Control statement
- a.Develop, document, and maintain under configuration control, a current baseline configuration of the system; and
- b.Review and update the baseline configuration of the system:
- 1.[Organization-defined: frequency];
- 2.When required due to [Organization-defined: circumstances] ; and
- 3.When system components are installed or upgraded.
Discussion
Baseline configurations for systems and system components include connectivity, operational, and communications aspects of systems. Baseline configurations are documented, formally reviewed, and agreed-upon specifications for systems or configuration items within those systems. Baseline configurations serve as a basis for future builds, releases, or changes to systems and include security and privacy control implementations, operational procedures, information about system components, network topology, and logical placement of components in the system architecture. Maintaining baseline configurations requires creating new baselines as organizational systems change over time. Baseline configurations of systems reflect the current enterprise architecture.
Organization-defined parameters
These values must be resolved through the organization’s tailoring and governance process. Bracketed parameter references in the control text identify where a decision is required.
From control text to operational evidence
Use Baseline Configuration as a testable risk decision. Translate the official statement into accountable people, repeatable processes, configured technology, and evidence that demonstrates the outcome over time. In this family, pay particular attention to secure baselines, controlled change, configuration visibility, and drift management.
Implementation workflow
- Define the control boundary, responsible owner, inherited portions, and systems or processes in scope.
- Resolve each organization-defined parameter before declaring the control implemented.
- Document how the implementation satisfies every clause of the official control statement.
- Collect evidence as a normal byproduct of operation rather than only before an assessment.
- Review exceptions, changes, and monitoring results on a risk-based cadence.
Evidence examples
- approved baseline configurations
- change tickets and approvals
- configuration scans and drift reports
- software and hardware inventories
Common failure patterns
- baselines documented but not enforced
- emergency changes never reconciled
- asset inventories that omit cloud or ephemeral resources
- security-impact analysis performed after deployment
Questions practitioners should ask
- What risk decision is this control intended to support in this system?
- Which parts are implemented locally, inherited, shared, or not applicable—and what evidence supports that decision?
- Do the documented narrative, deployed configuration, operating process, and collected evidence agree?
- What event or threshold requires the implementation to be reviewed or changed?
Assessment objectives and methods
Show the assessment objective
- CM-02a.
- CM-02a.[01]a current baseline configuration of the system is developed and documented;
- CM-02a.[02]a current baseline configuration of the system is maintained under configuration control;
- CM-02b.
- CM-02b.01the baseline configuration of the system is reviewed and updated [Organization-defined: frequency];
- CM-02b.02the baseline configuration of the system is reviewed and updated when required due to [Organization-defined: circumstances];
- CM-02b.03the baseline configuration of the system is reviewed and updated when system components are installed or upgraded.
Examine
- Configuration management policy
- procedures addressing the baseline configuration of the system
- configuration management plan
- enterprise architecture documentation
- system design documentation
- system security plan
- privacy plan
- system architecture and configuration documentation
- system configuration settings and associated documentation
- system component inventory
- change control records
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- Organizational personnel with configuration management responsibilities
- organizational personnel with information security and privacy responsibilities
- system/network administrators
Test
- Organizational processes for managing baseline configurations
- mechanisms supporting configuration control of the baseline configuration
Related controls
These relationships come from the official OSCAL catalog. They indicate useful dependencies or context, not automatic inheritance or equivalence.
Related NIST SP 800-171 requirements
These Rev. 3 requirements cite this base control or one of its enhancements as a source. The relationship does not by itself determine contractual applicability or complete implementation.
Related NIST SP 800-172 requirements
These Rev. 3 requirements cite this base control or one of its enhancements as a source. The relationship does not by itself determine contractual applicability or complete implementation.
Control enhancements
Enhancements add specificity, strength, or scope to the base control. Baseline badges show explicit selections in the official SP 800-53B OSCAL profiles.
CM-2(1) — Reviews and Updates
This enhancement is marked withdrawn in the official OSCAL catalog. Related-control metadata below may identify where its intent was incorporated.
CM-2(2) — Automation Support for Accuracy and Currency
Maintain the currency, completeness, accuracy, and availability of the baseline configuration of the system using [Organization-defined: automated mechanisms].
Official discussion
Automated mechanisms that help organizations maintain consistent baseline configurations for systems include configuration management tools, hardware, software, firmware inventory tools, and network management tools. Automated tools can be used at the organization level, mission and business process level, or system level on workstations, servers, notebook computers, network components, or mobile devices. Tools can be used to track version numbers on operating systems, applications, types of software installed, and current patch levels. Automation support for accuracy and currency can be satisfied by the implementation of [CM-8(2)](#cm-8.2) for organizations that combine system component inventory and baseline configuration activities.
Organization-defined parameters (1)
Assessment objectives and methods
- CM-02(02)[01]the currency of the baseline configuration of the system is maintained using [Organization-defined: automated mechanisms];
- CM-02(02)[02]the completeness of the baseline configuration of the system is maintained using [Organization-defined: automated mechanisms];
- CM-02(02)[03]the accuracy of the baseline configuration of the system is maintained using [Organization-defined: automated mechanisms];
- CM-02(02)[04]the availability of the baseline configuration of the system is maintained using [Organization-defined: automated mechanisms].
