Inventory and Control of Hardware

CIS Control 1

Actively manage (inventory, track, and correct) all hardware devices on the network so that only authorized devices are given access, and unauthorized and unmanaged devices are found and prevented from gaining access.

Why is this Critical?

Attackers are continuously scanning target organizations, waiting for new and unprotected hardware assets to be attached to the network - particularly those that are not configured and patched with appropriate security updates. Even devices that are not visible from the internet can be used as access points into the network. With the ability to actively manage all hardware devices on your network, you can ensure only authorized devices have access and unauthorized devices are found and prevented from gaining access. Managed control of devices also plays a critical role in planning and executing system backup, incident response, and recovery.

This CIS Control is typically worked together with CIS Control 2 - Inventory and Control of Software Assets.