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SEA-04: Alignment With Enterprise Architecture

SEA 9 — Critical Protect

Mechanisms exist to develop an enterprise architecture, aligned with industry-recognized leading practices, with consideration for security, compliance and resilience principles that addresses risk to organizational operations, assets, individuals and other organizations.

Renumbered: Formerly SEA-02 in SCF 2025.4.

Code reused: In SCF 2025.4 and earlier, SEA-04 was Process Isolation. That control is now SEA-09.

Control Question: Does the organization develop an enterprise architecture, aligned with industry-recognized leading practices, with consideration for security, compliance and resilience principles that addresses risk to organizational operations, assets, individuals and other organizations?

General (39)
Framework Mapping Values
AICPA TSC 2017:2022 (used for SOC 2) (source) CC3.1 CC4.1 CC5.1 CC6.1-POF2
CIS CSC 8.1 12.2 16.10
CIS CSC 8.1 IG2 12.2 16.10
CIS CSC 8.1 IG3 12.2 16.10
COBIT 2019 APO02.01 APO03.01 APO03.02 APO03.03 APO03.04 APO03.05 APO04.02 APO04.03 APO04.04 APO04.05 APO04.06
COSO 2013 10.0
CSA CCM 4.1.0 I&S-08
CSA IoT SCF 2 GVN-02 OPA-06 OPA-07 SWS-04
GovRAMP PL-08
GovRAMP Low+ PL-08
GovRAMP Moderate PL-08
GovRAMP High PL-08
ISO 27002 2022 5.8 8.26
ISO 27017 2015 6.1.5 14.1.1
ISO 27018 2025 5.8 8.26
NIST 800-53 R4 PL-8 PM-7
NIST 800-53 R5.2 PL-08 PM-07
NIST 800-53B R5 (moderate) (source) PL-08
NIST 800-53B R5 (high) (source) PL-08
NIST 800-53B R5 (privacy) (source) PL-08 PM-07
NIST 800-82 R3 PL-08 PM-07
NIST 800-82 R3 LOW OT Overlay PM-07
NIST 800-82 R3 MODERATE OT Overlay PL-08 PM-07
NIST 800-82 R3 HIGH OT Overlay PL-08 PM-07
NIST 800-161 R1 PL-8 PM-7
NIST 800-161 R1 Level 1 PM-7
NIST 800-161 R1 Level 2 PL-8 PM-7
NIST 800-161 R1 Level 3 PL-8
NIST 800-171 R2 (source) NFO - PL-8
NIST 800-171 R3 (source) 03.01.12.a 03.01.16.a 03.01.18.a 03.13.01.c 03.16.01
NIST 800-171A R3 (source) A.03.01.16.a[02] A.03.01.18.a[01] A.03.13.01.c A.03.16.01
NIST 800-172 R3 03.15.01E
NIST 800-172A R3 DS-A.03.15.01E.a.02
NIST CSF 2.0 (source) PR.IR PR.IR-01 PR.IR-03
NIST Privacy Framework 1.0 GV.PO-P2
PCI DSS 4.0.1 (source) 1.2
SCF DPMP 2026 7.1
SWIFT CSF 2025 1.3
TISAX ISA 6.0.3 5.3.1
US (18)
Framework Mapping Values
USA Federal CMS MARS-E 2.0 PL-8 PL-8.a PL-8.a.1 PL-8.a.2 PL-8.a.3 PL-8.b PL-8.c PM-7
USA Federal C2M2 2.1 ARCHITECTURE-1b ARCHITECTURE-1c ARCHITECTURE-1d ARCHITECTURE-1h ARCHITECTURE-1j ARCHITECTURE-1k
USA Federal DoW BaTB IT 2026 4
USA Federal DoD Zero Trust Reference Architecture 2.0 3.0
USA Federal CJIS Security Policy 6.0 PL-8
USA Federal 21 CFR Part 11 2025 11.10
USA Federal FedRAMP R5 (low) PL-08
USA Federal FedRAMP R5 (moderate) PL-08
USA Federal FedRAMP R5 (high) PL-08
USA Federal FedRAMP R5 (LI-SaaS) PL-08
USA Federal IRS 1075 2021 PL-8 PM-7 PM-7(IRS-Defined)
USA Federal FTC Act 1938 45(a)(1)
USA Federal HIPAA Security Rule NIST SP 800-66 R2 § 164.306(b)(1) § 164.306(b)(2)(ii)
USA Federal HIPAA Administrative Simplification 2013 § 164.306(b)(1) § 164.306(b)(2)(ii)
USA California CCPA 2025 7123(c)(5)(B)
USA New York DFS 23 NYCRR500 2023 Amd 2 500.2(b)(2)
USA Texas DIR SCSC 2.2 2025 PM-07
USA Texas TX-RAMP Level 2 PL-08
EMEA (9)
Framework Mapping Values
EMEA Germany BAIT 2017 1.2(d)
EMEA Germany C5 2026 OPS-22.01AC
EMEA Spain CCN-STIC 825 op.pl.3 mp.info.4 mp.s.2
EMEA EU DORA 2023 Article 9.3(a) Article 9.3(b) Article 9.3(c) Article 9.3(d)
EMEA EU DORA RTS 2024 Article 13.1(i)
EMEA EU EBA GL/2019/04 3.7.1.79
EMEA LUX CCSF 20/750 2020 3.2.2-5.a 3.2.2-5.b
EMEA Saudi Arabia CSCC-1 2019 2-12-2
EMEA Saudi Arabia ECC-1 2018 1-6-3-4
APAC (4)
Framework Mapping Values
APAC Australia ISM June 2026 ISM-1739 ISM-1743
APAC India RBI Digital Payments 2021 11.0
APAC India RBI PA 2025 Annex 1.1.7.3
APAC Malaysia RMiT 2025 10.4 10.4(a) 10.4(e) 10.5(a)
Americas (3)
Framework Mapping Values
Americas Canada ITSP-10-171 2025 03.01.12.A 03.01.16.A 03.01.18.A 03.13.01.C 03.16.01
Americas Canada OSFI B-13 2022 2 2.1 2.1.2
Americas Canada OSFI Self-Assessment Guidance 2.1.1 2.1.2

