Control statement
Require the developer of the system, system component, or system service to:
- a.Perform configuration management during system, component, or service [Organization-defined: sa-10_odp.01];
- b.Document, manage, and control the integrity of changes to [Organization-defined: configuration items];
- c.Implement only organization-approved changes to the system, component, or service;
- d.Document approved changes to the system, component, or service and the potential security and privacy impacts of such changes; and
- e.Track security flaws and flaw resolution within the system, component, or service and report findings to [Organization-defined: personnel].
Discussion
Organizations consider the quality and completeness of configuration management activities conducted by developers as direct evidence of applying effective security controls. Controls include protecting the master copies of material used to generate security-relevant portions of the system hardware, software, and firmware from unauthorized modification or destruction. Maintaining the integrity of changes to the system, system component, or system service requires strict configuration control throughout the system development life cycle to track authorized changes and prevent unauthorized changes. The configuration items that are placed under configuration management include the formal model; the functional, high-level, and low-level design specifications; other design data; implementation documentation; source code and hardware schematics; the current running version of the object code; tools for comparing new versions of security-relevant hardware descriptions and source code with previous versions; and test fixtures and documentation. Depending on the mission and business needs of organizations and the nature of the contractual relationships in place, developers may provide configuration management support during the operations and maintenance stage of the system development life cycle.
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 Developer Configuration Management 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 acquisition, engineering, development lifecycle, supplier expectations, and system integrity by design.
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
- security requirements in contracts and specifications
- architecture and design review records
- development lifecycle evidence
- supplier assessment and acceptance records
Common failure patterns
- security requirements added after procurement
- supplier claims accepted without evidence
- development exceptions become permanent
- security architecture not tied to testable requirements
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
- SA-10a.the developer of the system, system component, or system service is required to perform configuration management during system, component, or service [Organization-defined: sa-10_odp.01];
- SA-10b.
- SA-10b.[01]the developer of the system, system component, or system service is required to document the integrity of changes to [Organization-defined: configuration items];
- SA-10b.[02]the developer of the system, system component, or system service is required to manage the integrity of changes to [Organization-defined: configuration items];
- SA-10b.[03]the developer of the system, system component, or system service is required to control the integrity of changes to [Organization-defined: configuration items];
- SA-10c.the developer of the system, system component, or system service is required to implement only organization-approved changes to the system, component, or service;
- SA-10d.
- SA-10d.[01]the developer of the system, system component, or system service is required to document approved changes to the system, component, or service;
- SA-10d.[02]the developer of the system, system component, or system service is required to document the potential security impacts of approved changes;
- SA-10d.[03]the developer of the system, system component, or system service is required to document the potential privacy impacts of approved changes;
- SA-10e.
- SA-10e.[01]the developer of the system, system component, or system service is required to track security flaws within the system, component, or service;
- SA-10e.[02]the developer of the system, system component, or system service is required to track security flaw resolutions within the system, component, or service;
- SA-10e.[03]the developer of the system, system component, or system service is required to report findings to [Organization-defined: personnel].
Examine
- System and services acquisition policy
- procedures addressing system developer configuration management
- solicitation documentation
- acquisition documentation
- service level agreements
- acquisition contracts for the system, system component, or system service
- system developer configuration management plan
- security flaw and flaw resolution tracking records
- system change authorization records
- change control records
- configuration management records
- system security plan
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- Organizational personnel with system and service acquisition responsibilities
- organizational personnel with information security responsibilities
- organizational personnel with configuration management responsibilities
- system developers
Test
- Organizational processes for monitoring developer configuration management
- mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the monitoring of developer configuration management
Related controls
These relationships come from the official OSCAL catalog. They indicate useful dependencies or context, not automatic inheritance or equivalence.
Related defensive techniques
D3FEND maps this base control or one of its enhancements to the following defensive techniques. The ontology relation label is preserved and does not by itself prove implementation or effectiveness.
MITRE D3FEND™ and the D3FEND logo are trademarks of The MITRE Corporation. Bare Metal Cyber is not affiliated with or endorsed by MITRE.
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.
SA-10(1) — Software and Firmware Integrity Verification
Require the developer of the system, system component, or system service to enable integrity verification of software and firmware components.
Official discussion
Software and firmware integrity verification allows organizations to detect unauthorized changes to software and firmware components using developer-provided tools, techniques, and mechanisms. The integrity checking mechanisms can also address counterfeiting of software and firmware components. Organizations verify the integrity of software and firmware components, for example, through secure one-way hashes provided by developers. Delivered software and firmware components also include any updates to such components.
