Title

The organizations DAA must approve the use of software PKI certificates on enterprise-activated CMDs prior to provisioning CMDs with DoD PKI digital certificates. (Cat II impact)

Discussion

S/MIME provides the user with the ability to digitally sign and encrypt email messages, to verify the digital signatures on received messages, and to decrypt messages received from others if those messages are encrypted. Digital signatures provide strong cryptographic assurance of the authenticity and integrity of the signed message, including attachments. This capability protects against the insertion of malicious mobile code and social engineering attacks in which an adversary masquerades as a known user, as well as other exploits. Encryption provides confidentiality for sensitive information, which is particularly valuable when messages are sent to or received from users external to DoD messaging infrastructure, as such messages would otherwise travel in the clear over the public Internet. The use of software certificates adds additional risk of compromise to the user's digital certificates and to the DoD PKI infrastructure.

Check Content

Verify the DAA has approved the use of software certificates only until approved CAC readers are available and can be purchased and fielded by the site. Software certificates are only permissible when smart card readers are unavailable and only permissible until they are available. If user software certificates are used on site managed CMDs instead of the CAC, verify the DAA has approved their use (in a letter, memo, site security plan, etc.) and that a DoD approved CAC reader is not available for the CMD. If the site uses software certificates on site managed CMDs and the DAA has not approved their use, this is a finding.

Fix Text

Obtain DAA approval for the use of software certificates or purchase approved CAC readers for enterprise-activated CMDs.

Additional Identifiers

Rule ID:

Vulnerability ID: V-35982

Group Title:

Expert Comments

CCIs tied to check.

Controls tied to check. These are derived from the CCIs shown above.