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

Secure Engineering & Architecture (SEA) 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 SEA domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with SEA 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 SEA domain capabilities to address applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). ▪ Secure engineering and architecture-related controls are primarily administrative and preventative in nature (e.g., policies, standards and procedures & guidelines). ▪ Secure engineering and architecture management may be a defined function (e.g., team or department) or assigned as an additional duty to existing IT and/or cybersecurity personnel. ▪ IT and/or cybersecurity personnel define entity-specific secure engineering practices to protect the Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability and Safety (CIAS) of the entity's TAASD. ▪ IT and/or cybersecurity personnel align secure engineering practices with the entity's broader IT architecture practices. ▪ IT and/or cybersecurity personnel use secure engineering practices to influence Secure Baseline Configurations (SBC).

Level 3 — Well Defined

Secure Engineering & Architecture (SEA) 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 SEA 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 SEA domain capabilities are well-documented and kept current by process owners. ▪ A cybersecurity engineering / architecture team, or similar function, is appropriately staffed and supported to implement and maintain RSK domain capabilities. ▪ Technology is leveraged to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of secure engineering management operations (e.g., project management 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 SEA 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 the secure engineering principles on all applicable Technology Assets, Applications and/or Services (TAAS). ▪ An implemented and operational capability exists to develop an enterprise architecture, aligned with industry-recognized leading practices, with consideration for security, compliance and resilience principles that addresses risk to organizational operations, assets, individuals and other organizations.

Level 4 — Quantitatively Controlled

Secure Engineering & Architecture (SEA) 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

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. SEA-04_A01 an enterprise architecture is developed with consideration for cybersecurity / data privacy.
  2. SEA-04_A02 an enterprise architecture is maintained with consideration for cybersecurity / data privacy.
  3. SEA-04_A03 an enterprise architecture is developed with consideration for the resulting risk to organizational operations and assets, individuals and other organizations.
  4. SEA-04_A04 an enterprise architecture is maintained with consideration for the resulting risk to organizational operations and assets, individuals and other organizations.
  5. SEA-04_A05 frequency for review / update to reflect changes in the enterprise architecture.
  6. SEA-04_A06 a cybersecurity / data privacy architecture for the system describes the requirements and approach to be taken for protecting the confidentiality, integrity and availability of organizational information.
  7. SEA-04_A07 a cybersecurity / data privacy architecture for the system describes how the architecture is integrated into and supports the enterprise architecture.
  8. SEA-04_A08 a cybersecurity / data privacy architecture for the system describes any assumptions about and dependencies on external systems and services.
  9. SEA-04_A09 changes in the enterprise architecture are reviewed / updated per an organization-defined frequency to reflect changes in the enterprise architecture.
  10. SEA-04_A10 planned architecture changes are reflected in the cybersecurity / data privacy plan.
  11. SEA-04_A11 planned architecture changes are reflected in the Concept of Operations (CONOPS).
  12. SEA-04_A12 planned architecture changes are reflected in criticality analysis.
  13. SEA-04_A13 planned architecture changes are reflected in organizational procedures.
  14. SEA-04_A14 planned architecture changes are reflected in procurements and acquisitions.

Evidence Requirements

E-SEA-02 Security Architecture

Documented evidence of security architecture-related documentation.

Secure Engineering & Architecture
E-TDA-09 Security Architecture View

Documented evidence that identifies security-relevant system elements and their interfaces: • Define security context, domains, boundaries, and external interfaces of the system; • Align the architecture with (a) the system security objectives and requirements, (b) security design characteristics; and • Establish traceability of architecture elements to user and system security requirements.

Technology Design & Acquisition

Technology Recommendations

Micro/Small

  • Follow secure coding basics
  • Document security decisions

Small

  • Secure design checklist
  • Basic threat modeling

Medium

  • Enterprise architecture committee

Large

  • Enterprise architecture committee

Enterprise

  • Enterprise architecture committee

The Secure Controls Framework (SCF) is maintained by SCF Council. Use of SCF content is subject to the SCF Terms & Conditions.

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