Overview – Trust Services Criteria
COSO’s CC6.6 for the component Logical And Physical Access Controls requires the following “The entity implements logical access security measures to protect against threats from sources outside its system boundaries.”
Points of Focus
Below are the points of focus and any related mappings to other frameworks and standards.
| Description | Mapping to other frameworks and standards |
| Restricts Access — The types of activities that can occur through a communication channel (for example, FTP site, router port) are restricted. | NIST CSF – PR.AC-3 – Remote access is managed |
| Protects Identification and Authentication Credentials — Identification and authentication credentials are protected during transmission outside its system boundaries. | NIST CSF – PR.AC-3 – Remote access is managed |
| Requires Additional Authentication or Credentials — Additional authentication information or credentials are required when accessing the system from outside its boundaries. | NIST CSF – PR.AC-3 – Remote access is managed |
| Implements Boundary Protection Systems — Boundary protection systems (for example, firewalls, demilitarized zones, and intrusion detection systems) are implemented to protect external access points from attempts and unauthorized access and are monitored to detect such attempts. | NIST CSF – PR.DS-5 – Protections against data leaks are implemented |
What is the COSO Framework?
COSO means the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. It is a joint initiative of five private sector organizations and provides thought leadership through the development of frameworks and guidance on enterprise risk management, internal control, and fraud deterrence.
Source: https://us.aicpa.org/interestareas/businessindustryandgovernment/resources/riskmanagmentandinternalcontrol/coso-integrated-framework-project
The COSO Internal Control Framework was developed to help “organizations design and implement internal control in light of the many changes in business and operating environments.” The Treadway Commission designed the framework with SOX in mind, but the framework goes beyond financial reporting controls since it applies to operations, compliance, and reporting (both internal and external). For most public companies, the process of using the COSO Internal Control Framework is an exercise in mapping their SOX controls to the COSO Internal Control Framework and then evaluating the control environment in total against the framework.
The COSO Internal Control Framework is a comprehensive model comprising of the following five (5) integrated Components supported by seventeen (17) Principles. Below are the five (5) Components:
- Control Environment
- Risk Assessment
- Control Activities
- Information and Communication
- Monitoring
Source: https://www.auditboard.com/blog/difference-between-coso-and-sox/
Internal Control Categories
The COSO framework divides internal control objectives into three (3) categories: Operations, Reporting and Compliance.
- Operations objectives, such as performance goals and securing the organization’s assets against fraud, focus on the effectiveness and efficiency of your business operations.
- Reporting objectives, including both internal and external financial reporting as well as non-financial reporting, relate to transparency, timeliness and reliability of the organization’s reporting habits.
- Compliance objectives are internal control goals based around adhering to laws and regulations that the organization must comply with.
Source: https://www.i-sight.com/resources/coso-framework-what-it-is-and-how-to-use-it/