SI-7(10)_protection-of-boot-firmware

SI-7(10) Protection of Boot Firmware

Enhancement of: SI-7

High-Level Description

Family: System and Information Integrity (SI) Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5

Unauthorized modifications to boot firmware may indicate a sophisticated, targeted attack. These types of targeted attacks can result in a permanent denial of service or a persistent malicious code presence. These situations can occur if the firmware is corrupted or if the malicious code is embedded within the firmware. System components can protect the integrity of boot firmware in organizational systems by verifying the integrity and authenticity of all updates to the firmware prior to applying changes to the system component and preventing unauthorized processes from modifying the boot firmware.

What to Check

• Verify SI-7(10) Protection of Boot Firmware is documented in SSP
• Confirm control is operating effectively
• Review evidence of continuous monitoring for SI-7(10)
• Verify enhancement builds upon base control SI-7

How to Test

Step 1: Review Documentation

Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for SI-7(10) 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 following mechanisms to protect the integrity of boot firmware in [organization-defined]: [organization-defined].

Implementation Guidance

Unauthorized modifications to boot firmware may indicate a sophisticated, targeted attack. These types of targeted attacks can result in a permanent denial of service or a persistent malicious code presence. These situations can occur if the firmware is corrupted or if the malicious code is embedded within the firmware. System components can protect the integrity of boot firmware in organizational systems by verifying the integrity and authenticity of all updates to the firmware prior to applying changes to the system component and preventing unauthorized processes from modifying the boot firmware.

Risk Assessment

CWE Categories

References

• NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 - SI-7(10)
• 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 (SI-6) reviewed