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NIST SP 800-171 CUI Protection Center

03.08.09 — System Backup – Cryptographic Protection

Read the official CUI requirement and assessment content, then use the separately labeled Bare Metal Cyber perspective to connect it to implementation, evidence, and sustained operation.

2Source controls
2Assessment objectives
3Assessment methods

03.08 — Media Protection · NIST SP 800-171 Revision 3

Active
Official NIST requirement content

Security requirement

  1. a.Protect the confidentiality of backup information.
  2. b.Implement cryptographic mechanisms to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of CUI at backup storage locations.
Official NIST discussion

Discussion

The selection of cryptographic mechanisms is based on the need to protect the confidentiality of backup information. Hardware security module (HSM) devices safeguard and manage cryptographic keys and provide cryptographic processing. Cryptographic operations (e.g., encryption, decryption, and signature generation and verification) are typically hosted on the HSM device, and many implementations provide hardware-accelerated mechanisms for cryptographic operations. This requirement is related to 03.13.11.

Bare Metal Cyber interpretation

Implementation perspective

Treat System Backup – Cryptographic Protection 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.

  1. Confirm the requirement is in scope for the CUI system components, services, users, and external connections being assessed.
  2. Resolve every organization-defined parameter through an approved governance and tailoring process.
  3. Map each clause of the requirement to an accountable owner, implementation mechanism, and evidence source.
  4. Verify that inherited and shared implementations are supported by current provider evidence and responsibility boundaries.
  5. 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
Official NIST SP 800-171A content

Assessment objectives and methods

Assessment objectives (2)
  1. b.

    cryptographic mechanisms are implemented to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of CUI at backup storage locations.

  2. a.

    the confidentiality of backup information is protected.

Examine

  • contingency planning policy and procedures
  • procedures for system backup
  • contingency plan
  • system design documentation
  • system configuration settings
  • system security plan
  • other relevant documents or records

Interview

  • personnel with system backup responsibilities
  • personnel with information security responsibilities

Test

  • mechanisms for supporting or implementing the cryptographic protection of backup information
Official source-control relationships

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.

Source controlCP-9Open SP 800-53 control →Source controlCP-9(8)Open SP 800-53 control →
Source record

Authoritative sources

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.