Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM): What you need to know

What is the CCM?

The Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM) is a cybersecurity control framework specifically designed for cloud computing. It provides a structured set of security controls that organizations can use to assess their cloud security posture and ensure they are implementing appropriate safeguards. It’s published by the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting best practices for cloud security.

Why is it Important?

Cloud computing introduces unique security challenges. The CCM helps organizations address these challenges by providing a common framework for evaluating cloud providers and implementing their own cloud security controls. It’s a valuable tool for:

• Risk Management: Identifying and mitigating cloud-specific risks.
• Compliance: Meeting regulatory requirements and industry standards.
• Vendor Assessment: Evaluating the security posture of cloud providers.
• Security Implementation: Providing guidance on implementing security controls.
• Mapped to Standards: Aligned with other security frameworks, facilitating compliance.

How is it Organized?

The CCM is organized into 17 domains, each covering a specific aspect of cloud security. These domains include:

1. Account Management and Identity: Managing user accounts and access privileges

Domain: Identity and Access Management (IAM)

• Control IDs:
• IAM-01: User Account Management
• IAM-02: Authentication Mechanisms
• IAM-03: Authorization Mechanisms
• IAM-04: Access Control Enforcement
• IAM-05: Privileged Account Management
• IAM-06: Identity Federation
• IAM-07: Single Sign-On (SSO)

2. Application and Interface Security: Securing applications and APIs

Domain: Application and Interface Security (AIS)

• Control IDs:
• AIS-01: Secure Application Development
• AIS-02: Application Security Testing
• AIS-03: API Security
• AIS-04: Secure Coding Practices
• AIS-05: Application Vulnerability Management
• AIS-06: Application Patch Management

3. Audit Logging and Monitoring: Tracking and monitoring security events

Domain: Security Incident Management, E-Discovery, and Cloud Forensics (SEF)

• Control IDs:
• SEF-01: Audit Logging
• SEF-02: Log Management
• SEF-03: Monitoring and Alerting
• SEF-04: Incident Response
• SEF-05: Forensic Investigations

4. Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery: Ensuring business resilience

Domain: Business Continuity Management and Operational Resilience (BCR)

• Control IDs:
• BCR-01: Business Continuity Planning
• BCR-02: Disaster Recovery Planning
• BCR-03: Backup and Restore
• BCR-04: Business Impact Analysis (BIA)
• BCR-05: Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO)

5. Change Management: Managing changes to cloud environments

Domain: Change Control and Configuration Management (CCC)

• Control IDs:
• CCC-01: Change Management Process
• CCC-02: Configuration Management
• CCC-03: Change Impact Assessment
• CCC-04: Change Approval and Authorization
• CCC-05: Change Documentation

6. Data Security and Information Lifecycle Management: Protecting data throughout its lifecycle

Domain: Data Security and Information Lifecycle Management (DSI)

• Control IDs:
• DSI-01: Data Classification
• DSI-02: Data Encryption
• DSI-03: Data Access Control
• DSI-04: Data Retention and Disposal
• DSI-05: Data Masking and Tokenization

7. Database Security: Securing databases in the cloud

Domain: Data Security and Information Lifecycle Management (DSI)

• Control IDs:
• DSI-06: Database Encryption
• DSI-07: Database Access Control
• DSI-08: Database Auditing and Monitoring
• DSI-09: Database Backup and Recovery

8. Governance: Establishing security policies and procedures

Domain: Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC)

• Control IDs:
• GRC-01: Security Policy Development
• GRC-02: Security Procedure Documentation
• GRC-03: Compliance Management
• GRC-04: Risk Management Framework
• GRC-05: Internal Audits and Assessments

9. Human Resources Security: Addressing personnel-related security risks

Domain: Human Resources Security (HRS)

• Control IDs:
• HRS-01: Employee Background Checks
• HRS-02: Security Awareness Training
• HRS-03: Role-Based Access Control
• HRS-04: Termination Procedures
• HRS-05: Insider Threat Management

