SI-6 — Security and Privacy Function Verification

Official NIST control content

Control statement

a.Verify the correct operation of [Organization-defined: organization-defined security and privacy functions];
b.Perform the verification of the functions specified in SI-6a [Organization-defined: si-06_odp.03];
c.Alert [Organization-defined: personnel or roles] to failed security and privacy verification tests; and
d.[Organization-defined: si-06_odp.07] when anomalies are discovered.

Official NIST discussion

Discussion

Transitional states for systems include system startup, restart, shutdown, and abort. System notifications include hardware indicator lights, electronic alerts to system administrators, and messages to local computer consoles. In contrast to security function verification, privacy function verification ensures that privacy functions operate as expected and are approved by the senior agency official for privacy or that privacy attributes are applied or used as expected.

Official OSCAL parameters

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.

organization-defined security and privacy functions

security functionssecurity functions to be verified for correct operation are defined;

privacy functionsprivacy functions to be verified for correct operation are defined;

si-06_odp.03

system transitional statessystem transitional states requiring the verification of security and privacy functions are defined; (if selected)

frequencyfrequency at which to verify the correct operation of security and privacy functions is defined; (if selected)

personnel or rolespersonnel or roles to be alerted of failed security and privacy verification tests is/are defined;

si-06_odp.07

alternative action(s)alternative action(s) to be performed when anomalies are discovered are defined (if selected);

Original Bare Metal Cyber perspective

From control text to operational evidence

Use Security and Privacy Function Verification 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 flaw remediation, malicious-code protection, monitoring, integrity, and trustworthy information handling.

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

patch and remediation records
malware protection configuration
monitoring alerts and response records
integrity validation and exception reports

Common failure patterns

patch compliance hides unsupported assets
alerts generated without response ownership
exceptions never expire
integrity monitoring excludes critical configurations

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?

Official NIST SP 800-53A content

Assessment objectives and methods

Show the assessment objective

SI-06a.
1. SI-06a.[01][Organization-defined: security functions] are verified to be operating correctly;
2. SI-06a.[02][Organization-defined: privacy functions] are verified to be operating correctly;
SI-06b.
1. SI-06b.[01][Organization-defined: security functions] are verified [Organization-defined: si-06_odp.03];
2. SI-06b.[02][Organization-defined: privacy functions] are verified [Organization-defined: si-06_odp.03];
SI-06c.
1. SI-06c.[01][Organization-defined: personnel or roles] is/are alerted to failed security verification tests;
2. SI-06c.[02][Organization-defined: personnel or roles] is/are alerted to failed privacy verification tests;
SI-06d.[Organization-defined: si-06_odp.07] is/are initiated when anomalies are discovered.

Examine

System and information integrity policy
system and information integrity procedures
procedures addressing security and privacy function verification
system design documentation
system configuration settings and associated documentation
alerts/notifications of failed security verification tests
list of system transition states requiring security functionality verification
system audit records
system security plan
privacy plan
other relevant documents or records

Interview

Organizational personnel with security and privacy function verification responsibilities
organizational personnel implementing, operating, and maintaining the system
system/network administrators
organizational personnel with information security and privacy responsibilities
system developer

Test

Organizational processes for security and privacy function verification
mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the security and privacy function verification capability

Official relationships

Related controls

These relationships come from the official OSCAL catalog. They indicate useful dependencies or context, not automatic inheritance or equivalence.

Official NIST enhancements

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.

Official NIST control enhancement

SI-6(1) — Notification of Failed Security Tests

Withdrawn

This enhancement is marked withdrawn in the official OSCAL catalog. Related-control metadata below may identify where its intent was incorporated.

Official NIST control enhancement

SI-6(2) — Automation Support for Distributed Testing

Implement automated mechanisms to support the management of distributed security and privacy function testing.

Official discussion

The use of automated mechanisms to support the management of distributed function testing helps to ensure the integrity, timeliness, completeness, and efficacy of such testing.

Assessment objectives and methods

SI-06(02)[01]automated mechanisms are implemented to support the management of distributed security function testing;
SI-06(02)[02]automated mechanisms are implemented to support the management of distributed privacy function testing.

Examine

System and information integrity policy
system and information integrity procedures
procedures addressing security and privacy function verification
system design documentation
system configuration settings and associated documentation
system audit records
system security plan
privacy plan
other relevant documents or records

Interview

Organizational personnel with security and privacy function verification responsibilities
organizational personnel implementing, operating, and maintaining the system
system/network administrators
organizational personnel with information security and privacy responsibilities

Test

Organizational processes for security and privacy function verification
automated mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the management of distributed security and privacy testing

Related controls

Official NIST control enhancement

SI-6(3) — Report Verification Results

Report the results of security and privacy function verification to [Organization-defined: personnel or roles].

Official discussion

Organizational personnel with potential interest in the results of the verification of security and privacy functions include systems security officers, senior agency information security officers, and senior agency officials for privacy.

Organization-defined parameters (1)

personnel or rolespersonnel or roles designated to receive the results of security and privacy function verification is/are defined;

Assessment objectives and methods

SI-06(03)[01]the results of security function verification are reported to [Organization-defined: personnel or roles];
SI-06(03)[02]the results of privacy function verification are reported to [Organization-defined: personnel or roles].

Examine

System and information integrity policy
system and information integrity procedures
procedures addressing security and privacy function verification
system design documentation
system configuration settings and associated documentation
reports of security and privacy function verification results
system audit records
system security plan
privacy plan
other relevant documents or records

Interview

Organizational personnel with security and privacy function verification responsibilities
organizational personnel who are recipients of security and privacy function verification reports
organizational personnel with information security and privacy responsibilities

Test

Organizational processes for reporting security and privacy function verification results
mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the reporting of security and privacy function verification results

Related controls

Source record

Authoritative sources

OMB A-130 ↗

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.