SA-4 (09)—Acquisition Process | Functions, Ports, Protocols, and Services in Use
>Control Description
>FedRAMP Baseline Requirements
No FedRAMP-specific parameter values or requirements for this baseline.
>Discussion
The identification of functions, ports, protocols, and services early in the system development life cycle (e.g., during the initial requirements definition and design stages) allows organizations to influence the design of the system, system component, or system service. This early involvement in the system development life cycle helps organizations avoid or minimize the use of functions, ports, protocols, or services that pose unnecessarily high risks and understand the trade-offs involved in blocking specific ports, protocols, or services or requiring system service providers to do so. Early identification of functions, ports, protocols, and services avoids costly retrofitting of controls after the system, component, or system service has been implemented.
SA-9 describes the requirements for external system services. Organizations identify which functions, ports, protocols, and services are provided from external sources.
>Assessment Interview Topics
Questions assessors commonly ask
Process & Governance:
- •What acquisition policies and procedures address the requirements of SA-4(9)?
- •How are security and privacy requirements integrated into the acquisition process?
- •Who is responsible for ensuring that acquisitions comply with SA-4(9)?
- •How is security integrated throughout your system development lifecycle (SDLC)?
Technical Implementation:
- •How are security requirements defined and documented in acquisition contracts?
- •What mechanisms ensure that acquired systems and services meet security requirements?
- •How do you validate that vendors and service providers comply with specified security controls?
- •What security practices are required at each phase of the SDLC?
- •What secure coding practices and standards are required for developers?
Evidence & Documentation:
- •Can you provide examples of acquisition documentation that includes security requirements?
- •What evidence demonstrates that acquired systems meet security specifications?
- •Where is acquisition security documentation maintained throughout the system lifecycle?
- •Can you show evidence of security activities performed during development?
- •Can you provide code review or static analysis results?
Ask AI
Configure your API key to use AI features.