Minimized Security Elements
LOW MODERATE HIGHRequirements NIST SOURCE
Implement the security design principle of minimized security elements in [systems or system components].
Discussion (NIST Supplemental Guidance)
The principle of minimized security elements states that the system does not have extraneous trusted components. The principle of minimized security elements has two aspects: the overall cost of security analysis and the complexity of security analysis. Trusted components are generally costlier to construct and implement, owing to the increased rigor of development processes. Trusted components require greater security analysis to qualify their trustworthiness. Thus, to reduce the cost and decrease the complexity of the security analysis, a system contains as few trustworthy components as possible. The analysis of the interaction of trusted components with other components of the system is one of the most important aspects of system security verification. If the interactions between components are unnecessarily complex, the security of the system will also be more difficult to ascertain than one whose internal trust relationships are simple and elegantly constructed. In general, fewer trusted components result in fewer internal trust relationships and a simpler system.
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-8(13) 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
- systems or system components that implement the security design principle of minimized security elements are defined;
- <SA-08(13)_ODP systems or system components> implement the security design principle of minimized security elements.
Examine
[SELECT FROM: System and services acquisition policy; procedures addressing the security design principle of minimized security elements used in the specification, design, development, implementation, and modification of the system; system design documentation; security and privacy requirements and specifications for the system; system security and privacy architecture; system security plan; other relevant documents or records].
Interview
[SELECT FROM: Organizational personnel with the responsibility for determining system security and privacy requirements; organizational personnel with system specification, design, development, implementation, and modification responsibilities; system developers; organizational personnel with information security responsibilities].
Test
[SELECT FROM: Organizational processes for applying the security design principle of minimized security elements in system specification, design, development, implementation, and modification; mechanisms supporting the application of the security design principle of minimized security elements in system specification, design, development, implementation, and modification].
Overlays
STIGs & CCIs
No STIG checks or CCI mappings are currently loaded for SA-8(13). 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
Configuration
- system design documentation
- system security and privacy architecture
Testing
- Organizational processes for applying the security design principle of minimized security elements in system specification, design, development, implementation, and modification
- mechanisms supporting the application of the security design principle of minimized security elements in system specification, design, development, implementation, and modification
Other Records
- procedures addressing the security design principle of minimized security elements used in the specification, design, development, implementation, and modification of the system
- security and privacy requirements and specifications for the system
- other relevant documents or records