CM-6(2)_respond-to-unauthorized-changes

CM-6(2) Respond to Unauthorized Changes

Enhancement of: CM-6

High-Level Description

Family: Configuration Management (CM) Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5

Responses to unauthorized changes to configuration settings include alerting designated organizational personnel, restoring established configuration settings, or—in extreme cases—halting affected system processing.

What to Check

• Verify CM-6(2) Respond to Unauthorized Changes is documented in SSP
• Confirm control is operating effectively
• Review evidence of continuous monitoring for CM-6(2)
• Verify enhancement builds upon base control CM-6

How to Test

Step 1: Review Documentation

Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for CM-6(2) implementation details. Verify the organization has documented how this control is satisfied.

Step 2: Validate Implementation

# For cloud environments, use cloud-audit-mcp tools
# For on-premises, review system configurations directly

# Example: Check if account management policies exist
grep -r "account.management\|access.control" /etc/security/ 2>/dev/null

Step 3: Test Operating Effectiveness

Verify the control is actively functioning, not just documented. Check logs, configurations, and operational evidence.

Tools

Remediation Guide

Control Statement

Take the following actions in response to unauthorized changes to [organization-defined]: [organization-defined].

Implementation Guidance

Responses to unauthorized changes to configuration settings include alerting designated organizational personnel, restoring established configuration settings, or—in extreme cases—halting affected system processing.

Risk Assessment

CWE Categories

References

• NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 - CM-6(2)
• NIST SP 800-53A Rev 5 (Assessment Procedures)
• NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 Full Catalog

Checklist

• Control documented in SSP
• Implementation evidence collected
• Operating effectiveness validated
• Continuous monitoring in place
• Related controls (IR-4, IR-6, SI-7) reviewed