Continuous Monitoring Plan for Controls
LOW MODERATE HIGHRequirements NIST SOURCE
Require the developer of the system, system component, or system service to produce a plan for continuous monitoring of control effectiveness that is consistent with the continuous monitoring program of the organization.
Discussion (NIST Supplemental Guidance)
The objective of continuous monitoring plans is to determine if the planned, required, and deployed controls within the system, system component, or system service continue to be effective over time based on the inevitable changes that occur. Developer continuous monitoring plans include a sufficient level of detail such that the information can be incorporated into continuous monitoring programs implemented by organizations. Continuous monitoring plans can include the types of control assessment and monitoring activities planned, frequency of control monitoring, and actions to be taken when controls fail or become ineffective.
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-4(8) 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 produce a plan for the continuous monitoring of control effectiveness that is consistent with the continuous monitoring program of the organization.
Examine
[SELECT FROM: System and services acquisition policy; procedures addressing developer continuous monitoring plans; procedures addressing the integration of security requirements, descriptions, and criteria into the acquisition process; developer continuous monitoring plans; security assessment plans; acquisition contracts for the system, system component, or system service; acquisition documentation; solicitation documentation; service level agreements; system security plan; other relevant documents or records].
Interview
[SELECT FROM: Organizational personnel with acquisition/contracting responsibilities; organizational personnel with the responsibility for determining system security requirements; system developers; organizational personnel with information security responsibilities].
Test
[SELECT FROM: Vendor processes for continuous monitoring; mechanisms supporting and/or implementing developer continuous monitoring].
Overlays
STIGs & CCIs
No STIG checks or CCI mappings are currently loaded for SA-4(8). 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
Testing
- Vendor processes for continuous monitoring
- mechanisms supporting and/or implementing developer continuous monitoring
Other Records
- procedures addressing developer continuous monitoring plans
- procedures addressing the integration of security requirements, descriptions, and criteria into the acquisition process
- developer continuous monitoring plans
- security assessment plans
- acquisition contracts for the system, system component, or system service
- acquisition documentation
- solicitation documentation
- service level agreements
- other relevant documents or records