MON-17: Monitoring for Indicators of Compromise (IOC)
Automated mechanisms exist to identify and alert on Indicators of Compromise (IoC).
Renumbered: Formerly MON-11.3 in SCF 2025.4.
Code reused: In SCF 2025.4 and earlier, MON-17 was Event Log Analysis & Triage. That control is now MON-05.2.
Control Question: Does the organization use automated mechanisms to identify and alert on Indicators of Compromise (IoC)?
General (18)
| Framework | Mapping Values |
|---|---|
| CSA CCM 4.1.0 | LOG-14 |
| CSA IoT SCF 2 | IAM-08 MON-01 MON-09 MON-11 |
| GovRAMP | SI-04(24) |
| GovRAMP High | SI-04(24) |
| ISO 27002 2022 | 5.7 |
| ISO 27018 2025 | 5.7 |
| NIST 800-53 R4 | SI-4(24) |
| NIST 800-53 R5.2 | SI-04(24) |
| NIST 800-82 R3 | SI-04(24) |
| NIST 800-160 Vol2 R1 | SI-04(24) |
| NIST 800-171 R2 (source) | 3.14.7 |
| NIST 800-171 R3 (source) | 03.14.06.a.01 03.14.06.a.02 03.14.06.b 03.14.06.c |
| NIST 800-171A R3 (source) | A.03.14.06.a.01[01] A.03.14.06.a.01[02] A.03.14.06.a.02 A.03.14.06.b |
| NIST 800-172 R3 | 03.01.08E 03.11.02E 03.11.09E 03.14.17E 03.14.18E |
| NIST 800-172A R3 | DS-A.03.01.08E.a DS-A.03.11.02E.a.01[01] DS-A.03.11.09E[01] DS-A.03.11.09E[02] DS-A.03.14.17E A.03.14.18E.ODP[03] |
| NIST CSF 2.0 (source) | DE.CM |
| UN R155 | 7.2.2.2(h) |
| UN ECE WP.29 | 7.2.2.2(h) |
US (7)
| Framework | Mapping Values |
|---|---|
| USA Federal DHS CISA TIC 3.0 | 3.UNI.DTDIS |
| USA Federal C2M2 2.1 | SITUATION-2d SITUATION-2h SITUATION-2i |
| USA Federal CMMC 2.0 Level 2 | SIL2.-3.14.7 |
| USA Federal CMMC 2.0 Level 3 | RA.L3-3.11.2E |
| USA Federal FFIEC ITEH 2016 | III.C |
| USA Federal IRS 1075 2021 | SI-4(CE-24) |
| USA California CCPA 2025 | 7123(c)(8)(A) |
EMEA (6)
| Framework | Mapping Values |
|---|---|
| EMEA Germany BAIT 2017 | 5.4 |
| EMEA Germany C5 2026 | OPS-22.05AC |
| EMEA Spain CCN-STIC 825 | op.mon.3 |
| EMEA EU DORA RTS 2024 | Article 23.5(a) |
| EMEA EU EBA GL/2019/04 | 3.4.5.38 |
| EMEA Saudi Arabia SACS-002 2022 | VII.B.TPC-80 |
APAC (4)
| Framework | Mapping Values |
|---|---|
| APAC Australia ISM June 2026 | ISM-1091 |
| APAC Malaysia RMiT 2025 | A5-C2(f) |
| APAC Singapore CCOP CII 2026 | 6.2.2(a) |
| APAC Singapore MAS TRM 2021 | 11.3.5 |
Americas (3)
| Framework | Mapping Values |
|---|---|
| Americas Canada ITSP-10-171 2025 | 03.14.06.A.01 03.14.06.A.02 03.14.06.B 03.14.06.C |
| Americas Canada OSFI B-13 2022 | 3.3.2 |
| Americas Canada OSFI Self-Assessment Guidance | 3.3.2 |
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
SCR-CMM Level 1 criteria definitions are not available for this control: ▪ A reasonable person would conclude this control requires a structured process. ▪ At this level of maturity, the "ad hoc" nature of performing a capability informally would indicate the intent of the control is not met due to a lack of consistency and formality.