Examine
- Configuration management policy
- procedures addressing the baseline configuration of the system
- configuration management plan
- system design documentation
- system architecture and configuration documentation
- system configuration settings and associated documentation
- system component inventory
- configuration change control records
- system security plan
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- Organizational personnel with configuration management responsibilities
- organizational personnel with information security responsibilities
- system/network administrators
Test
- Organizational processes for managing baseline configurations
- automated mechanisms implementing baseline configuration maintenance
Related controls
CM-2(3) — Retention of Previous Configurations
Retain [Organization-defined: number] of previous versions of baseline configurations of the system to support rollback.
Official discussion
Retaining previous versions of baseline configurations to support rollback include hardware, software, firmware, configuration files, configuration records, and associated documentation.
Organization-defined parameters (1)
Assessment objectives and methods
[Organization-defined: number] of previous baseline configuration version(s) of the system is/are retained to support rollback.
Examine
- Configuration management policy
- procedures addressing the baseline configuration of the system
- configuration management plan
- system architecture and configuration documentation
- system configuration settings and associated documentation
- copies of previous baseline configuration versions
- system security plan
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- Organizational personnel with configuration management responsibilities
- organizational personnel with information security responsibilities
- system/network administrators
Test
- Organizational processes for managing baseline configurations
CM-2(4) — Unauthorized Software
This enhancement is marked withdrawn in the official OSCAL catalog. Related-control metadata below may identify where its intent was incorporated.
CM-2(5) — Authorized Software
This enhancement is marked withdrawn in the official OSCAL catalog. Related-control metadata below may identify where its intent was incorporated.
CM-2(6) — Development and Test Environments
Maintain a baseline configuration for system development and test environments that is managed separately from the operational baseline configuration.
Official discussion
Establishing separate baseline configurations for development, testing, and operational environments protects systems from unplanned or unexpected events related to development and testing activities. Separate baseline configurations allow organizations to apply the configuration management that is most appropriate for each type of configuration. For example, the management of operational configurations typically emphasizes the need for stability, while the management of development or test configurations requires greater flexibility. Configurations in the test environment mirror configurations in the operational environment to the extent practicable so that the results of the testing are representative of the proposed changes to the operational systems. Separate baseline configurations do not necessarily require separate physical environments.
Assessment objectives and methods
- CM-02(06)[01]a baseline configuration for system development environments that is managed separately from the operational baseline configuration is maintained;
- CM-02(06)[02]a baseline configuration for test environments that is managed separately from the operational baseline configuration is maintained.
Examine
- Configuration management policy
- procedures addressing the baseline configuration of the system
- configuration management plan
- system design documentation
- system architecture and configuration documentation
- system configuration settings and associated documentation
- system security plan
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- Organizational personnel with configuration management responsibilities
- organizational personnel with information security responsibilities
- system/network administrators
Test
- Organizational processes for managing baseline configurations
- mechanisms implementing separate baseline configurations for development, test, and operational environments
Related controls
CM-2(7) — Configure Systems and Components for High-risk Areas
- (a)Issue [Organization-defined: systems or system components] with [Organization-defined: configurations] to individuals traveling to locations that the organization deems to be of significant risk; and
- (b)Apply the following controls to the systems or components when the individuals return from travel: [Organization-defined: controls].
Official discussion
When it is known that systems or system components will be in high-risk areas external to the organization, additional controls may be implemented to counter the increased threat in such areas. For example, organizations can take actions for notebook computers used by individuals departing on and returning from travel. Actions include determining the locations that are of concern, defining the required configurations for the components, ensuring that components are configured as intended before travel is initiated, and applying controls to the components after travel is completed. Specially configured notebook computers include computers with sanitized hard drives, limited applications, and more stringent configuration settings. Controls applied to mobile devices upon return from travel include examining the mobile device for signs of physical tampering and purging and reimaging disk drives. Protecting information that resides on mobile devices is addressed in the [MP](#mp) (Media Protection) family.
Organization-defined parameters (3)
Assessment objectives and methods
- CM-02(07)(a)[Organization-defined: systems or system components] with [Organization-defined: configurations] are issued to individuals traveling to locations that the organization deems to be of significant risk;
- CM-02(07)(b)[Organization-defined: controls] are applied to the systems or system components when the individuals return from travel.
Examine
- Configuration management policy
- configuration management plan
- procedures addressing the baseline configuration of the system
- procedures addressing system component installations and upgrades
- system architecture and configuration documentation
- system configuration settings and associated documentation
- system component inventory
- records of system baseline configuration reviews and updates
- system component installations/upgrades and associated records
- change control records
- system security plan
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- Organizational personnel with configuration management responsibilities
- organizational personnel with information security responsibilities
- system/network administrators
Test
- Organizational processes for managing baseline configurations
Related controls
Authoritative sources
Bare Metal Cyber is an independent educational publisher and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NIST. Official control requirements and interpretations remain with NIST and the responsible authorizing organization.