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SI-7(6) SI · System and Information Integrity

Cryptographic Protection

LOW MODERATE HIGH
1 Overlay 2 Related Controls
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Requirements NIST SOURCE

Implement cryptographic mechanisms to detect unauthorized changes to software, firmware, and information.

Discussion (NIST Supplemental Guidance)

Cryptographic mechanisms used to protect integrity include digital signatures and the computation and application of signed hashes using asymmetric cryptography, protecting the confidentiality of the key used to generate the hash, and using the public key to verify the hash information. Organizations that employ cryptographic mechanisms also consider cryptographic key management solutions.

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-7(6) 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. cryptographic mechanisms are implemented to detect unauthorized changes to software;
  2. cryptographic mechanisms are implemented to detect unauthorized changes to firmware;
  3. cryptographic mechanisms are implemented to detect unauthorized changes to information.

Examine

[SELECT FROM: System and information integrity policy; system and information integrity procedures; procedures addressing software, firmware, and information integrity; system design documentation; system configuration settings and associated documentation; cryptographic mechanisms and associated documentation; records of detected unauthorized changes to software, firmware, and information; system audit records; system security plan; other relevant documents or records].

Interview

[SELECT FROM: Organizational personnel responsible for software, firmware, and/or information integrity; organizational personnel with information security responsibilities; system/network administrators; system developer].

Test

[SELECT FROM: Software, firmware, and information integrity verification tools; cryptographic mechanisms implementing software, firmware, and information integrity].

Overlays

Showing the OT/ICS overlay for the parent control SI-7 — see the SI-7(6) 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

Not applicable at this tier.

MODERATE

  • Base control: Included (matches standard baseline)
  • Included: (1) (7)

HIGH

  • Base control: Included (matches standard baseline)
  • Included: (1) (2) (5) (7) (15)

STIGs & CCIs

No STIG checks or CCI mappings are currently loaded for SI-7(6). 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

  • Software, firmware, and information integrity verification tools
  • cryptographic mechanisms implementing software, firmware, and information integrity

Other Records

  • system and information integrity procedures
  • procedures addressing software, firmware, and information integrity
  • cryptographic mechanisms and associated documentation
  • records of detected unauthorized changes to software, firmware, and information
  • system audit records
  • other relevant documents or records