id: "SC-17" title: "Public Key Infrastructure Certificates" family: "SC" family_name: "System and Communications Protection" sort_id: "sc-17" priority: "P1" implementation_level: "system"
Issue public key certificates under an {{ insert: param, sc-17_odp }} or obtain public key certificates from an approved service provider; and
Include only approved trust anchors in trust stores or certificate stores managed by the organization.
Guidance
Public key infrastructure (PKI) certificates are certificates with visibility external to organizational systems and certificates related to the internal operations of systems, such as application-specific time services. In cryptographic systems with a hierarchical structure, a trust anchor is an authoritative source (i.e., a certificate authority) for which trust is assumed and not derived. A root certificate for a PKI system is an example of a trust anchor. A trust store or certificate store maintains a list of trusted root certificates.
Assessment Objective: public key certificates are issued under {{ insert: param, sc-17_odp }} , or public key certificates are obtained from an approved service provider;
Assessment Objective: only approved trust anchors are included in trust stores or certificate stores managed by the organization.
System and communications protection policy
procedures addressing public key infrastructure certificates
public key certificate policy or policies
public key issuing process
system security plan
other relevant documents or records
System/network administrators
organizational personnel with information security responsibilities
organizational personnel with responsibilities for issuing public key certificates
service providers
Mechanisms supporting and/or implementing the management of public key infrastructure certificates