Assessment objectives and methods
the developer of the system, system component, or system service is required to enable integrity verification of software and firmware components.
Examine
- System and services acquisition policy
- procedures addressing system developer configuration management
- solicitation documentation
- acquisition documentation
- service level agreements
- acquisition contracts for the system, system component, or system service
- system developer configuration management plan
- software and firmware integrity verification records
- system change authorization records
- change control records
- configuration management records
- system security plan
- supply chain risk management plan
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- Organizational personnel with system and service acquisition responsibilities
- organizational personnel with information security responsibilities
- organizational personnel with configuration management responsibilities
- system developers
- organizational personnel with supply chain risk management responsibilities
Test
- Organizational processes for monitoring developer configuration management
- mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the monitoring of developer configuration management
Related controls
SA-10(2) — Alternative Configuration Management Processes
Provide an alternate configuration management process using organizational personnel in the absence of a dedicated developer configuration management team.
Official discussion
Alternate configuration management processes may be required when organizations use commercial off-the-shelf information technology products. Alternate configuration management processes include organizational personnel who review and approve proposed changes to systems, system components, and system services and conduct security and privacy impact analyses prior to the implementation of changes to systems, components, or services.
Assessment objectives and methods
an alternate configuration management process has been provided using organizational personnel in the absence of a dedicated developer configuration management team.
Examine
- System and services acquisition policy
- system and services acquisition procedures
- configuration management policy
- configuration management plan
- solicitation documentation
- acquisition documentation
- service level agreements
- acquisition contracts for the system, system component, or system service
- system developer configuration management plan
- security impact analyses
- privacy impact analyses
- privacy impact assessment
- privacy risk assessment documentation
- system security plan
- privacy plan
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- Organizational personnel with acquisition responsibilities
- organizational personnel with information security and privacy responsibilities
- organizational personnel with configuration management responsibilities
- system developers
Test
- Organizational processes for monitoring developer configuration management
- mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the monitoring of developer configuration management
SA-10(3) — Hardware Integrity Verification
Require the developer of the system, system component, or system service to enable integrity verification of hardware components.
Official discussion
Hardware integrity verification allows organizations to detect unauthorized changes to hardware components using developer-provided tools, techniques, methods, and mechanisms. Organizations may verify the integrity of hardware components with hard-to-copy labels, verifiable serial numbers provided by developers, and by requiring the use of anti-tamper technologies. Delivered hardware components also include hardware and firmware updates to such components.
Assessment objectives and methods
the developer of the system, system component, or system service is required to enable integrity verification of hardware components.
Examine
- System and services acquisition policy
- procedures addressing system developer configuration management
- solicitation documentation
- acquisition documentation
- service level agreements
- acquisition contracts for the system, system component, or system service
- system developer configuration management plan
- hardware integrity verification records
- system security plan
- supply chain risk management plan
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- Organizational personnel with system and service acquisition responsibilities
- organizational personnel with information security responsibilities
- organizational personnel with configuration management responsibilities
- system developers
- organizational personnel with supply chain risk management responsibilities
Test
- Organizational processes for monitoring developer configuration management
- mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the monitoring of developer configuration management
Related controls
SA-10(4) — Trusted Generation
Require the developer of the system, system component, or system service to employ tools for comparing newly generated versions of security-relevant hardware descriptions, source code, and object code with previous versions.
Official discussion
The trusted generation of descriptions, source code, and object code addresses authorized changes to hardware, software, and firmware components between versions during development. The focus is on the efficacy of the configuration management process by the developer to ensure that newly generated versions of security-relevant hardware descriptions, source code, and object code continue to enforce the security policy for the system, system component, or system service. In contrast, [SA-10(1)](#sa-10.1) and [SA-10(3)](#sa-10.3) allow organizations to detect unauthorized changes to hardware, software, and firmware components using tools, techniques, or mechanisms provided by developers.
Assessment objectives and methods
- SA-10(04)[01]the developer of the system, system component, or system service is required to employ tools for comparing newly generated versions of security-relevant hardware descriptions with previous versions;
- SA-10(04)[02]the developer of the system, system component, or system service is required to employ tools for comparing newly generated versions of source code with previous versions;
- SA-10(04)[03]the developer of the system, system component, or system service is required to employ tools for comparing newly generated versions of object code with previous versions.
