| name | CP-6(1)_separation-from-primary-site |
| description | Identify an alternate storage site that is sufficiently separated from the primary storage site to reduce susceptibility to the same threats. |
| category | configuration |
| version | 5.2.0 |
| author | cyberstrike-official |
| tags | ["nist","sp800-53","rev5","cp-6-1","cp","enhancement"] |
| tech_stack | ["aws","azure","gcp"] |
| cwe_ids | [] |
| chains_with | ["RA-3"] |
| prerequisites | ["CP-6"] |
| severity_boost | {"RA-3":"Chain with RA-3 for comprehensive security coverage"} |
CP-6(1) Separation from Primary Site
Enhancement of: CP-6
High-Level Description
Family: Contingency Planning (CP)
Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5
Threats that affect alternate storage sites are defined in organizational risk assessments and include natural disasters, structural failures, hostile attacks, and errors of omission or commission. Organizations determine what is considered a sufficient degree of separation between primary and alternate storage sites based on the types of threats that are of concern. For threats such as hostile attacks, the degree of separation between sites is less relevant.
What to Check
How to Test
Step 1: Review Documentation
Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for CP-6(1) 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
Identify an alternate storage site that is sufficiently separated from the primary storage site to reduce susceptibility to the same threats.
Implementation Guidance
Threats that affect alternate storage sites are defined in organizational risk assessments and include natural disasters, structural failures, hostile attacks, and errors of omission or commission. Organizations determine what is considered a sufficient degree of separation between primary and alternate storage sites based on the types of threats that are of concern. For threats such as hostile attacks, the degree of separation between sites is less relevant.
