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HRS-06: Terms of Employment

HRS 10 — Critical Identify

Mechanisms exist to require all employees and contractors to apply cybersecurity and data protection principles in their daily work to enable secure, compliant and resilient capabilities.

Renumbered: Formerly HRS-05 in SCF 2025.4.

Code reused: In SCF 2025.4 and earlier, HRS-06 was Access Agreements. That control is now HRS-07.

Control Question: Does the organization require all employees and contractors to apply cybersecurity and data protection principles in their daily work to enable secure, compliant and resilient capabilities?

General (42)
Framework Mapping Values
AICPA TSC 2017:2022 (used for SOC 2) (source) CC1.1
COSO 2013 1.0
CSA CCM 4.1.0 HRS-02 HRS-07 HRS-08 HRS-13
GovRAMP PL-04
GovRAMP Low PL-04
GovRAMP Low+ PL-04
GovRAMP Moderate PL-04
GovRAMP High PL-04
ISO 27001 2022 (source) 7.3 7.3(a) 7.3(b) 7.3(c)
ISO 27002 2022 5.4 5.14 6.2
ISO 27017 2015 5.1 7.1.2 7.2.1 13.2.1
ISO 27018 2025 5.4 5.14 6.2
ISO 42001 2023 7.3
MPA Content Security Program 5.3.1 OR-3.0 OR-3.1
NIST 800-53 R4 PL-4
NIST 800-53 R5.2 PL-04
NIST 800-53B R5 (low) (source) PL-04
NIST 800-53B R5 (moderate) (source) PL-04
NIST 800-53B R5 (high) (source) PL-04
NIST 800-53B R5 (privacy) (source) PL-04
NIST SP 800-66 R2 164.310(b)
NIST 800-82 R3 PL-04
NIST 800-82 R3 LOW OT Overlay PL-04
NIST 800-82 R3 MODERATE OT Overlay PL-04
NIST 800-82 R3 HIGH OT Overlay PL-04
NIST 800-161 R1 PL-4
NIST 800-161 R1 C-SCRM Baseline PL-4
NIST 800-161 R1 Level 2 PL-4
NIST 800-161 R1 Level 3 PL-4
NIST 800-171 R2 (source) 3.1.22 NFO - PL-4
NIST 800-171 R3 (source) 03.01.01.h 03.01.22.a 03.15.03.a 03.15.03.b
NIST 800-171A R3 (source) A.03.01.01.h A.03.01.22.a A.03.15.03.a A.03.15.03.b
NIST CSF 2.0 (source) ID.AM
PCI DSS 4.0.1 (source) 12.1.3 12.2 12.2.1
PCI DSS 4.0.1 SAQ A-EP (source) 12.1.3
PCI DSS 4.0.1 SAQ B (source) 12.1.3
PCI DSS 4.0.1 SAQ B-IP (source) 12.1.3
PCI DSS 4.0.1 SAQ C (source) 12.1.3 12.2.1
PCI DSS 4.0.1 SAQ D Merchant (source) 12.1.3 12.2.1
PCI DSS 4.0.1 SAQ D Service Provider (source) 12.1.3 12.2.1
PCI DSS 4.0.1 SAQ P2PE (source) 12.1.3
TISAX ISA 6.0.3 2.1.2 9.7.1
US (20)
EMEA (13)
Framework Mapping Values
EMEA Switzerland FADP 2025 5.30.1 5.30.2 5.30.2.a 5.30.2.b 5.30.2.c 5.30.3
EMEA Germany C5 2026 HR-02.01B HR-02.02B SIM-05.01B
EMEA Germany FDPA 2017 3.2.48(2)8
EMEA Spain CCN-STIC 825 mp.s.1
EMEA Spain Royal Decree 311 2022 Article 12(6)(d) Article 13(1)
EMEA EU DORA RTS 2024 Article 19.1(b)
EMEA EU NIS2 Annex 2024 1.2.2 10.3.2
EMEA UK DEFSTAN 05-138 2024 2604
EMEA UK DEFSTAN 05-138 - L1 2024 2604
EMEA UK DEFSTAN 05-138 - L2 2024 2604
EMEA UK DEFSTAN 05-138 - L3 2024 2604
EMEA Saudi Arabia ECC-1 2018 1-9-1 1-9-3-1
EMEA Saudi Arabia SACS-002 2022 VII.A.TPC-1
APAC (3)
Framework Mapping Values
APAC Australia ISM June 2026 ISM-0258 ISM-0824 ISM-1146 ISM-1865
APAC Japan ISMAP 7.1.2 7.1.2.1 7.1.2.2 7.1.2.3 7.1.2.4 7.1.2.5 7.1.2.6 7.1.2.8 7.1.2.9 7.2.1 7.2.1.5 9.2.4.2
APAC New Zealand NZISM 3.9 3.5.4.C.01 3.5.4.C.02 3.5.4.C.03 5.5.7.C.01 8.1.12.C.01 9.3.7.C.01 9.3.7.C.02 9.3.7.C.03 9.3.7.C.04 9.3.8.C.01 9.3.8.C.02 9.3.8.C.03 21.1.6.C.02 21.2.3.C.01
Americas (2)
Framework Mapping Values
Americas Bahamas DPA 2003 II.4(2)
Americas Canada ITSP-10-171 2025 03.01.01.H 03.01.22.A 03.15.03.A 03.15.03.B

