MNT-05: Remote Maintenance

There is no evidence of a capability to authorize, monitor and control remote, non-local maintenance and diagnostic activities.

Maintenance (MNT) efforts are ad hoc and inconsistent. CMM Level 1 control maturity would reasonably expect all, or at least most, the following criteria to exist:

• IT personnel use an informal process to implement secure and timely technology asset-specific maintenance operations, including preventative and reactive maintenance operations.
• Facilities management uses an informal process to facilitate the secure and timely implementation of non-IT maintenance operations, including preventative and reactive maintenance operations.
• Maintenance operations are decentralized both in terms of change management and execution.

Maintenance (MNT) efforts are requirements-driven and governed at a local/regional level, but are not consistent across the organization. CMM Level 2 control maturity would reasonably expect all, or at least most, the following criteria to exist: o Identify cybersecurity and data protection controls to appropriately address applicable statutory, regulatory and contractual requirements for technology asset maintenance. o Develop and disseminate formal guidance to facilitate a localized/regionalized process to implement secure and timely technology asset-specific maintenance operations, including preventative and reactionary maintenance operations.

• Technology asset maintenance is decentralized (e.g., a localized/regionalized function) and uses non-standardized methods to implement secure, resilient and compliant practices.
• IT/cybersecurity personnel:
• Maintenance controls are primarily administrative in nature (e.g., policies & standards) to manage change control processes associated with maintenance operations.
• Asset custodians develop and maintain formalized procedures to conduct controlled and timely maintenance activities throughout the lifecycle of the system, application or service.
• Maintenance operations may be centralized for certain locations (e.g., datacenters) and decentralized for other locations, both in terms of change management and execution.
• Facilities management uses a localized/regionalized process to facilitate the secure and timely implementation of non-IT maintenance operations, including preventative and reactionary maintenance operations.
• Administrative processes and technologies exist to authorize, monitor and control non-local maintenance and diagnostic activities.
• Technologies are configured to use cryptographic mechanisms to protect the integrity and confidentiality of non-local maintenance and diagnostic communications.

Maintenance (MNT) 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:

• IT/cybersecurity personnel develop and disseminate formal practices to implement enterprise-wide capability to conduct secure and timely technology asset-specific maintenance operations, including preventative and reactionary maintenance operations.
• Technology asset-related maintenance operations are centralized in terms of change management and governance. Local/regional practices fall under the broader enterprise-wide technology asset maintenance program.
• Facilities management uses an enterprise-wide process to facilitate the secure and timely implementation of non-IT maintenance operations, including preventative and reactionary maintenance operations. Local/regional practices fall under the broader enterprise-wide facilities management program.
• A Change Control Board (CCB), or similar function, centrally manages the process of IT and non-IT maintenance operations to reduce the chance of business interruptions from maintenance operations.
• Administrative processes and technologies exist to authorize, monitor and control non-local maintenance and diagnostic activities.
• Technologies are configured to use cryptographic mechanisms to protect the integrity and confidentiality of non-local maintenance and diagnostic communications.

Maintenance (MNT) efforts are metrics driven and provide sufficient management insight (based on a quantitative understanding of process capabilities) to predict optimal performance, ensure continued operations and identify areas for improvement. In addition to CMM Level 3 criteria, CMM Level 4 control maturity would reasonably expect all, or at least most, the following criteria to exist:

• 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.
• Both business and technical stakeholders are involved in reviewing and approving proposed changes.

Maintenance (MNT) efforts are “world-class” capabilities that leverage predictive analysis (e.g., machine learning, AI, etc.). In addition to CMM Level 4 criteria, CMM Level 5 control maturity would reasonably expect all, or at least most, the following criteria to exist:

• Stakeholders make time-sensitive decisions to support operational efficiency, which may include automated remediation actions.
• Based on predictive analysis, process improvements are implemented according to “continuous improvement” practices that affect process changes.