Defense in Depth
LOW MODERATE HIGHRequirements NIST SOURCE
Design the security and privacy architectures for the system using a defense-in-depth approach that:
Requirement Context
This element is part of PL-8(1) — Defense in Depth. See the Assessment section below for the related SP 800-53A examine/interview/test procedures. No engineering interpretation has been authored for this control yet.
Requirement Context
This element is part of PL-8(1) — Defense in Depth. See the Assessment section below for the related SP 800-53A examine/interview/test procedures. No engineering interpretation has been authored for this control yet.
Discussion (NIST Supplemental Guidance)
Organizations strategically allocate security and privacy controls in the security and privacy architectures so that adversaries must overcome multiple controls to achieve their objective. Requiring adversaries to defeat multiple controls makes it more difficult to attack information resources by increasing the work factor of the adversary; it also increases the likelihood of detection. The coordination of allocated controls is essential to ensure that an attack that involves one control does not create adverse, unintended consequences by interfering with other controls. Unintended consequences can include system lockout and cascading alarms. The placement of controls in systems and organizations is an important activity that requires thoughtful analysis. The value of organizational assets is an important consideration in providing additional layering. Defense-in-depth architectural approaches include modularity and layering (see SA-8(3) ), separation of system and user functionality (see SC-2 ), and security function isolation (see SC-3).
Implementation Guidance
Original engineering commentary written for this explorer — not NIST source text and not authoritative guidance.
No engineering interpretation has been authored for PL-8(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
- controls to be allocated are defined;
- locations and architectural layers are defined;
- the security architecture for the system is designed using a defense-in-depth approach that allocates <PL-08(01)_ODP[01] controls> to <PL-08(01)_ODP[02] locations and architectural layers>;
- the privacy architecture for the system is designed using a defense-in-depth approach that allocates <PL-08(01)_ODP[01] controls> to <PL-08(01)_ODP[02] locations and architectural layers>;
- the security architecture for the system is designed using a defense-in-depth approach that ensures the allocated controls operate in a coordinated and mutually reinforcing manner;
- the privacy architecture for the system is designed using a defense-in-depth approach that ensures the allocated controls operate in a coordinated and mutually reinforcing manner.
Examine
[SELECT FROM: Security and privacy planning policy; procedures addressing information security and privacy architecture development; enterprise architecture documentation; information security and privacy architecture documentation; system security plan; privacy plan; security and privacy CONOPS for the system; other relevant documents or records].
Interview
[SELECT FROM: Organizational personnel with security and privacy planning and plan implementation responsibilities; organizational personnel with information security and privacy architecture development responsibilities; organizational personnel with information security and privacy responsibilities].
Test
[SELECT FROM: Organizational processes for designing the information security and privacy architecture; mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the design of the information security and privacy architecture].
Overlays
STIGs & CCIs
No STIG checks or CCI mappings are currently loaded for PL-8(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
- Security and privacy planning policy
- system security plan
- privacy plan
Configuration
- procedures addressing information security and privacy architecture development
- enterprise architecture documentation
- information security and privacy architecture documentation
Testing
- Organizational processes for designing the information security and privacy architecture
- mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the design of the information security and privacy architecture
Other Records
- security and privacy CONOPS for the system
- other relevant documents or records