Organizational Control: Baseline Configuration

Control ID: CM-2 Baseline Configuration Family: Configuration Management Source: NIST 800-53r4
Control: The organization develops, documents, and maintains under configuration control, a current baseline configuration of the information system.
Supplemental Guidance:
This control establishes baseline configurations for information systems and system components including communications and connectivity-related aspects of systems. Baseline configurations are documented, formally reviewed and agreed-upon sets of specifications for information systems or configuration items within those systems. Baseline configurations serve as a basis for future builds, releases, and/or changes to information systems. Baseline configurations include information about information system components (e.g., standard software packages installed on workstations, notebook computers, servers, network components, or mobile devices; current version numbers and patch information on operating systems and applications; and configuration settings/parameters), network topology, and the logical placement of those components within the system architecture. Maintaining baseline configurations requires creating new baselines as organizational information systems change over time. Baseline configurations of information systems reflect the current enterprise architecture.

Related Controls: CM-3, CM-6, CM-8, CM-9, SA-10, PM-5, PM-7
Control Enhancements:
(1) Baseline Configuration | Reviews And Updates
The organization reviews and updates the baseline configuration of the information system:
  1. [Assignment: organization-defined frequency];
  2. When required due to [Assignment organization-defined circumstances]; and
  3. As an integral part of information system component installations and upgrades.

Supplemental Guidance:
Related Controls: CM-5

(2) Baseline Configuration | Automation Support For Accuracy / Currency
The organization employs automated mechanisms to maintain an up-to-date, complete, accurate, and readily available baseline configuration of the information system.
Supplemental Guidance: Automated mechanisms that help organizations maintain consistent baseline configurations for information systems include, for example, hardware and software inventory tools, configuration management tools, and network management tools. Such tools can be deployed and/or allocated as common controls, at the information system level, or at the operating system or component level (e.g., on workstations, servers, notebook computers, network components, or mobile devices). Tools can be used, for example, to track version numbers on operating system applications, types of software installed, and current patch levels. This control enhancement can be satisfied by the implementation of CM-8 (2) for organizations that choose to combine information system component inventory and baseline configuration activities.
Related Controls: CM-7, RA-5

(3) Baseline Configuration | Retention Of Previous Configurations
The organization retains [Assignment: organization-defined previous versions of baseline configurations of the information system] to support rollback.
Supplemental Guidance: Retaining previous versions of baseline configurations to support rollback may include, for example, hardware, software, firmware, configuration files, and configuration records.
Related Controls: N/A

(7) Baseline Configuration | Configure Systems, Components, Or Devices For High-risk Areas
The organization:
  1. Issues [Assignment: organization-defined information systems, system components, or devices] with [Assignment: organization-defined configurations] to individuals traveling to locations that the organization deems to be of significant risk; and
  2. Applies [Assignment: organization-defined security safeguards] to the devices when the individuals return.

Supplemental Guidance: When it is known that information systems, system components, or devices (e.g.,notebook computers, mobile devices) will be located in high-risk areas, additional security controls may be implemented to counter the greater threat in such areas coupled with the lack of physical security relative to organizational-controlled areas. For example, organizational policies and procedures for notebook computers used by individuals departing on and returning from travel include, for example, determining which locations are of concern, defining required configurations for the devices, ensuring that the devices are configured as intended before travel is initiated, and applying specific safeguards to the device after travel is completed. Specially configured notebook computers include, for example, computers with sanitized hard drives, limited applications, and additional hardening (e.g., more stringent configuration settings). Specified safeguards applied to mobile devices upon return from travel include, for example, examining the device for signs of physical tampering and purging/reimaging the hard disk drive. Protecting information residing on mobile devices is covered in the media protection family.
Related Controls: N/A
References: NIST Special Publication 800-128.
Mechanisms:

Protocol Implementation Conformance Statements: N/A