Topic

Use of high assurance ICT equipment in unevaluated configurations

Applicable to

Secret, Top Secret

History

Priority

must not

Jun 2023

Removed

The existing control relating to operating high assurance ICT equipment in an evaluated configuration was merged into control ISM-0290.

Dec 2021

High assurance ICT equipment is always operated in an evaluated configuration.

Miscellaneous changes were made to rationale and security controls throughout the publication. This included:

• A review from the Using the Information Security Manual chapter through to the Guidelines for Media chapter.

• Security controls suitable for all audiences have been identified with the ‘All’ applicability marking while additional security controls suitable for just government audiences have been identified with the O, P, S and TS applicability markings.

• Security controls suitable for specific classifications have been amended to include their classification(s) in the wording of the security controls to reduce the reliance on applicability markings to confer suitability.

• Tables in security controls have been converted into prose to allow for inclusion in the SSP annex template and the XML list of security controls.

• The use of ‘official’ and ‘highly classified’ terminology has been replaced with specific classifications to remove ambiguity.

• Security controls relating to high assurance ICT equipment have had their applicability narrowed to ‘S, TS’ reflecting that they are intended for the protection of SECRET and TOP SECRET systems and data.

2015

High Assurance products must not be used in an unevaluated configuration.

2010

High assurance products and HGCE must not be used in unevaluated configurations.