NIST 800-53 REV 5 • SUPPLY CHAIN RISK MANAGEMENT
SR-9 — Tamper Resistance and Detection
Implement a tamper protection program for the system, system component, or system service.
Supplemental Guidance
Anti-tamper technologies, tools, and techniques provide a level of protection for systems, system components, and services against many threats, including reverse engineering, modification, and substitution. Strong identification combined with tamper resistance and/or tamper detection is essential to protecting systems and components during distribution and when in use.
Practitioner Notes
Use tamper resistance and tamper detection mechanisms for critical system components to prevent and detect unauthorized physical modification.
Example 1: Purchase servers and network equipment with tamper-evident chassis intrusion detection. When the server case is opened, a sensor records the event in the firmware log. Review these logs during receiving and during periodic physical security inspections.
Example 2: Use tamper-evident seals on critical equipment during shipping and storage. Photograph the seals at departure and verify them at arrival. Broken or replaced seals indicate potential tampering and require investigation before the equipment is deployed.