SA-8(29)_repeatable-and-documented-procedures

SA-8(29) Repeatable and Documented Procedures

Enhancement of: SA-8

High-Level Description

Family: System and Services Acquisition (SA) Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5

The principle of repeatable and documented procedures states that the techniques and methods employed to construct a system component permit the same component to be completely and correctly reconstructed at a later time. Repeatable and documented procedures support the development of a component that is identical to the component created earlier, which may be in widespread use. In the case of other system artifacts (e.g., documentation and testing results), repeatability supports consistency and the ability to inspect the artifacts. Repeatable and documented procedures can be introduced at various stages within the system development life cycle and contribute to the ability to evaluate assurance claims for the system. Examples include systematic procedures for code development and review, procedures for the configuration management of development tools and system artifacts, and procedures for system delivery.

What to Check

• Verify SA-8(29) Repeatable and Documented Procedures is documented in SSP
• Confirm control is operating effectively
• Review evidence of continuous monitoring for SA-8(29)
• Verify enhancement builds upon base control SA-8

How to Test

Step 1: Review Documentation

Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for SA-8(29) 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

Implement the security design principle of repeatable and documented procedures in [organization-defined].

Implementation Guidance

The principle of repeatable and documented procedures states that the techniques and methods employed to construct a system component permit the same component to be completely and correctly reconstructed at a later time. Repeatable and documented procedures support the development of a component that is identical to the component created earlier, which may be in widespread use. In the case of other system artifacts (e.g., documentation and testing results), repeatability supports consistency and the ability to inspect the artifacts. Repeatable and documented procedures can be introduced at various stages within the system development life cycle and contribute to the ability to evaluate assurance claims for the system. Examples include systematic procedures for code development and review, procedures for the configuration management of development tools and system artifacts, and procedures for system delivery.

Risk Assessment

CWE Categories

References

• NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 - SA-8(29)
• 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 (CM-1, SA-1, SA-10, SA-11, SA-15) reviewed