The Defense Department, NASA and the General Services Administration have released a final rule that lists 15 security control measures that seek to protect contractors’ data systems as part of amendments to the Federal Acquisition Regulation, the National Law Review reported Monday.
Alexander W. Major writes the rule covers systems that store and process “federal contract information†and applies to the acquisition of all commercial items except for commercial-off-the-shelf products.
According to a document posted Monday in the Federal Register, the regulation will take effect June 15.
Security requirements include the need for contractors to limit data system access to authorized users, verify links to external information platforms, track visitor activity as well as identify, report and rectify information system errors in a “timely manner,†Major reports.
The final rule also calls for contractors to conduct periodic screening of information systems, update protection mechanisms for malicious codes and adopt subnetworks for system components that are publicly accessible.
The regulation contains a flow-down cause that applies to all subcontract levels, according to the report.
