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MA-3(6) MA · Maintenance

Software Updates and Patches

LOW MODERATE HIGH
1 Overlay 2 Related Controls
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Requirements NIST SOURCE

Inspect maintenance tools to ensure the latest software updates and patches are installed.

Discussion (NIST Supplemental Guidance)

Maintenance tools using outdated and/or unpatched software can provide a threat vector for adversaries and result in a significant vulnerability for organizations.

Implementation Guidance

Engineering Interpretation

Original engineering commentary written for this explorer — not NIST source text and not authoritative guidance.

No engineering interpretation has been authored for MA-3(6) 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

NIST SP 800-53A REV 5.2.0

Assessment Objectives

  1. maintenance tools are inspected to ensure that the latest software updates and patches are installed.

Examine

[SELECT FROM: Maintenance policy; procedures addressing system maintenance tools; system maintenance tools and associated documentation; list of personnel authorized to use maintenance tools; maintenance tool usage records; maintenance records; system security plan; other relevant documents or records].

Interview

[SELECT FROM: Organizational personnel with system maintenance responsibilities; organizational personnel with information security responsibilities].

Test

[SELECT FROM: Organizational processes for inspecting maintenance tools; organizational processes for maintenance tools updates; mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the inspection of maintenance tools; mechanisms supporting and/or implementing maintenance tool updates.].

Overlays

Showing the OT/ICS overlay for the parent control MA-3 — see the MA-3(6) entries within each baseline below.

OT/ICS Overlay SP 800-82r3

NIST SP 800-82r3 Appendix F, Table 22. Blank baseline means the control/control enhancement is not selected in that initial OT baseline.

LOW

Not applicable at this tier.

MODERATE

  • Base control: Included (matches standard baseline)
  • Included: (1) (2) (3)

HIGH

  • Base control: Included (matches standard baseline)
  • Included: (1) (2) (3)

STIGs & CCIs

No STIG checks or CCI mappings are currently loaded for MA-3(6). 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

Potential Evidence — Derived

Categorized from the SP 800-53A "Examine"/"Test" artifact list above by keyword — not an authoritative NIST evidence list.

Policy

  • Maintenance policy
  • system security plan

Testing

  • Organizational processes for inspecting maintenance tools
  • organizational processes for maintenance tools updates
  • mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the inspection of maintenance tools
  • mechanisms supporting and/or implementing maintenance tool updates

Other Records

  • procedures addressing system maintenance tools
  • system maintenance tools and associated documentation
  • list of personnel authorized to use maintenance tools
  • maintenance tool usage records
  • maintenance records
  • other relevant documents or records