SC-29 Heterogeneity

Guidance: nonePolicy clause: noneWhat these mean

Baselines	Implementation level	Enhancements
Not in a baseline	Organization	1 (0 in a baseline)

Related controls: AU-9, PL-8, SC-27, SC-30, SR-3

Control statement

Employ a diverse set of information technologies for the following system components in the implementation of the system: [Assignment: organization-defined system components].

NIST discussion

Increasing the diversity of information technologies within organizational systems reduces the impact of potential exploitations or compromises of specific technologies. Such diversity protects against common mode failures, including those failures induced by supply chain attacks. Diversity in information technologies also reduces the likelihood that the means adversaries use to compromise one system component will be effective against other system components, thus further increasing the adversary work factor to successfully complete planned attacks. An increase in diversity may add complexity and management overhead that could ultimately lead to mistakes and unauthorized configurations.

Control enhancements

SC-29(1) Virtualization Techniques

Baselines: Not in a baseline

Employ virtualization techniques to support the deployment of a diversity of operating systems and applications that are changed [Assignment: organization-defined frequency].

Discussion and assessment objectives for SC-29(1)

While frequent changes to operating systems and applications can pose significant configuration management challenges, the changes can result in an increased work factor for adversaries to conduct successful attacks. Changing virtual operating systems or applications, as opposed to changing actual operating systems or applications, provides virtual changes that impede attacker success while reducing configuration management efforts. Virtualization techniques can assist in isolating untrustworthy software or software of dubious provenance into confined execution environments.

Determine if virtualization techniques are employed to support the deployment of a diverse range of operating systems and applications that are changed [Assignment: organization-defined frequency].

Examine: System and communications protection policy; configuration management policy and procedures; system design documentation; system configuration settings and associated documentation; system architecture; list of operating systems and applications deployed using virtualization techniques; change control records; configuration management records; system audit records; system security plan; other relevant documents or records.

Interview: System/network administrators; organizational personnel with information security responsibilities; organizational personnel with responsibilities for implementing approved virtualization techniques to the system.

Test: Mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the employment of a diverse set of information technologies; mechanisms supporting and/or implementing virtualization techniques.

Assessment objectives (SP 800-53A)

Objectives and methods for SC-29

Determine if a diverse set of information technologies is employed for [Assignment: organization-defined system components] in the implementation of the system.

Examine: System and communications protection policy; system design documentation; system configuration settings and associated documentation; list of technologies deployed in the system; acquisition documentation; acquisition contracts for system components or services; system security plan; other relevant documents or records.

Interview: System/network administrators; organizational personnel with information security responsibilities; organizational personnel with system acquisition, development, and implementation responsibilities.

Test: Mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the employment of a diverse set of information technologies.