| name | CM-8(2)_automated-maintenance |
| description | Maintain the currency, completeness, accuracy, and availability of the inventory of system components using [organization-defined]. |
| category | configuration |
| version | 5.2.0 |
| author | cyberstrike-official |
| tags | ["nist","sp800-53","rev5","cm-8-2","cm","enhancement"] |
| tech_stack | ["aws","azure","gcp","linux","windows"] |
| cwe_ids | ["CWE-16"] |
| chains_with | [] |
| prerequisites | ["CM-8"] |
| severity_boost | {} |
CM-8(2) Automated Maintenance
Enhancement of: CM-8
High-Level Description
Family: Configuration Management (CM)
Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5
Organizations maintain system inventories to the extent feasible. For example, virtual machines can be difficult to monitor because such machines are not visible to the network when not in use. In such cases, organizations maintain as up-to-date, complete, and accurate an inventory as is deemed reasonable. Automated maintenance can be achieved by the implementation of CM-2(2) for organizations that combine system component inventory and baseline configuration activities.
What to Check
How to Test
Step 1: Review Documentation
Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for CM-8(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
Maintain the currency, completeness, accuracy, and availability of the inventory of system components using [organization-defined].
Implementation Guidance
Organizations maintain system inventories to the extent feasible. For example, virtual machines can be difficult to monitor because such machines are not visible to the network when not in use. In such cases, organizations maintain as up-to-date, complete, and accurate an inventory as is deemed reasonable. Automated maintenance can be achieved by the implementation of for organizations that combine system component inventory and baseline configuration activities.
