MP-7 Media Use (L) (M) (H)

NIST 800-53 (r4) Control:

The organization [Selection: restricts; prohibits] the use of [Assignment: organization-defined types of information system media] on [Assignment: organization-defined information systems or system components] using [Assignment: organization-defined security safeguards].

NIST 800-53 (r4) Supplemental Guidance:

Information system media includes both digital and non-digital media. Digital media includes, for example, diskettes, magnetic tapes, external/removable hard disk drives, flash drives, compact disks, and digital video disks. Non-digital media includes, for example, paper and microfilm. This control also applies to mobile devices with information storage capability (e.g., smart phones, tablets, E-readers). In contrast to MP-2, which restricts user access to media, this control restricts the use of certain types of media on information systems, for example, restricting/prohibiting the use of flash drives or external hard disk drives. Organizations can employ technical and nontechnical safeguards (e.g., policies, procedures, rules of behavior) to restrict the use of information system media. Organizations may restrict the use of portable storage devices, for example, by using physical cages on workstations to prohibit access to certain external ports, or disabling/removing the ability to insert, read or write to such devices. Organizations may also limit the use of portable storage devices to only approved devices including, for example, devices provided by the organization, devices provided by other approved organizations, and devices that are not personally owned. Finally, organizations may restrict the use of portable storage devices based on the type of device, for example, prohibiting the use of writeable, portable storage devices, and implementing this restriction by disabling or removing the capability to write to such devices. Related controls: AC-19, PL-4.

References: FIPS Publication 199; NIST Special Publication 800-111.

NIST 800-53 (r5) Discussion:

System media includes both digital and non-digital media. Digital media includes diskettes, magnetic tapes, flash drives, compact discs, digital versatile discs, and removable hard disk drives. Non-digital media includes paper and microfilm. Media use protections also apply to mobile devices with information storage capabilities. In contrast to MP-2, which restricts user access to media, MP-7 restricts the use of certain types of media on systems, for example, restricting or prohibiting the use of flash drives or external hard disk drives. Organizations use technical and nontechnical controls to restrict the use of system media. Organizations may restrict the use of portable storage devices, for example, by using physical cages on workstations to prohibit access to certain external ports or disabling or removing the ability to insert, read, or write to such devices. Organizations may also limit the use of portable storage devices to only approved devices, including devices provided by the organization, devices provided by other approved organizations, and devices that are not personally owned. Finally, organizations may restrict the use of portable storage devices based on the type of device, such as by prohibiting the use of writeable, portable storage devices and implementing this restriction by disabling or removing the capability to write to such devices. Requiring identifiable owners for storage devices reduces the risk of using such devices by allowing organizations to assign responsibility for addressing known vulnerabilities in the devices.

38North Guidance:

Meets Minimum Requirement:

• The organization defines which specific media is either restricted or prohibited from us on specific components

• The organization defines and implements safeguards to restrict or prohibit the use of media

• There are procedures to restrict or prohibit the use of specific components using defined safeguards

• Information systems must deploy safeguards to prohibit or restrict the use of system media

Best Practice:

• TBD

Unofficial FedRAMP Guidance: None

Assessment Evidence:

• Network Access Control (NAC) security policies

• List of restricted or prohibited media

• List of safeguard in place to restrict or prohibit media

• Screenshots of safeguard configurations that show specific media is restricted or prohibited

CSP Implementation Tips:

• Amazon Web Services (AWS): Fully Inherited

• Microsoft Azure: Fully Inherited

• Google Cloud Platform: Fully Inherited