
ISO/SAE 21434 2021 RQ-05-11 RQ-05-11(a) RQ-05-11(b) RQ-05-11(c) RQ-05-11(d)
EMEA (1)
Framework Mapping Values
EMEA EU AI Act Article 16(c) Article 17.1
APAC (1)
Framework Mapping Values
APAC Singapore MAS TRM 2021 5.8.1 5.8.2

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

Cybersecurity & Data Protection Governance (GOV) domain capabilities are ad hoc and inconsistent. Capability criteria associated with this control may include: ▪ Policies, standards & procedures associated with GOV domain capabilities provide limited coverage due to the depth and breadth of the existing documentation. ▪ Governance-related activities are decentralized (e.g., a localized/regionalized function) and uses non-standardized methods to implement secure, resilient and compliant practices. ▪ No formal Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team exists. GRC roles are assigned to existing IT/cybersecurity personnel. ▪ Cybersecurity and data protection governance is informally assigned as an additional duty to existing IT/cybersecurity personnel. ▪ Unstructured review of the cybersecurity and/or data privacy program is performed on an annual basis. ▪ Administrative processes require all employees and contractors to apply cybersecurity and data protection principles in their daily work (e.g., policies & standards).

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

Cybersecurity & Data Protection Governance (GOV) 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 GOV 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 GOV domain capabilities are well-documented and kept current by process owners. ▪ The entity's Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team, or similar function, is appropriately staffed and supported to implement and maintain GOV 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). ▪ Technology is leveraged to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of governance, risk management and compliance operations (e.g., GRC platform). ▪ An implemented and operational capability exists to govern a Quality Management System (QMS) to ensure security, compliance and resilience processes conform with applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual obligations.

Level 4 — Quantitatively Controlled

Cybersecurity & Data Protection Governance (GOV) 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

  1. GOV-17_A01 an implemented Quality Management System (QMS) governs the conformity of security, compliance and resilience processes with applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual obligations.

Technology Recommendations

Micro/Small

  • Document basic quality checkpoints for security processes

Small

  • Written quality standards for key security processes

Medium

  • Formal QMS procedures for security processes
  • Internal quality reviews

Large

  • ISO 9001-aligned QMS for security operations
  • Formal QA function
  • Periodic internal audits

Enterprise

  • ISO 9001 certified QMS
  • Dedicated quality assurance team
  • Continuous process improvement program
  • Integrated QMS platform

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