DISCUSSION [NIST SP 800-171 R2]
System media includes digital and non-digital media. Digital media includes diskettes, magnetic tapes, external and removable hard disk drives, flash drives, compact disks, and digital video disks. Non-digital media includes paper and microfilm. Protecting digital media includes limiting access to design specifications stored on compact disks or flash drives in the media library to the project leader and any individuals on the development team. Physically controlling system media includes conducting inventories, maintaining accountability for stored media, and ensuring procedures are in place to allow individuals to check out and return media to the media library. Secure storage includes a locked drawer, desk, or cabinet, or a controlled media library
Access to CUI on system media can be limited by physically controlling such media, which includes conducting inventories, ensuring procedures are in place to allow individuals to check out and return media to the media library, and maintaining accountability for all stored media.
NIST SP 800-111 provides guidance on storage encryption technologies for end user devices.
FURTHER DISCUSSION
CUI can be contained on two types of physical media:
hardcopy (e.g., CD drives, USB drives, magnetic tape); and
digital devices (e.g., CD drives, USB drives, video).
You should store physical media containing CUI in a secure location. This location should be accessible only to those people with the proper permissions. All who access CUI should follow the process for checking it out and returning it.
Example
Your company has CUI for a specific Army contract contained on a USB drive. You store the drive in a locked drawer, and you log it on an inventory [d]. You establish a procedure to check out the USB drive so you have a history of who is accessing it. These procedures help to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the data.
Potential Considerations
Is hardcopy media containing CUI handled only by authorized personnel according to defined procedures [a]?
Is digital media containing CUI handled only by authorized personnel according to defined procedures [b]?
Is paper media containing CUI physically secured (e.g., in a locked drawer or cabinet)[c]?
Is digital media containing CUI securely stored (e.g., in access-controlled repositories) [d]?
Copyright
Copyright 2020, 2021 Carnegie Mellon University and The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory LLC.
Copyright 2021 Futures, Inc.
This material is based upon work funded and supported by the Department of Defense under Contract No. FA8702-15-D-0002 with Carnegie Mellon University for the operation of the Software Engineering Institute, a federally funded research and development center, and under Contract No. HQ0034-13-D-0003 and Contract No. N00024-13-D-6400 with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory LLC, a University Affiliated Research Center.
The view, opinions, and/or findings contained in this material are those of the author(s) and should not be construed as an official Government position, policy, or decision, unless designated by other documentation.
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