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
Continuous Monitoring (MON) 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 MON domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity's Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team, or similar function. ▪ Cybersecurity personnel use a structured process via Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) to review and analyze logs. ▪ A Security Operations Center (SOC) team, or similar function, is appropriately staffed and supported to implement and maintain MON domain capabilities. ▪ Technology is leveraged to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of continuous monitoring operations (e.g., Security Incident Event Manager (SIEM)). ▪ 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 MON 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). ▪ Secure Baseline Configurations (SBC) enforce security event logging to contain sufficient information to establish necessary details of activity and allow for forensics analysis. ▪ An implemented and operational capability exists to automatically identify and alert on Indicators of Compromise (IoC).
Level 4 — Quantitatively Controlled
Continuous Monitoring (MON) 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
Continuous Monitoring (MON) 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. ▪ Based on predictive analysis, process improvements are implemented according to “continuous improvement” practices that affect process changes. ▪ Stakeholders make time-sensitive decisions to support operational efficiency, which may include automated remediation actions via Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Learning (ML) technologies.
Assessment Objectives
- MON-17_A01 anomalous or suspicious behavior is defined.
- MON-17_A02 Indicators of Compromise (IOC) are defined.
- MON-17_A03 sources that provide Indicators of Compromise (IOC) are defined.
- MON-17_A04 Indicators of Compromise (IOC) provided by sources are discovered.
- MON-17_A05 Indicators of Compromise (IOC) provided by sources are collected.
- MON-17_A06 unauthorized use of the system is identified through techniques and methods.
- MON-17_A07 internal monitoring capabilities are invoked or monitoring devices are deployed strategically within the system to collect organization-determined essential information.
- MON-17_A08 internal monitoring capabilities are invoked or monitoring devices are deployed at ad hoc locations within the system to track specific types of transactions of interest to the organization.
- MON-17_A09 personnel or roles to whom Indicators of Compromise (IOC) are to be distributed is/are defined.
- MON-17_A10 Indicators of Compromise (IOC) provided by sources are distributed to personnel or roles.
- MON-17_A11 personnel or roles to whom Indicators of Compromise (IOC) are to be distributed is/are defined.
- MON-17_A12 Indicators of Compromise (IOC) provided by sources are distributed to personnel or roles.
- MON-17_A13 organizational systems to search for Indicators of Compromise (IOC) are defined.
- MON-17_A14 effective mitigations are identified.
- MON-17_A15 intrusion detection approaches are identified.
- MON-17_A16 threat hunting activities are identified.
- MON-17_A17 advanced automation and analytics capabilities are used to predict and identify risks to organizations, systems and system components are identified.
- MON-17_A18 analysts are used to predict and identify risks to organizations, systems and system components are identified.
- MON-17_A19 advanced automation and analytics capabilities are employed in support of analysts to predict and identify risks to organizations, systems and system components.
- MON-17_A20 threat indicator information and effective mitigations obtained from external organizations are used to guide and inform intrusion detection and threat hunting.
Evidence Requirements
- E-IRO-02 Indicators of Compromise (IOC)
-
Documented evidence of defined Indicators of Compromise (IOC).
Incident Response - E-MON-07 Situational Awareness
-
Documented evidence of the organization leveraging knowledge of event log generation to gain situational awareness of cross-domain activities (e.g., technology issues, security events, policy violations, service provider activities, remote workforce activities, physical security events, etc.).
Event Log Monitoring
Technology Recommendations
Micro/Small
- Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP)
Small
- Security Incident Event Manager (SIEM)
- Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP)
Medium
- Security Incident Event Manager (SIEM)
- Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP)
- Extended Detection and Response (XDR)
Large
- Security Incident Event Manager (SIEM)
- Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP)
- Extended Detection and Response (XDR)
Enterprise
- Security Incident Event Manager (SIEM)
- Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP)
- Extended Detection and Response (XDR)