| name | IR-9_information-spillage-response |
| description | Respond to information spills by: Assigning [organization-defined] with responsibility for responding to information spills; Identifying the specific |
| category | configuration |
| version | 5.2.0 |
| author | cyberstrike-official |
| tags | ["nist","sp800-53","rev5","ir-9","ir"] |
| tech_stack | ["any"] |
| cwe_ids | [] |
| chains_with | ["CP-2","IR-6","PM-26","PM-27","PT-2","PT-3","PT-7","RA-7"] |
| prerequisites | [] |
| severity_boost | {"CP-2":"Chain with CP-2 for comprehensive security coverage","IR-6":"Chain with IR-6 for comprehensive security coverage","PM-26":"Chain with PM-26 for comprehensive security coverage"} |
IR-9 Information Spillage Response
High-Level Description
Family: Incident Response (IR)
Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5
Information spillage refers to instances where information is placed on systems that are not authorized to process such information. Information spills occur when information that is thought to be a certain classification or impact level is transmitted to a system and subsequently is determined to be of a higher classification or impact level. At that point, corrective action is required. The nature of the response is based on the classification or impact level of the spilled information, the security capabilities of the system, the specific nature of the contaminated storage media, and the access authorizations of individuals with authorized access to the contaminated system. The methods used to communicate information about the spill after the fact do not involve methods directly associated with the actual spill to minimize the risk of further spreading the contamination before such contamination is isolated and eradicated.
What to Check
How to Test
Step 1: Review Documentation
Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for IR-9 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 |
|---|
| Manual Review | Documentation and interview-based | N/A |
Remediation Guide
Control Statement
Respond to information spills by:
Assigning [organization-defined] with responsibility for responding to information spills;
Identifying the specific information involved in the system contamination;
Alerting [organization-defined] of the information spill using a method of communication not associated with the spill;
Isolating the contaminated system or system component;
Eradicating the information from the contaminated system or component;
Identifying other systems or system components that may have been subsequently contaminated; and
Performing the following additional actions: [organization-defined].
