MON-36.1: Cross-Organizational Monitoring
Mechanisms exist to coordinate sanitized event logs and security-relevant telemetry among external organizations to identify anomalous events when that data is shared across organizational boundaries, without giving away sensitive or critical business data.
Renumbered: Formerly MON-14 in SCF 2025.4.
Control Question: Does the organization coordinate sanitized event logs among external organizations to identify anomalous events when event logs are shared across organizational boundaries, without giving away sensitive or critical business data?
General (6)
| Framework | Mapping Values |
|---|---|
| NIST 800-53 R4 | AU-16 AU-16(1) |
| NIST 800-53 R5.2 | AU-16 AU-16(01) |
| NIST 800-82 R3 | AU-16 AU-16(01) |
| NIST 800-161 R1 | AU-16 |
| NIST 800-161 R1 Level 2 | AU-16 |
| NIST 800-161 R1 Level 3 | AU-16 |
US (2)
| Framework | Mapping Values |
|---|---|
| USA Federal CMS MARS-E 2.0 | AU-16 |
| USA Federal IRS 1075 2021 | AU-16 AU-16(CE-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
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
Continuous Monitoring (MON) 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 MON domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with MON 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 MON domain capabilities to address applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). ▪ Continuous monitoring-related controls are primarily administrative and preventative in nature (e.g., policies, standards and procedures & guidelines). ▪ Continuous monitoring may be a defined function (e.g., team or department) or assigned as an additional duty to existing IT and/or cybersecurity personnel.
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 coordinate sanitized event logs among external organizations to identify anomalous events when event logs are shared across organizational boundaries, without giving away sensitive or critical business data.
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
- MON-36.1_A01 methods for coordinating sanitized event logs and security-relevant telemetry among external organizations when that data is shared across organizational boundaries are defined.
- MON-36.1_A02 the sanitized event logs and security-relevant telemetry to be coordinated among external organizations when that data is shared across organizational boundaries are defined.
- MON-36.1_A03 organization-defined methods for coordinating sanitized event logs and security-relevant telemetry among external organizations are employed when that data is shared across organizational boundaries to identify anomalous events.
- MON-36.1_A04 sensitive or critical business data is removed from event logs and security-relevant telemetry before that data is shared across organizational boundaries.
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)
- Extended Detection and Response (XDR)
- Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP)
Large
- Security Incident Event Manager (SIEM)
- Extended Detection and Response (XDR)
- Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP)
Enterprise
- Security Incident Event Manager (SIEM)
- Extended Detection and Response (XDR)
- Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP)