Transmission of Security and Privacy Attributes
LOW MODERATE HIGHRequirements NIST SOURCE
Associate [organization-defined security and privacy attributes] with information exchanged between systems and between system components.
Discussion (NIST Supplemental Guidance)
Security and privacy attributes can be explicitly or implicitly associated with the information contained in organizational systems or system components. Attributes are abstractions that represent the basic properties or characteristics of an entity with respect to protecting information or the management of personally identifiable information. Attributes are typically associated with internal data structures, including records, buffers, and files within the system. Security and privacy attributes are used to implement access control and information flow control policies; reflect special dissemination, management, or distribution instructions, including permitted uses of personally identifiable information; or support other aspects of the information security and privacy policies. Privacy attributes may be used independently or in conjunction with security attributes.
Enhancements NIST SOURCE
SC-16(1) Integrity Verification LOW MODERATE HIGH
Verify the integrity of transmitted security and privacy attributes.
Discussion
Part of verifying the integrity of transmitted information is ensuring that security and privacy attributes that are associated with such information have not been modified in an unauthorized manner. Unauthorized modification of security or privacy attributes can result in a loss of integrity for transmitted information.
SC-16(2) Anti-spoofing Mechanisms LOW MODERATE HIGH
Implement anti-spoofing mechanisms to prevent adversaries from falsifying the security attributes indicating the successful application of the security process.
Discussion
Some attack vectors operate by altering the security attributes of an information system to intentionally and maliciously implement an insufficient level of security within the system. The alteration of attributes leads organizations to believe that a greater number of security functions are in place and operational than have actually been implemented.
SC-16(3) Cryptographic Binding LOW MODERATE HIGH
Implement [mechanisms or techniques] to bind security and privacy attributes to transmitted information.
Discussion
Cryptographic mechanisms and techniques can provide strong security and privacy attribute binding to transmitted information to help ensure the integrity of such information.
Implementation Guidance
Original engineering commentary written for this explorer — not NIST source text and not authoritative guidance.
No engineering interpretation has been authored for SC-16 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
- security attributes to be associated with information exchanged are defined;
- privacy attributes to be associated with information exchanged are defined;
- <SC-16_ODP[01] security attributes> are associated with information exchanged between systems;
- <SC-16_ODP[01] security attributes> are associated with information exchanged between system components;
- <SC-16_ODP[02] privacy attributes> are associated with information exchanged between systems;
- <SC-16_ODP[02] privacy attributes> are associated with information exchanged between system components.
Examine
[SELECT FROM: System and communications protection policy; procedures addressing the transmission of security and privacy attributes; access control policy and procedures; information flow control policy; system design documentation; system configuration settings and associated documentation; system audit records; system security plan; privacy plan; other relevant documents or records].
Interview
[SELECT FROM: System/network administrators; organizational personnel with information security and privacy responsibilities].
Test
[SELECT FROM: Mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the transmission of security and privacy attributes between systems].
STIGs & CCIs
No STIG checks or CCI mappings are currently loaded for SC-16. 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 communications protection policy
- access control policy and procedures
- information flow control policy
- system security plan
- privacy plan
Configuration
- system design documentation
- system configuration settings and associated documentation
Testing
- Mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the transmission of security and privacy attributes between systems
Other Records
- procedures addressing the transmission of security and privacy attributes
- system audit records
- other relevant documents or records