Software and Firmware Integrity Verification
LOW MODERATE HIGHRequirements NIST SOURCE
Require the developer of the system, system component, or system service to enable integrity verification of software and firmware components.
Discussion (NIST Supplemental Guidance)
Software and firmware integrity verification allows organizations to detect unauthorized changes to software and firmware components using developer-provided tools, techniques, and mechanisms. The integrity checking mechanisms can also address counterfeiting of software and firmware components. Organizations verify the integrity of software and firmware components, for example, through secure one-way hashes provided by developers. Delivered software and firmware components also include any updates to such components.
Implementation Guidance
Original engineering commentary written for this explorer — not NIST source text and not authoritative guidance.
No engineering interpretation has been authored for SA-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
- the developer of the system, system component, or system service is required to enable integrity verification of software and firmware components.
Examine
[SELECT FROM: System and services acquisition policy; procedures addressing system developer configuration management; solicitation documentation; acquisition documentation; service level agreements; acquisition contracts for the system, system component, or system service; system developer configuration management plan; software and firmware integrity verification records; system change authorization records; change control records; configuration management records; system security plan; supply chain risk management plan; other relevant documents or records].
Interview
[SELECT FROM: Organizational personnel with system and service acquisition responsibilities; organizational personnel with information security responsibilities; organizational personnel with configuration management responsibilities; system developers; organizational personnel with supply chain risk management responsibilities].
Test
[SELECT FROM: Organizational processes for monitoring developer configuration management; mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the monitoring of developer configuration management].
Overlays
STIGs & CCIs
No STIG checks or CCI mappings are currently loaded for SA-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 and services acquisition policy
- system security plan
- supply chain risk management plan
Configuration
- procedures addressing system developer configuration management
- system developer configuration management plan
- configuration management records
Testing
- Organizational processes for monitoring developer configuration management
- mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the monitoring of developer configuration management
Other Records
- solicitation documentation
- acquisition documentation
- service level agreements
- acquisition contracts for the system, system component, or system service
- software and firmware integrity verification records
- system change authorization records
- change control records
- other relevant documents or records