| name | SC-12(6)_physical-control-of-keys |
| description | Maintain physical control of cryptographic keys when stored information is encrypted by external service providers. |
| category | configuration |
| version | 5.2.0 |
| author | cyberstrike-official |
| tags | ["nist","sp800-53","rev5","sc-12-6","sc","enhancement"] |
| tech_stack | ["aws","azure","gcp","linux","windows","network"] |
| cwe_ids | ["CWE-311"] |
| chains_with | [] |
| prerequisites | ["SC-12"] |
| severity_boost | {} |
SC-12(6) Physical Control of Keys
Enhancement of: SC-12
High-Level Description
Family: System and Communications Protection (SC)
Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5
For organizations that use external service providers (e.g., cloud service or data center providers), physical control of cryptographic keys provides additional assurance that information stored by such external providers is not subject to unauthorized disclosure or modification.
What to Check
How to Test
Step 1: Review Documentation
Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for SC-12(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 |
|---|
| cloud-audit-mcp | Check encryption and network controls | cloud_audit_encryption |
| nmap | Network scanning | nmap -sV --script ssl-enum-ciphers |
Remediation Guide
Control Statement
Maintain physical control of cryptographic keys when stored information is encrypted by external service providers.
Implementation Guidance
For organizations that use external service providers (e.g., cloud service or data center providers), physical control of cryptographic keys provides additional assurance that information stored by such external providers is not subject to unauthorized disclosure or modification.