10. Infrastructure and Virtualization Security: Securing the underlying cloud infrastructure

Domain: Infrastructure and Virtualization Security (IVS)

• Control IDs:
• IVS-01: Virtual Machine Security
• IVS-02: Hypervisor Security
• IVS-03: Network Segmentation
• IVS-04: Infrastructure Patch Management
• IVS-05: Resource Monitoring

11. Interoperability and Portability: Ensuring compatibility between cloud services

Domain: Interoperability and Portability (IPY)

• Control IDs:
• IPY-01: Data Portability
• IPY-02: Application Portability
• IPY-03: Interoperability Standards
• IPY-04: Vendor Lock-In Mitigation

12. Mobile Security: Securing mobile access to cloud resources

Domain: Mobile Security (MOS)

• Control IDs:
• MOS-01: Mobile Device Management (MDM)
• MOS-02: Mobile Application Security
• MOS-03: Mobile Authentication
• MOS-04: Mobile Data Encryption

13. Network Security: Protecting cloud networks

Domain: Network Security

• Control IDs:
• NS-01: Network Segmentation
• NS-02: Firewall Configuration
• NS-03: Intrusion Detection and Prevention (IDPS)
• NS-04: Secure Network Architecture
• NS-05: DDoS Protection

14. Security Engineering: Building security into cloud systems

Domain: Security Engineering

• Control IDs:
• SE-01: Secure System Design
• SE-02: Security Testing
• SE-03: Vulnerability Management
• SE-04: Patch Management

15. Security Operations: Managing security operations in the cloud

Domain: Security Operations

• Control IDs:
• SO-01: Security Monitoring
• SO-02: Incident Response
• SO-03: Threat Intelligence
• SO-04: Security Automation

16. Legal and Contractual: Addressing legal and contractual obligations

Domain: Legal and Contractual

• Control IDs:
• LC-01: Contract Management
• LC-02: Compliance with Laws and Regulations
• LC-03: Data Privacy and Protection
• LC-04: Intellectual Property Protection

17. Risk Management: Managing cloud security risks

Domain: Risk Management

• Control IDs:
• RM-01: Risk Assessment
• RM-02: Risk Mitigation
• RM-03: Risk Monitoring
• RM-04: Risk Reporting

Notes:

The CCM is designed to be flexible, so some controls may overlap or be combined based on the organization’s needs.

Not all controls in a domain may be relevant to every organization, so tailoring the controls to your specific use case is essential.

The CCM is regularly updated by the CSA, so always refer to the latest version for the most accurate information.

Within each domain, the CCM lists specific control objectives. These are the security requirements that organizations should address. For each control objective, the CCM provides:

• Control Description: A description of the control.
• Implementation Guidance: Recommendations on how to implement the control.
• Audit Considerations: Guidance on how to audit the control.

How to Use the CCM:

1. Assessment: Use the CCM to assess your current cloud security posture. Identify which controls are relevant to your organization and whether you have implemented them effectively.
2. Gap Analysis: Identify any gaps between your current security practices and the recommendations in the CCM.
3. Implementation: Develop a plan to implement the necessary controls. Use the CCM’s implementation guidance to help you.
4. Vendor Evaluation: Use the CCM to evaluate the security posture of cloud providers. Ask them how they address the controls listed in the CCM.
5. Compliance: Use the CCM to demonstrate compliance with various security standards and regulations.

Example: Mapping CCM to NIST SP 800–53

Here’s how some CCM domains might map to NIST SP 800–53 controls:

Domains like MOS (Mobile Security) or IPY (Interoperability and Portability) may not have direct mappings in NIST SP 800–53 unless the organization specifically requires them.

Conclusion

The CCM is an essential resource for any organization using cloud computing. It offers a comprehensive set of security controls and guidance on how to implement them. By leveraging the CCM, organizations can enhance their cloud security posture, reduce risk, and fulfill compliance obligations. It’s a valuable tool for both cloud providers and organizations adopting cloud technologies.

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