Hardware Separation

LOW MODERATE HIGH

1 Overlay 0 Related Controls

Requirements NIST SOURCE

Implement hardware separation mechanisms to facilitate process isolation.

Discussion (NIST Supplemental Guidance)

Hardware-based separation of system processes is generally less susceptible to compromise than software-based separation, thus providing greater assurance that the separation will be enforced. Hardware separation mechanisms include hardware memory management.

Implementation Guidance

Engineering Interpretation

Original engineering commentary written for this explorer — not NIST source text and not authoritative guidance.

No engineering interpretation has been authored for SC-39(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

NIST SP 800-53A REV 5.2.0

Assessment Objectives

hardware separation is implemented to facilitate process isolation.

Examine

[SELECT FROM: System and communications protection policy; system design documentation; system configuration settings and associated documentation; system architecture; system documentation for hardware separation mechanisms; system documentation from vendors, manufacturers, or developers; independent verification and validation documentation; system security plan; other relevant documents or records].

Interview

[SELECT FROM: System/network administrators; organizational personnel with information security responsibilities; organizational personnel installing, configuring, and/or maintaining the system; system developers/integrators].

Test

[SELECT FROM: System capability implementing underlying hardware separation mechanisms for process separation].

Overlays

Showing the OT/ICS overlay for the parent control SC-39 — see the SC-39(1) entries within each baseline below.

OT/ICS Overlay SP 800-82r3

NIST SP 800-82r3 Appendix F, Table 22. Blank baseline means the control/control enhancement is not selected in that initial OT baseline.

LOW

Base control: Included (matches standard baseline)

MODERATE

Base control: Included (matches standard baseline)

HIGH

Base control: Included (matches standard baseline)

STIGs & CCIs

No STIG checks or CCI mappings are currently loaded for SC-39(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

Potential Evidence — Derived

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

system design documentation
system configuration settings and associated documentation
system architecture

Testing

System capability implementing underlying hardware separation mechanisms for process separation

Other Records

system documentation for hardware separation mechanisms
system documentation from vendors, manufacturers, or developers
independent verification and validation documentation
other relevant documents or records