SI-8 SI · System and Information Integrity

Spam Protection

LOW ✓ MODERATE ✓ HIGH
2 Enhancements 1 Overlay 6 Related Controls
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Requirements NIST SOURCE

Discussion (NIST Supplemental Guidance)

System entry and exit points include firewalls, remote-access servers, electronic mail servers, web servers, proxy servers, workstations, notebook computers, and mobile devices. Spam can be transported by different means, including email, email attachments, and web accesses. Spam protection mechanisms include signature definitions.

Enhancements NIST SOURCE

SI-8(1) Central Management WITHDRAWN

Withdrawn. Incorporated into PL-9.

SI-8(2) Automatic Updates LOW ✓ MODERATE ✓ HIGH

Automatically update spam protection mechanisms [frequency].

Discussion

Using automated mechanisms to update spam protection mechanisms helps to ensure that updates occur on a regular basis and provide the latest content and protection capabilities.

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SI-8(3) Continuous Learning Capability LOW MODERATE HIGH

Implement spam protection mechanisms with a learning capability to more effectively identify legitimate communications traffic.

Discussion

Learning mechanisms include Bayesian filters that respond to user inputs that identify specific traffic as spam or legitimate by updating algorithm parameters and thereby more accurately separating types of traffic.

Open full page for SI-8(3) →

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-8 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. spam protection mechanisms are employed at system entry points to detect unsolicited messages;
  2. spam protection mechanisms are employed at system exit points to detect unsolicited messages;
  3. spam protection mechanisms are employed at system entry points to act on unsolicited messages;
  4. spam protection mechanisms are employed at system exit points to act on unsolicited messages;
  5. spam protection mechanisms are updated when new releases are available in accordance with organizational configuration management policies and procedures.

Examine

[SELECT FROM: System and information integrity policy; system and information integrity procedures; configuration management policies and procedures (CM-01); procedures addressing spam protection; spam protection mechanisms; records of spam protection updates; system design documentation; system configuration settings and associated documentation; system audit records; system security plan; other relevant documents or records].

Interview

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

Test

[SELECT FROM: Organizational processes for implementing spam protection; mechanisms supporting and/or implementing spam protection].

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)
  • Included: (2)

HIGH

  • Base control: Included (matches standard baseline)
  • Included: (2)

STIGs & CCIs

No STIG checks or CCI mappings are currently loaded for SI-8. 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

  • configuration management policies and procedures (CM-01)
  • system design documentation
  • system configuration settings and associated documentation

Testing

  • Organizational processes for implementing spam protection
  • mechanisms supporting and/or implementing spam protection

Other Records

  • system and information integrity procedures
  • procedures addressing spam protection
  • spam protection mechanisms
  • records of spam protection updates
  • system audit records
  • other relevant documents or records