NIST 800-171 - Monitoring Physical Environment (3.10.2)

Overview:
Protect and monitor the physical facility and support infrastructure for those information systems.

Action Items:
3.10.2[a]
Determine if: the physical facility where organizational systems reside is protected.

3.10.2[b]
Determine if: the support infrastructure for organizational systems is protected.

3.10.2[c]
Determine if: the physical facility where organizational systems reside is monitored.

3.10.2[d]
Determine if: the support infrastructure for organizational systems is monitored.

POTENTIAL ASSESSMENT METHODS AND OBJECTS

1
Examine: Physical and environmental protection policy; procedures addressing physical access monitoring; system security plan; physical access logs or records; physical access monitoring records; physical access log reviews; other relevant documents or records].

2
Interview: Personnel with physical access monitoring responsibilities; personnel with incident response responsibilities; personnel with information security responsibilities].

3
Test: Organizational processes for monitoring physical access; mechanisms supporting or implementing physical access monitoring; mechanisms supporting or implementing the review of physical access logs].

Related Documents (document name and content will vary by organization):
1) Physical and environmental protection policy
2) procedures addressing physical access monitoring
3) system security plan
4) physical access logs or records
5) physical access monitoring records
6) physical access log reviews
7) other relevant documents or records

Additional Guidance:
Monitoring of physical access includes publicly accessible areas within organizational facilities. This can be accomplished, for example, by the employment of guards; the use of sensor devices; or the use of video surveillance equipment such as cameras. Examples of support infrastructure include system distribution, transmission, and power lines. Security safeguards applied to the support infrastructure prevent accidental damage, disruption, and physical tampering. Such safeguards may also be necessary to help prevent eavesdropping or modification of unencrypted transmissions. Safeguards used to control physical access to support infrastructure include, for example, locked wiring closets; disconnected or locked spare jacks; protection of cabling by conduit or cable trays; and wiretapping sensors.