| name | SC-49_hardware-enforced-separation-and-policy-enforcement |
| description | Implement hardware-enforced separation and policy enforcement mechanisms between [organization-defined]. |
| category | configuration |
| version | 5.2.0 |
| author | cyberstrike-official |
| tags | ["nist","sp800-53","rev5","sc-49","sc"] |
| tech_stack | ["aws","azure","gcp","linux","windows","network"] |
| cwe_ids | ["CWE-311"] |
| chains_with | ["AC-4","SA-8","SC-50"] |
| prerequisites | [] |
| severity_boost | {"AC-4":"Chain with AC-4 for comprehensive security coverage","SA-8":"Chain with SA-8 for comprehensive security coverage","SC-50":"Chain with SC-50 for comprehensive security coverage"} |
SC-49 Hardware-enforced Separation and Policy Enforcement
High-Level Description
Family: System and Communications Protection (SC)
Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5
System owners may require additional strength of mechanism and robustness to ensure domain separation and policy enforcement for specific types of threats and environments of operation. Hardware-enforced separation and policy enforcement provide greater strength of mechanism than software-enforced separation and policy enforcement.
What to Check
How to Test
Step 1: Review Documentation
Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for SC-49 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
Implement hardware-enforced separation and policy enforcement mechanisms between [organization-defined].
Implementation Guidance
System owners may require additional strength of mechanism and robustness to ensure domain separation and policy enforcement for specific types of threats and environments of operation. Hardware-enforced separation and policy enforcement provide greater strength of mechanism than software-enforced separation and policy enforcement.
Risk Assessment
