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NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 · SA-22

Unsupported System Components

US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) · cited in 17 of our lessons

Explanation

What it asks for. System components must be replaced when the developer, vendor or manufacturer no longer supports them, or justified and documented alternative support must be provided for components that must stay in use.

In practice. This means tracking end-of-life and end-of-support dates in the asset inventory, planning replacements in budgets and roadmaps, and maintaining a risk-accepted exception register with compensating controls such as isolation. Auditors look for lifecycle tracking, exception approvals and evidence that unsupported components are reduced over time. Extended support contracts can be a valid bridge while replacement is planned.

Common gaps. Unsupported operating systems and appliances remain in production because replacement was never funded. Unsupported open source libraries are often invisible to inventory processes. End-of-support dates are also missed for firmware and embedded components.

Open SP 800-53 at NIST
The official text
a. Replace system components when support for the components is no longer available from the developer, vendor, or manufacturer; or b. Provide the following options for alternative sources for continued support for unsupported components [Selection: in-house support; {{ insert: param, sa-22_odp.02 }} ]. Discussion: Support for system components includes software patches, firmware updates, replacement parts, and maintenance contracts. An example of unsupported components includes when vendors no longer provide critical software patches or product updates, which can result in an opportunity for adversaries to exploit weaknesses in the installed components. Exceptions to replacing unsupported system components include systems that provide critical mission or business capabilities where newer technologies are not available or where the systems are so isolated that installing replacement components is not an option. Alternative sources for support address the need to provide continued support for system components that are no longer supported by the original manufacturers, developers, or vendors when such components remain essential to organizational mission and business functions. If necessary, organizations can establish in-house support by developing customized patches for critical software components or, alternatively, obtain the services of external providers who provide ongoing support for the designated unsupported components through contractual relationships. Such contractual relationships can include open-source software value-added vendors. The increased risk of using unsupported system components can be mitigated, for example, by prohibiting the connection of such components to public or uncontrolled networks, or implementing other forms of isolation.

From NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5, a work of the US government in the public domain.

Lessons that cite it

Real incidents where this item mattered: the latest 12 of 17.