Component Marking
LOW MODERATE HIGHRequirements NIST SOURCE
Mark [system hardware components] indicating the impact level or classification level of the information permitted to be processed, stored, or transmitted by the hardware component.
Discussion (NIST Supplemental Guidance)
Hardware components that may require marking include input and output devices. Input devices include desktop and notebook computers, keyboards, tablets, and smart phones. Output devices include printers, monitors/video displays, facsimile machines, scanners, copiers, and audio devices. Permissions controlling output to the output devices are addressed in AC-3 or AC-4 . Components are marked to indicate the impact level or classification level of the system to which the devices are connected, or the impact level or classification level of the information permitted to be output. Security marking refers to the use of human-readable security attributes. Security labeling refers to the use of security attributes for internal system data structures. Security marking is generally not required for hardware components that process, store, or transmit information determined by organizations to be in the public domain or to be publicly releasable. However, organizations may require markings for hardware components that process, store, or transmit public information in order to indicate that such information is publicly releasable. Marking of system hardware components reflects applicable laws, executive orders, directives, policies, regulations, and standards.
Implementation Guidance
Original engineering commentary written for this explorer — not NIST source text and not authoritative guidance.
No engineering interpretation has been authored for PE-22 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
- system hardware components to be marked indicating the impact level or classification level of the information permitted to be processed, stored, or transmitted by the hardware component are defined;
- <PE-22_ODP system hardware components> are marked indicating the impact level or classification level of the information permitted to be processed, stored, or transmitted by the hardware component.
Examine
[SELECT FROM: Physical and environmental protection policy; procedures addressing component marking; list of component marking security attributes; component inventory; information types and their impact/classification level; system security plan; other relevant documents or records].
Interview
[SELECT FROM: Organizational personnel with component marking responsibilities; organizational personnel with component inventory responsibilities; organizational personnel with information categorization/classification responsibilities; organizational personnel with information security responsibilities].
Test
[SELECT FROM: Organizational processes for component marking; automated mechanisms supporting and/or implementing component marking].
Overlays
STIGs & CCIs
No STIG checks or CCI mappings are currently loaded for PE-22. 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
- Physical and environmental protection policy
- system security plan
Configuration
- component inventory
Testing
- Organizational processes for component marking
- automated mechanisms supporting and/or implementing component marking
Other Records
- procedures addressing component marking
- list of component marking security attributes
- information types and their impact/classification level
- other relevant documents or records