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

Human Resources Security (HRS) domain capabilities are ad hoc and inconsistent. Capability criteria associated with this control may include: ▪ Policies, standards & procedures associated with HRS domain capabilities provide limited coverage due to the depth and breadth of the existing documentation. ▪ Personnel management-related activities are decentralized (e.g., a localized/regionalized function) and uses non-standardized methods to implement secure, resilient and compliant practices. ▪ The Human Resources (HR) department provides guidance on secure HR practices for hiring, retaining and terminating employees, contractors and other personnel that work on behalf of the organization.

Level 2 — Planned & Tracked

Human Resources Security (HRS) 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 HRS domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with HRS 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 HRS domain capabilities to address applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). ▪ Personnel management-related controls are primarily administrative and preventative in nature (e.g., policies, standards and procedures & guidelines). ▪ Personnel management is decentralized at a localized/regionalized function, where there are non-standardized methods to govern personnel matters across the organization. ▪ Localized HR practices are implemented for hiring, managing, training, investigating and terminating employees, contractors and other personnel that work on behalf of the organization. ▪ HR defines terms of employment, including acceptable and unacceptable rules of behavior for the use of technologies, including consequences for unacceptable behavior. ▪ HR maintains formal Terms of Employment (ToE) and/or Rules of Behavior (RoB) that stipulates acceptable and unacceptable employee activities.

Level 3 — Well Defined

Human Resources Security (HRS) 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 HRS 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 HRS domain capabilities are well-documented and kept current by process owners. ▪ A Human Resources (HR) team, or similar function, is appropriately staffed and supported to implement and maintain HRS domain capabilities. ▪ Technology is leveraged to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of human resources security operations (e.g., personnel management software solution). ▪ 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 HRS 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 require all employees and contractors to apply cybersecurity and data protection principles in their daily work to enable secure, compliant and resilient capabilities.

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. HRS-06_A01 through terms of employment, all employees and contractors are required to apply cybersecurity / data privacy principles in their daily work.
  2. HRS-06_A02 rules are provided to individuals who require access to the system.

Evidence Requirements

E-HRS-16 Access Agreements

Documented evidence of personnel management practices protecting sensitive/regulated data through formal access agreements.

Human Resources
E-HRS-22 Rules of Behavior

Documented evidence of personnel management practices to define "acceptable use" or "rules of behavior" criteria that specify acceptable and unacceptable user behaviors.

Human Resources

Technology Recommendations

Micro/Small

  • Formal onboarding training
  • Acceptable Use / Rules of Behavior (RoB)

Small

  • Formal onboarding training
  • Acceptable Use / Rules of Behavior (RoB)

Medium

  • Formal onboarding training
  • Acceptable Use / Rules of Behavior (RoB)

Large

  • Formal onboarding training
  • Acceptable Use / Rules of Behavior (RoB)

Enterprise

  • Formal onboarding training
  • Acceptable Use / Rules of Behavior (RoB)

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