Control statement
- a.Determine and document the [Organization-defined: alternate work sites] allowed for use by employees;
- b.Employ the following controls at alternate work sites: [Organization-defined: controls];
- c.Assess the effectiveness of controls at alternate work sites; and
- d.Provide a means for employees to communicate with information security and privacy personnel in case of incidents.
Discussion
Alternate work sites include government facilities or the private residences of employees. While distinct from alternative processing sites, alternate work sites can provide readily available alternate locations during contingency operations. Organizations can define different sets of controls for specific alternate work sites or types of sites depending on the work-related activities conducted at the sites. Implementing and assessing the effectiveness of organization-defined controls and providing a means to communicate incidents at alternate work sites supports the contingency planning activities of organizations.
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 Alternate Work Site 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 physical access, facility protection, environmental safeguards, and visitor accountability.
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
- badge and visitor logs
- physical access reviews
- facility diagrams and sensor records
- environmental and power test results
Common failure patterns
- logical security assumptions invalidated by physical access
- tailgating and visitor exceptions normalized
- critical infrastructure not included in access reviews
- environmental alarms not integrated into response
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
- PE-17a.[Organization-defined: alternate work sites] are determined and documented;
- PE-17b.[Organization-defined: controls] are employed at alternate work sites;
- PE-17c.the effectiveness of controls at alternate work sites is assessed;
- PE-17d.a means for employees to communicate with information security and privacy personnel in case of incidents is provided.
Examine
- Physical and environmental protection policy
- procedures addressing alternate work sites for organizational personnel
- list of security controls required for alternate work sites
- assessments of security controls at alternate work sites
- system security plan
- privacy plan
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- Organizational personnel approving the use of alternate work sites
- organizational personnel using alternate work sites
- organizational personnel assessing controls at alternate work sites
- organizational personnel with information security and privacy responsibilities
Test
- Organizational processes for security and privacy at alternate work sites
- mechanisms supporting alternate work sites
- security and privacy controls employed at alternate work sites
- means of communication between personnel at alternate work sites and security and privacy personnel
Related controls
These relationships come from the official OSCAL catalog. They indicate useful dependencies or context, not automatic inheritance or equivalence.
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.