NIST 800-53 r5 · Controls catalogue · Family SC
SC-51Hardware-based Protection
Employ hardware-based, write-protect for {{ insert: param, sc-51_odp.01 }} ; and Implement specific procedures for {{ insert: param, sc-51_odp.02 }} to manually disable hardware write-protect for firmware modifications and re-enable the write-protect prior to returning to operational mode.
Last updated: 16 October 2026 14:24 UTC
Implementations targeting this control (0)
- No implementations targeting this control yet.
ATT&CK techniques this control mitigates (0)
- No ATT&CK techniques mapped to this control yet.
Weaknesses this control addresses (6)AI-assisted
CWEs ranked by how often they appear in real CVEs. The rationale describes how this control reduces exploitability of each weakness class.
| CWE | Name | CVEs | Why this control addresses it |
|---|---|---|---|
CWE-862 | Missing Authorization | 11,800+ | Eliminates missing authorization for writes by requiring physical/hardware action under controlled procedures. |
CWE-284 | Improper Access Control | 8,100+ | Hardware write-protect enforces access control on critical resources (e.g., firmware) independent of software state. |
CWE-434 | Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type | 5,300+ | Prevents unrestricted writing of arbitrary or malicious firmware by keeping hardware write-protect enabled except under tightly controlled manual procedures. |
CWE-863 | Incorrect Authorization | 4,800+ | Ensures authorization decisions for firmware changes cannot be bypassed by software and must follow explicit re-enable steps. |
CWE-732 | Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource | 2,000+ | Directly implements hardware-enforced write protection on critical resources instead of relying on potentially incorrect software permissions. |
CWE-285 | Improper Authorization | 1,700+ | Requires explicit authorization (via manual hardware procedures) before any write is possible, preventing unauthorized modifications. |
Top CVEs where this control is the strongest mitigation
| CVE | Risk | CVSS | EPSS | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
CVE-2025-5825 UPD | 5.6 | 7.5 | 0.0028 | good |
CVE-2025-59104 UPD | 5.5 | 7.0 | 0.0019 | good |
CVE-2025-8321 UPD | 5.2 | 6.8 | 0.0037 | good |
CVE-2025-33242 | 4.6 | 5.9 | 0.0031 | good |
CVE-2024-13870 UPD | 4.4 | 5.7 | 0.0017 | good |
CVE-2025-29989 UPD | 2.6 | 3.1 | 0.0014 | good |
CVE-2024-8357 UPD | 5.8 | 7.8 | 0.0032 | good |
CVE-2019-25358 UPD | 5.8 | 7.5 | 0.0043 | good |
CVE-2025-2762 UPD | 5.7 | 7.8 | 0.0019 | good |
CVE-2025-5834 UPD | 5.7 | 7.8 | 0.0026 | good |
CVE-2026-40188 | 5.6 | 7.7 | 0.0039 | good |
CVE-2025-34502 UPD | 5.5 | 7.0 | 0.0022 | good |
CVE-2024-32742 UPD | 5.4 | 7.6 | 0.0039 | good |
CVE-2026-36027 | 5.1 | 6.8 | 0.0028 | partial |
CVE-2026-81051 | 4.9 | 6.6 | 0.0020 | partial |
CVE-2019-25551 | 4.7 | 6.2 | 0.0017 | good |
CVE-2019-25583 | 4.7 | 6.2 | 0.0018 | good |
CVE-2019-25587 | 4.7 | 6.2 | 0.0018 | good |
CVE-2019-25588 | 4.7 | 6.2 | 0.0017 | good |
CVE-2019-25590 UPD | 4.7 | 6.2 | 0.0017 | good |
CVE-2018-25229 | 4.2 | 5.5 | 0.0022 | good |
CVE-2025-31929 UPD | 3.3 | 4.2 | 0.0020 | good |
CVE-2024-30111 UPD | 2.9 | 3.3 | 0.0032 | good |
CVE-2025-34503 UPD | 5.5 | 7.0 | 0.0013 | good |
CVE-2023-50738 UPD | 3.5 | 4.3 | 0.0027 | good |