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NIST SP 800-171 CUI Protection Center

03.13.13 — Mobile Code

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.

1Source controls
5Assessment objectives
3Assessment methods

03.13 — System and Communications Protection · NIST SP 800-171 Revision 3

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Official NIST requirement content

Security requirement

  1. a.Define acceptable mobile code and mobile code technologies.
  2. b.Authorize, monitor, and control the use of mobile code.
Official NIST discussion

Discussion

Mobile code includes software programs or parts of programs that are obtained from remote systems, transmitted across a network, and executed on a local system without explicit installation or execution by the recipient. Decisions regarding the use of mobile code are based on the potential for the code to cause damage to the system if used maliciously. Mobile code technologies include Java applets, JavaScript, HTML5, VBScript, and WebGL. Usage restrictions and implementation guidelines apply to the selection and use of mobile code installed on servers and downloaded and executed on individual workstations and devices, including notebook computers, smart phones, and smart devices. Mobile code policies and procedures address the actions taken to prevent the development, acquisition, and use of unacceptable mobile code within the system, including requiring mobile code to be digitally signed by a trusted source.

Bare Metal Cyber interpretation

Implementation perspective

Treat Mobile Code as a CUI protection outcome that must be reflected in the system boundary, documented implementation, operational behavior, and assessment evidence. Pay particular attention to secure architecture, boundary protection, communications security, cryptography, and isolation of CUI processing.

  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

  • network and trust-boundary diagrams
  • firewall and gateway configurations
  • cryptographic configuration and key records
  • segmentation and isolation test results

Common failure patterns

  • diagrams omitting cloud and third-party paths
  • encryption enabled without key governance
  • flat trust zones permitting unnecessary lateral movement
  • boundary rules accumulating without owner review
Official NIST SP 800-171A content

Assessment objectives and methods

Assessment objectives (5)
  1. b.

    the use of mobile code is authorized.

  2. b.

    the use of mobile code is monitored.

  3. b.

    the use of mobile code is controlled.

  4. a.

    acceptable mobile code is defined.

  5. a.

    acceptable mobile code technologies are defined.

Examine

  • system and communications protection policy and procedures
  • procedures for mobile code
  • mobile code implementation policy and procedures
  • list of acceptable mobile code and mobile code technologies
  • authorization records
  • system monitoring records
  • system audit records
  • system security plan
  • other relevant documents or records

Interview

  • personnel with responsibilities for managing mobile code
  • personnel with information security responsibilities
  • system administrators

Test

  • processes for authorizing, monitoring, and controlling mobile code
  • mechanisms for supporting or implementing the management of mobile code
  • mechanisms for supporting or implementing mobile code monitoring
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 controlSC-18Open 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.