NIST SP 800-171 Rev 2 · 3.13 System & Communications Protection

3.13.2 Security engineering principles

Employ architectural designs, software development techniques, and systems engineering principles that promote effective information security within organizational systems.

SPRS weight

5

5 points deducted from 110 when not implemented.

CMMC level

L2

Level 2 only; not among the 17 Level 1 practices.

Assessment objectives

6

From NIST SP 800-171A, each one a “determine if” an assessor answers.

What an assessor checks

NIST SP 800-171A breaks 3.13.2 into 6 objectives. Every one has to be met for the requirement to be met; a partial answer scores as not implemented.

1. [a]Determine if architectural designs that promote effective information security are identified.
2. [b]Determine if software development techniques that promote effective information security are identified.
3. [c]Determine if systems engineering principles that promote effective information security are identified.
4. [d]Determine if identified architectural designs that promote effective information security are employed.
5. [e]Determine if identified software development techniques that promote effective information security are employed.
6. [f]Determine if identified systems engineering principles that promote effective information security are employed.

Examine

[SELECT FROM: Security planning policy; procedures addressing security plan development and implementation; procedures addressing security plan reviews and updates; enterprise architecture documentation; security plan; records of security plan reviews and updates; other relevant documents or records].

Interview

[SELECT FROM: Personnel with security planning and plan implementation responsibilities; personnel with information security responsibilities].

Test

[SELECT FROM: Organizational processes for security plan development, review, update, and approval; mechanisms supporting the system security plan].

If it is open: POA&M eligibility

A POA&M is only permitted at a score of 88 or above, and closes in one 180-day window. Check a full gap list or compute your score.

Where 3.13.2 maps

Query it from your own tools

This page and the MacTech CMMC MCP server render the same dataset. Ask your assistant and it will answer from the methodology, not from memory.

lookup_control 3.13.2
get_assessment_objectives 3.13.2
generate_poam_entries ["3.13.2"]

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