Examine
- System and services acquisition policy
- procedures addressing system developer configuration management
- solicitation documentation
- acquisition documentation
- service level agreements
- acquisition contracts for the system, system component, or system service
- system developer configuration management plan
- change control records
- configuration management records
- configuration control audit records
- system security plan
- other relevant documents or records
Test
- Organizational processes for monitoring developer configuration management
- mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the monitoring of developer configuration management
SA-10(5) — Mapping Integrity for Version Control
Require the developer of the system, system component, or system service to maintain the integrity of the mapping between the master build data describing the current version of security-relevant hardware, software, and firmware and the on-site master copy of the data for the current version.
Official discussion
Mapping integrity for version control addresses changes to hardware, software, and firmware components during both initial development and system development life cycle updates. Maintaining the integrity between the master copies of security-relevant hardware, software, and firmware (including designs, hardware drawings, source code) and the equivalent data in master copies in operational environments is essential to ensuring the availability of organizational systems that support critical mission and business functions.
Assessment objectives and methods
the developer of the system, system component, or system service is required to maintain the integrity of the mapping between the master build data describing the current version of security-relevant hardware, software, and firmware and the on-site master copy of the data for the current version.
Examine
- System and services acquisition policy
- procedures addressing system developer configuration management
- solicitation documentation
- acquisition documentation
- service level agreements
- acquisition contracts for the system, system component, or system service
- system developer configuration management plan
- change control records
- configuration management records
- version control change/update records
- integrity verification records between master copies of security-relevant hardware, software, and firmware (including designs and source code)
- system security plan
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- Organizational personnel with system and service acquisition responsibilities
- organizational personnel with information security responsibilities
- organizational personnel with configuration management responsibilities
- system developers
Test
- Organizational processes for monitoring developer configuration management
- mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the monitoring of developer configuration management
SA-10(6) — Trusted Distribution
Require the developer of the system, system component, or system service to execute procedures for ensuring that security-relevant hardware, software, and firmware updates distributed to the organization are exactly as specified by the master copies.
Official discussion
The trusted distribution of security-relevant hardware, software, and firmware updates help to ensure that the updates are correct representations of the master copies maintained by the developer and have not been tampered with during distribution.
Assessment objectives and methods
the developer of the system, system component, or system service is required to execute procedures for ensuring that security-relevant hardware, software, and firmware updates distributed to the organization are exactly as specified by the master copies.
Examine
- System and services acquisition policy
- procedures addressing system developer configuration management
- solicitation documentation
- acquisition documentation
- service level agreements
- acquisition contracts for the system, system component, or system service
- system developer configuration management plan
- change control records
- configuration management records
- system security plan
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- Organizational personnel with system and service acquisition responsibilities
- organizational personnel with information security responsibilities
- organizational personnel with configuration management responsibilities
- system developers
Test
- Organizational processes for monitoring developer configuration management
- mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the monitoring of developer configuration management
SA-10(7) — Security and Privacy Representatives
Require [Organization-defined: organization-defined security and privacy representatives] to be included in the [Organization-defined: organization-defined configuration change management and control process].
Official discussion
Information security and privacy representatives can include system security officers, senior agency information security officers, senior agency officials for privacy, and system privacy officers. Representation by personnel with information security and privacy expertise is important because changes to system configurations can have unintended side effects, some of which may be security- or privacy-relevant. Detecting such changes early in the process can help avoid unintended, negative consequences that could ultimately affect the security and privacy posture of systems. The configuration change management and control process in this control enhancement refers to the change management and control process defined by organizations in [SA-10b](#sa-10_smt.b).
Organization-defined parameters (6)
Assessment objectives and methods
- SA-10(07)[01][Organization-defined: security representatives] are required to be included in the [Organization-defined: configuration change management and control processes];
- SA-10(07)[02][Organization-defined: privacy representatives] are required to be included in the [Organization-defined: configuration change management and control processes].
Examine
- System and services acquisition policy
- system and services acquisition procedures
- configuration management policy
- configuration management plan
- solicitation documentation requiring representatives for security and privacy
- acquisition documentation
- service level agreements
- acquisition contracts for the system, system component, or system service
- system developer configuration management plan
- change control records
- configuration management records
- system security plan
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- Organizational personnel with system and service acquisition responsibilities
- organizational personnel with information security and privacy responsibilities
- organizational personnel with configuration management responsibilities
- system developers
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.