MA – Maintenance

The RMF Control Family MA, Maintenance, addresses the need for organizations to maintain their information systems in a secure state. Maintenance includes activities such as patching software, updating security configurations, and monitoring system logs.

Controls in the MA Security Control Family

The MA Security Control Family includes the following controls:

• MA-1: Maintenance Policy and Procedures: This control requires organizations to develop and implement a maintenance policy and procedures. This policy should define the roles and responsibilities for maintenance, and the process for maintaining information systems.
• MA-2: Controlled Maintenance: This control requires organizations to implement a process for controlling changes to the configuration of information systems. This process should include steps for identifying, evaluating, approving, implementing, and verifying changes to the configuration of information systems.
• MA-3: Maintenance Coordination: This control requires organizations to coordinate maintenance activities with other organizations that have access to the information system. This coordination helps to ensure that maintenance activities do not disrupt the operation of the information system.
• MA-4: Maintenance Documentation: This control requires organizations to maintain documentation of all maintenance activities. This documentation should include the date and time of the maintenance activity, a description of the work performed, and the name of the person who performed the work.
• MA-5: Maintenance Backups: This control requires organizations to create backups of information systems before performing maintenance activities. This helps to protect the information system in the event of a problem during the maintenance activity.
• MA-6: Maintenance Testing: This control requires organizations to test information systems after performing maintenance activities. This testing helps to ensure that the information system is still functioning properly after the maintenance activity.

Benefits of Implementing the MA Security Control Family

There are a number of benefits to implementing the MA Security Control Family, including:

• Improved security: The MA Security Control Family helps to improve the security of information systems by ensuring that they are maintained in a secure state. This can help to reduce the risk of security incidents and to mitigate the impact of security incidents that do occur.
• Reduced risk: The MA Security Control Family helps to reduce the risk of financial losses, reputational damage, and other negative consequences of security incidents. By maintaining their information systems in a secure state, organizations can minimize the impact of security incidents.
• Compliance: The MA Security Control Family can help organizations comply with applicable laws and regulations, such as the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
• Increased trust: By implementing the MA Security Control Family, organizations can demonstrate to their customers and partners that they are taking steps to protect their data.

How to Implement the MA Security Control Family

To implement the MA Security Control Family, organizations should follow these steps:

1. Develop a maintenance policy and procedures. This policy should define the roles and responsibilities for maintenance, and the process for maintaining information systems.
2. Implement a process for controlling changes to the configuration of information systems. This process should include steps for identifying, evaluating, approving, implementing, and verifying changes to the configuration of information systems.
3. Coordinate maintenance activities with other organizations that have access to the information system. This coordination helps to ensure that maintenance activities do not disrupt the operation of the information system.
4. Maintain documentation of all maintenance activities. This documentation should include the date and time of the maintenance activity, a description of the work performed, and the name of the person who performed the work.
5. Create backups of information systems before performing maintenance activities. This helps to protect the information system in the event of a problem during the maintenance activity.
6. Test information systems after performing maintenance activities. This testing helps to ensure that the information system is still functioning properly after the maintenance activity.

Conclusion

The MA Security Control Family is an essential part of the RMF. By implementing the MA Security Control Family, organizations can improve the security of their information systems, reduce the risk of security incidents, comply with applicable laws and regulations, and increase trust with their customers and partners.