Open-source Software
LOW MODERATE HIGHRequirements NIST SOURCE
Establish the following restrictions on the use of open-source software: [restrictions].
Discussion (NIST Supplemental Guidance)
Open-source software refers to software that is available in source code form. Certain software rights normally reserved for copyright holders are routinely provided under software license agreements that permit individuals to study, change, and improve the software. From a security perspective, the major advantage of open-source software is that it provides organizations with the ability to examine the source code. In some cases, there is an online community associated with the software that inspects, tests, updates, and reports on issues found in software on an ongoing basis. However, remediating vulnerabilities in open-source software may be problematic. There may also be licensing issues associated with open-source software, including the constraints on derivative use of such software. Open-source software that is available only in binary form may increase the level of risk in using such software.
Implementation Guidance
Original engineering commentary written for this explorer — not NIST source text and not authoritative guidance.
No engineering interpretation has been authored for CM-10(1) yet. This section is architected to receive it — see the Requirements and Assessment sections above for the authoritative NIST source content in the meantime.
Assessment
Assessment Objectives
- restrictions on the use of open-source software are defined;
- <CM-10(01)_ODP restrictions> are established for the use of open-source software.
Examine
[SELECT FROM: Configuration management policy; software usage restrictions; software contract agreements and copyright laws; site license documentation; list of software usage restrictions; software license tracking reports; configuration management plan; system security plan; system security plan; other relevant documents or records].
Interview
[SELECT FROM: Organizational personnel operating, using, and/or maintaining the system; organizational personnel with software license management responsibilities; organizational personnel with information security responsibilities; system/network administrators].
Test
[SELECT FROM: Organizational processes for tracking the use of software protected by quantity licenses; organizational processes for controlling/documenting the use of peer-to-peer file sharing technology; mechanisms implementing software license tracking; mechanisms implementing and controlling the use of peer-to-peer files sharing technology].
Overlays
STIGs & CCIs
No STIG checks or CCI mappings are currently loaded for CM-10(1). This section is architected to display, per product: STIG ID, Finding ID, Severity, Title, Description, Check, Fix, CCI, and NIST control mapping — but nothing is populated here until a real DISA STIG/CCI dataset is ingested.
Learn more about STIG/CCI integration →Evidence
Categorized from the SP 800-53A "Examine"/"Test" artifact list above by keyword — not an authoritative NIST evidence list.
Policy
- system security plan
Configuration
- Configuration management policy
- configuration management plan
Testing
- Organizational processes for tracking the use of software protected by quantity licenses
- organizational processes for controlling/documenting the use of peer-to-peer file sharing technology
- mechanisms implementing software license tracking
- mechanisms implementing and controlling the use of peer-to-peer files sharing technology
Other Records
- software usage restrictions
- software contract agreements and copyright laws
- site license documentation
- list of software usage restrictions
- software license tracking reports
- other relevant documents or records