MP-6(8)_remote-purging-or-wiping-of-information

MP-6(8) Remote Purging or Wiping of Information

Enhancement of: MP-6

High-Level Description

Family: Media Protection (MP) Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5

Remote purging or wiping of information protects information on organizational systems and system components if systems or components are obtained by unauthorized individuals. Remote purge or wipe commands require strong authentication to help mitigate the risk of unauthorized individuals purging or wiping the system, component, or device. The purge or wipe function can be implemented in a variety of ways, including by overwriting data or information multiple times or by destroying the key necessary to decrypt encrypted data.

What to Check

• Verify MP-6(8) Remote Purging or Wiping of Information is documented in SSP
• Confirm control is operating effectively
• Review evidence of continuous monitoring for MP-6(8)
• Verify enhancement builds upon base control MP-6

How to Test

Step 1: Review Documentation

Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for MP-6(8) 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

Provide the capability to purge or wipe information from [organization-defined] [organization-defined].

Implementation Guidance

Remote purging or wiping of information protects information on organizational systems and system components if systems or components are obtained by unauthorized individuals. Remote purge or wipe commands require strong authentication to help mitigate the risk of unauthorized individuals purging or wiping the system, component, or device. The purge or wipe function can be implemented in a variety of ways, including by overwriting data or information multiple times or by destroying the key necessary to decrypt encrypted data.

Risk Assessment

CWE Categories

References

• NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 - MP-6(8)
• 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 (none) reviewed