| name | SA-4(6)_use-of-information-assurance-products |
| description | Employ only government off-the-shelf or commercial off-the-shelf information assurance and information assurance-enabled information technology pro... |
| category | configuration |
| version | 5.2.0 |
| author | cyberstrike-official |
| tags | ["nist","sp800-53","rev5","sa-4-6","sa","enhancement"] |
| tech_stack | ["any"] |
| cwe_ids | ["CWE-16"] |
| chains_with | ["SC-8","SC-12","SC-13"] |
| prerequisites | ["SA-4"] |
| severity_boost | {"SC-8":"Chain with SC-8 for comprehensive security coverage","SC-12":"Chain with SC-12 for comprehensive security coverage","SC-13":"Chain with SC-13 for comprehensive security coverage"} |
SA-4(6) Use of Information Assurance Products
Enhancement of: SA-4
High-Level Description
Family: System and Services Acquisition (SA)
Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5
Commercial off-the-shelf IA or IA-enabled information technology products used to protect classified information by cryptographic means may be required to use NSA-approved key management. See NSA CSFC.
What to Check
How to Test
Step 1: Review Documentation
Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for SA-4(6) 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
Employ only government off-the-shelf or commercial off-the-shelf information assurance and information assurance-enabled information technology products that compose an NSA-approved solution to protect classified information when the networks used to transmit the information are at a lower classification level than the information being transmitted; and
Ensure that these products have been evaluated and/or validated by NSA or in accordance with NSA-approved procedures.
Implementation Guidance
Commercial off-the-shelf IA or IA-enabled information technology products used to protect classified information by cryptographic means may be required to use NSA-approved key management. See .
