cm-3-8-prevent-or-restrict-configuration-changes

name	CM-3(8)_prevent-or-restrict-configuration-changes
description	Prevent or restrict changes to the configuration of the system under the following circumstances: [organization-defined].
category	configuration
version	5.2.0
author	cyberstrike-official
tags	["nist","sp800-53","rev5","cm-3-8","cm","enhancement"]
tech_stack	["aws","azure","gcp","linux","windows"]
cwe_ids	["CWE-16"]
chains_with	[]
prerequisites	["CM-3"]
severity_boost	{}

CM-3(8) Prevent or Restrict Configuration Changes

Enhancement of: CM-3

High-Level Description

Family: Configuration Management (CM) Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5

System configuration changes can adversely affect critical system security and privacy functionality. Change restrictions can be enforced through automated mechanisms.

What to Check

• Verify CM-3(8) Prevent or Restrict Configuration Changes is documented in SSP
• Confirm control is operating effectively
• Review evidence of continuous monitoring for CM-3(8)
• Verify enhancement builds upon base control CM-3

How to Test

Step 1: Review Documentation

Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for CM-3(8) 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 configuration baselines	cloud_audit_config
AWS CLI	Review Config rules	aws configservice describe-config-rules

Remediation Guide

Control Statement

Prevent or restrict changes to the configuration of the system under the following circumstances: [organization-defined].

Implementation Guidance

System configuration changes can adversely affect critical system security and privacy functionality. Change restrictions can be enforced through automated mechanisms.

Risk Assessment

Finding	Severity	Impact