cm-7-2-prevent-program-execution

name	CM-7(2)_prevent-program-execution
description	Prevent program execution in accordance with [organization-defined].
category	configuration
version	5.2.0
author	cyberstrike-official
tags	["nist","sp800-53","rev5","cm-7-2","cm","enhancement"]
tech_stack	["aws","azure","gcp","linux","windows"]
cwe_ids	["CWE-16"]
chains_with	["CM-8","PL-4","PL-9","PM-5","PS-6"]
prerequisites	["CM-7"]
severity_boost	{"CM-8":"Chain with CM-8 for comprehensive security coverage","PL-4":"Chain with PL-4 for comprehensive security coverage","PL-9":"Chain with PL-9 for comprehensive security coverage"}

CM-7(2) Prevent Program Execution

Enhancement of: CM-7

High-Level Description

Family: Configuration Management (CM) Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5

Prevention of program execution addresses organizational policies, rules of behavior, and/or access agreements that restrict software usage and the terms and conditions imposed by the developer or manufacturer, including software licensing and copyrights. Restrictions include prohibiting auto-execute features, restricting roles allowed to approve program execution, permitting or prohibiting specific software programs, or restricting the number of program instances executed at the same time.

What to Check

• Verify CM-7(2) Prevent Program Execution is documented in SSP
• Confirm control is operating effectively
• Review evidence of continuous monitoring for CM-7(2)
• Verify enhancement builds upon base control CM-7

How to Test

Step 1: Review Documentation

Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for CM-7(2) 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

Tool	Purpose	Usage
cloud-audit-mcp	Check configuration baselines	cloud_audit_config
AWS CLI	Review Config rules	aws configservice describe-config-rules

Remediation Guide

Control Statement

Prevent program execution in accordance with [organization-defined].

Implementation Guidance

Prevention of program execution addresses organizational policies, rules of behavior, and/or access agreements that restrict software usage and the terms and conditions imposed by the developer or manufacturer, including software licensing and copyrights. Restrictions include prohibiting auto-execute features, restricting roles allowed to approve program execution, permitting or prohibiting specific software programs, or restricting the number of program instances executed at the same time.