Security requirement
Restrict access to CUI on system media to authorized personnel or roles.
Discussion
System media include digital and non-digital media. Access to CUI on system media can be restricted by physically controlling such media. This includes conducting inventories, ensuring that procedures are in place to allow individuals to check out and return media to the media library, and maintaining accountability for stored media. For digital media, access to CUI can be restricted by using cryptographic means. Encrypting data in storage or at rest is addressed in 03.13.08.
Implementation perspective
Treat Media Access as a CUI protection outcome that must be reflected in the system boundary, documented implementation, operational behavior, and assessment evidence. Pay particular attention to CUI media accountability, access, marking, storage, transport, sanitization, and disposal.
- Confirm the requirement is in scope for the CUI system components, services, users, and external connections being assessed.
- Resolve every organization-defined parameter through an approved governance and tailoring process.
- Map each clause of the requirement to an accountable owner, implementation mechanism, and evidence source.
- Verify that inherited and shared implementations are supported by current provider evidence and responsibility boundaries.
- Collect evidence during normal operation and review changes, exceptions, and deficiencies on a risk-based cadence.
Questions to ask
- Which CUI assets, data flows, users, and services are protected by this requirement?
- Which portions are implemented locally, inherited, shared, or not applicable, and what evidence supports that determination?
- Do the system security plan, deployed configuration, operating process, and assessment evidence tell the same story?
- What change, incident, or threshold should trigger reassessment?
Evidence and validation
- media inventories and chain-of-custody records
- sanitization certificates
- transport and storage procedures
- removable-media control logs
Common failure patterns
- cloud snapshots and virtual media excluded
- sanitization method not matched to media type
- untracked removable media
- disposal vendors accepted without verification
Assessment objectives and methods
Assessment objectives (1)
- SR-03.8.2.
access to CUI on system media is restricted to authorized personnel or roles.
Examine
- physical protection policy and procedures
- media protection policy and procedures
- procedures for media access restrictions
- access control policy and procedures
- media storage facilities
- access control records
- system security plan
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- personnel with system media protection responsibilities
- personnel with information security responsibilities
- system administrators
Test
- processes for restricting information on media
- mechanisms for supporting or implementing media access restrictions
Source NIST SP 800-53 controls
These controls are referenced by the official SP 800-171 Rev. 3 OSCAL record. Open the corresponding control pages for complete control text, enhancements, D3FEND mappings, and related learning.
Authoritative sources
- NIST SP 800-171 Revision 3 official publication ↗
- NIST SP 800-171A Revision 3 official publication ↗
- NIST OSCAL Content release used for this import ↗
Bare Metal Cyber is an independent educational publisher and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NIST. The official publications, the responsible federal agency, and the governing contract or agreement determine applicability, tailoring, assessment depth, and required implementation.