Device Class 3: Tamper Resistance And Detection

Control ID: SA-18 Tamper Resistance And Detection Family: System and Services Acquisition Source: NIST 800-53r4
Control: The organization implements a tamper protection program for the information system, system component, or information system service.
Supplemental Guidance:
Anti-tamper technologies and techniques provide a level of protection for critical information systems, system components, and information technology products against a number of related threats including modification, reverse engineering, and substitution. Strong identification combined with tamper resistance and/or tamper detection is essential to protecting information systems, components, and products during distribution and when in use.

Related Controls: PE-3, SA-12, SI-7
Control Enhancements:
(1) Tamper Resistance And Detection | Multiple Phases Of Sdlc
The organization employs anti-tamper technologies and techniques during multiple phases in the system development life cycle including design, development, integration, operations, and maintenance.
Supplemental Guidance: Organizations use a combination of hardware and software techniques for tamper resistance and detection. Organizations employ obfuscation and self-checking, for example, to make reverse engineering and modifications more difficult, time-consuming, and expensive for adversaries. Customization of information systems and system components can make substitutions easier to detect and therefore limit damage.
Related Controls: SA-3

(2) Tamper Resistance And Detection | Inspection Of Information Systems, Components, Or Devices
The organization inspects [Assignment: organization-defined information systems, system components, or devices] [Selection (one or more): at random; at [Assignment: organization-defined frequency], upon [Assignment: organization-defined indications of need for inspection]] to detect tampering.
Supplemental Guidance: This control enhancement addresses both physical and logical tampering and is typically applied to mobile devices, notebook computers, or other system components taken out of organization-controlled areas. Indications of need for inspection include, for example, when individuals return from travel to high-risk locations.
Related Controls: SI-4
References: N/A
Mechanisms:

  • The device shall provide hardware security equivalent to FIPS 140-2 Level 3.

Protocol Implementation Conformance Statements:
ID Statement Status Reference Notes
SA-18/1 Meets FIPS 140-2 level 2 M FIPS 140-2