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IAO-12.1: Deficiency Tracking Automation

IAO 2 — Low Detect

Automated mechanisms exist to help ensure tracked deficiencies are: (1) Accurate; (2) Up-to-date; and (3) Readily-available.

Renumbered: Formerly IAO-05.1 in SCF 2025.4.

Control Question: Does the organization use automated mechanisms to help ensure tracked deficiencies are: (1) Accurate; (2) Up-to-date; and (3) Readily-available?

General (3)
Framework Mapping Values
NIST 800-53 R4 CA-5(1)
NIST 800-53 R5.2 CA-05(01)
NIST 800-82 R3 CA-05(01)
US (1)
Framework Mapping Values
USA Federal CMS MARS-E 2.0 CA-5(1)

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

Information Assurance (IAO) domain capabilities are ad hoc and inconsistent. Capability criteria associated with this control may include: ▪ Policies, standards & procedures associated with IAO domain capabilities provide limited coverage due to the depth and breadth of the existing documentation. ▪ Pre-production security testing-related activities are decentralized (e.g., a localized/regionalized function) and uses non-standardized methods to implement secure, resilient and compliant practices. ▪ IT and/or cybersecurity personnel implement and maintain an informal process to conduct limited control testing of High Value Assets (HVAs) to meet specific statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements for pre-production cybersecurity and data protection control testing.

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

Information Assurance (IAO) 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 IAO 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 IAO domain capabilities are well-documented and kept current by process owners. ▪ An information assurance team, or similar function, is appropriately staffed and supported to implement and maintain IAO domain capabilities. ▪ Technology is leveraged to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of information assurance operations (e.g., assessment scheduling software and risk assessment software). ▪ 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 IAO 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 automate deficiency tracking to ensure records are: (1) Accurate; (2) Up-to-date; and (3) Readily-available.

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. IAO-12.1_A01 automated mechanisms used to ensure the accuracy, currency, and availability of the plan of action for the system are defined.
  2. IAO-12.1_A02 organization-defined automated mechanisms are used to ensure the accuracy, currency, and availability of the plan of action for the system.

Technology Recommendations

Micro/Small

  • Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) spreadsheet kept current

Small

  • POA&M tracked in ticketing/spreadsheet with owners and dates

Medium

  • GRC solution (e.g., SCFConnect, Cyturus, SureCloud, SimpleRisk, Ignyte, ZenGRC, Galvanize, MetricStream, Archer, etc.) for POA&M tracking
  • Automated reminders and status updates

Large

  • GRC platform with automated deficiency tracking and integration with vulnerability/ticketing systems
  • Real-time POA&M dashboards

Enterprise

  • Enterprise GRC platform with automated POA&M lifecycle management, integrations and executive dashboards (e.g., Archer, MetricStream, ServiceNow IRM, Cyturus)

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