id: "SC-12" title: "Cryptographic Key Establishment and Management" family: "SC" family_name: "System and Communications Protection" sort_id: "sc-12" priority: "P1" implementation_level: "system" enhancements: - sc-12.1 - sc-12.2 - sc-12.3 - sc-12.4 - sc-12.5 - sc-12.6
Statement
Establish and manage cryptographic keys when cryptography is employed within the system in accordance with the following key management requirements: {{ insert: param, sc-12_odp }}.
Guidance
Cryptographic key management and establishment can be performed using manual procedures or automated mechanisms with supporting manual procedures. Organizations define key management requirements in accordance with applicable laws, executive orders, directives, regulations, policies, standards, and guidelines and specify appropriate options, parameters, and levels. Organizations manage trust stores to ensure that only approved trust anchors are part of such trust stores. This includes certificates with visibility external to organizational systems and certificates related to the internal operations of systems. NIST CMVP and NIST CAVP provide additional information on validated cryptographic modules and algorithms that can be used in cryptographic key management and establishment.
Assessment Objective: cryptographic keys are established when cryptography is employed within the system in accordance with {{ insert: param, sc-12_odp }};
Assessment Objective: cryptographic keys are managed when cryptography is employed within the system in accordance with {{ insert: param, sc-12_odp }}.
System and communications protection policy
procedures addressing cryptographic key establishment and management
system design documentation
cryptographic mechanisms
system configuration settings and associated documentation
system audit records
system security plan
other relevant documents or records
System/network administrators
organizational personnel with information security responsibilities
organizational personnel with responsibilities for cryptographic key establishment and/or management
Mechanisms supporting and/or implementing cryptographic key establishment and management