SI-16 SI · System and Information Integrity

Memory Protection

LOW ✓ MODERATE ✓ HIGH
1 Overlay 3 Related Controls
Graph
Export ▾

Requirements NIST SOURCE

Implement the following controls to protect the system memory from unauthorized code execution: [controls].

Discussion (NIST Supplemental Guidance)

Some adversaries launch attacks with the intent of executing code in non-executable regions of memory or in memory locations that are prohibited. Controls employed to protect memory include data execution prevention and address space layout randomization. Data execution prevention controls can either be hardware-enforced or software-enforced with hardware enforcement providing the greater strength of mechanism.

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 SI-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

NIST SP 800-53A REV 5.2.0

Assessment Objectives

  1. controls to be implemented to protect the system memory from unauthorized code execution are defined;
  2. <SI-16_ODP controls> are implemented to protect the system memory from unauthorized code execution.

Examine

[SELECT FROM: System and information integrity policy; system and information integrity procedures; procedures addressing memory protection for the system; system design documentation; system configuration settings and associated documentation; list of security safeguards protecting system memory from unauthorized code execution; system audit records; system security plan; other relevant documents or records].

Interview

[SELECT FROM: Organizational personnel responsible for memory protection; organizational personnel with information security responsibilities; system/network administrators; system developer].

Test

[SELECT FROM: Automated mechanisms supporting and/or implementing safeguards to protect the system memory from unauthorized code execution].

Overlays

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

Not applicable at this tier.

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 SI-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

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 information integrity policy
  • system security plan

Configuration

  • system design documentation
  • system configuration settings and associated documentation

Testing

  • Automated mechanisms supporting and/or implementing safeguards to protect the system memory from unauthorized code execution

Other Records

  • system and information integrity procedures
  • procedures addressing memory protection for the system
  • list of security safeguards protecting system memory from unauthorized code execution
  • system audit records
  • other relevant documents or records