| name | SC-17_public-key-infrastructure-certificates |
| description | Issue public key certificates under an [organization-defined] or obtain public key certificates from an approved service provider; |
| category | configuration |
| version | 5.2.0 |
| author | cyberstrike-official |
| tags | ["nist","sp800-53","rev5","sc-17","sc"] |
| tech_stack | ["aws","azure","gcp","linux","windows","network"] |
| cwe_ids | ["CWE-311"] |
| chains_with | ["AU-10","IA-5","SC-12"] |
| prerequisites | [] |
| severity_boost | {"AU-10":"Chain with AU-10 for comprehensive security coverage","IA-5":"Chain with IA-5 for comprehensive security coverage","SC-12":"Chain with SC-12 for comprehensive security coverage"} |
SC-17 Public Key Infrastructure Certificates
High-Level Description
Family: System and Communications Protection (SC)
Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5
Public key infrastructure (PKI) certificates are certificates with visibility external to organizational systems and certificates related to the internal operations of systems, such as application-specific time services. In cryptographic systems with a hierarchical structure, a trust anchor is an authoritative source (i.e., a certificate authority) for which trust is assumed and not derived. A root certificate for a PKI system is an example of a trust anchor. A trust store or certificate store maintains a list of trusted root certificates.
What to Check
How to Test
Step 1: Review Documentation
Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for SC-17 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
Issue public key certificates under an [organization-defined] or obtain public key certificates from an approved service provider; and
Include only approved trust anchors in trust stores or certificate stores managed by the organization.
Implementation Guidance
