Misleading Information
LOW MODERATE HIGHRequirements NIST SOURCE
Employ realistic, but misleading information in [system components] about its security state or posture.
Discussion (NIST Supplemental Guidance)
Employing misleading information is intended to confuse potential adversaries regarding the nature and extent of controls deployed by organizations. Thus, adversaries may employ incorrect and ineffective attack techniques. One technique for misleading adversaries is for organizations to place misleading information regarding the specific controls deployed in external systems that are known to be targeted by adversaries. Another technique is the use of deception nets that mimic actual aspects of organizational systems but use, for example, out-of-date software configurations.
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-30(4) 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
- system components for which realistic but misleading information about their security state or posture is employed are defined;
- realistic but misleading information about the security state or posture of <SC-30(04)_ODP system components> is employed.
Examine
[SELECT FROM: System and communications protection policy; configuration management policy and procedures; procedures addressing concealment and misdirection techniques for the system; system design documentation; system configuration settings and associated documentation; system audit records; system security plan; other relevant documents or records].
Interview
[SELECT FROM: System/network administrators; organizational personnel with information security responsibilities; organizational personnel with the responsibility to define and employ realistic but misleading information about the security posture of system components].
Test
[SELECT FROM: Mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the employment of realistic but misleading information about the security posture of system components].
STIGs & CCIs
No STIG checks or CCI mappings are currently loaded for SC-30(4). 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
- system security plan
Configuration
- configuration management policy and procedures
- system design documentation
- system configuration settings and associated documentation
Testing
- Mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the employment of realistic but misleading information about the security posture of system components
Other Records
- procedures addressing concealment and misdirection techniques for the system
- system audit records
- other relevant documents or records