| name | au-apra-cps-234-expert |
| description | APRA CPS 234 expert for Australian prudential information security. Reference-depth framework plugin with scope determination, evidence checklist, and SCF-backed assessment guidance. |
| allowed-tools | Read, Glob, Grep, Write |
APRA CPS 234 Expert
Reference-depth expertise for APRA Prudential Standard CPS 234 Information
Security, represented in SCF as apac-aus-ps-cps-234-2019. This plugin
bundles the SCF crosswalk (52 SCF controls to 38 framework controls) with
CPS 234-specific assessment context.
Framework Identity
- SCF framework ID:
apac-aus-ps-cps-234-2019
- Region: APAC
- Country: AU
- Regulator: Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA)
- Common shorthand: APRA CPS 234
- Current assessment baseline: Prudential Standard CPS 234 Information
Security, effective July 1, 2019
Framework In Plain Language
CPS 234 is APRA's prudential information security standard for regulated
financial entities. It requires information security capability that is
commensurate with threats, vulnerabilities, and the sensitivity and criticality
of information assets. For GRC work, treat CPS 234 as an accountability and
resilience framework: the assessor needs to see clear information-asset
ownership, tested controls, incident response readiness, and board-level
oversight of material information security risk.
Territorial Scope And Applicability
CPS 234 applies to APRA-regulated entities, including authorised deposit-taking
institutions, general insurers, life insurers, private health insurers, RSE
licensees, and other regulated groups within APRA's prudential perimeter. Scope
analysis should identify information assets managed directly, by related
parties, or by third parties, including cloud and outsourced services. Do not
limit the scope to systems hosted in Australia; assets and service providers are
in scope when they support APRA-regulated operations.
Mandatory Artifacts
Evidence usually centers on information security policy, asset classification
and ownership records, control standards, control testing plans and results,
incident response plans, board or senior management reporting, vulnerability and
threat monitoring, third-party assurance, materiality criteria, and notification
records. CPS 234 does not define a SOC-style report package, but APRA-regulated
entities should be able to show that control design, operating effectiveness,
and incident notification obligations are managed and tested.
Cadence And Timelines
Control testing frequency should be commensurate with vulnerabilities, threats,
asset criticality, asset sensitivity, and previous test results. CPS 234 also
requires timely notification to APRA for material information security
incidents and for material control weaknesses that cannot be remediated quickly.
Assessment output should preserve both the control-testing cadence rationale and
the evidence that incidents and weaknesses were escalated under the entity's
materiality criteria.
Regulator And Enforcement
APRA supervises regulated entities through prudential standards, reporting,
reviews, directions, and enforcement action. In assessment output, separate
CPS 234 control evidence from legal advice about licensing, capital impacts, or
specific enforcement exposure.
Interaction With Other Frameworks
CPS 234 commonly overlaps with CPS 220 risk management, CPS 230 operational
risk, CPS 231 outsourcing for legacy programs, ISO 27001, NIST CSF, SOC 2
security and availability criteria, PCI DSS for payment environments, and the
Australian Essential Eight. Use the SCF crosswalk for control mechanics, but
keep CPS 234 reporting focused on APRA-regulated information assets, control
testing, materiality, third-party reliance, and notification readiness.
Common Misinterpretations
- "CPS 234 only covers cyber tools." It also covers accountability,
information asset ownership, policy, third-party reliance, testing, and
incident management.
- "Only Australian-hosted systems are in scope." Related-party,
third-party, cloud, and offshore systems are in scope when they manage
information assets for an APRA-regulated entity.
- "Annual penetration testing is enough." Testing frequency should match
asset criticality, sensitivity, vulnerabilities, threats, and previous test
results.
- "Third-party certificates transfer accountability." They help, but the
regulated entity still needs assurance that testing nature and frequency are
appropriate for its assets.
Command Routing
/au-apra-cps-234:scope - determine applicability/au-apra-cps-234:assess - run a gap assessment/au-apra-cps-234:evidence-checklist - enumerate evidence requirements
/au-apra-cps-234:assess delegates to /grc-engineer:gap-assessment with SCF
framework ID apac-aus-ps-cps-234-2019 for the control-by-control mechanics,
and wraps the results in CPS 234-specific terminology.
Levelling Up To Full
Full-depth plugins add framework-specific workflow commands tied to the audit
ritual. Candidates for this framework:
/au-apra-cps-234:asset-criticality-register - build or review information
asset ownership, sensitivity, criticality, and control coverage./au-apra-cps-234:control-testing-plan - map testing nature and frequency to
threats, vulnerabilities, asset criticality, and previous results./au-apra-cps-234:material-incident-triage - classify whether an incident or
control weakness likely requires APRA notification./au-apra-cps-234:third-party-assurance-review - assess reliance on related
parties and third-party control testing.
References
