CPCSC Level 2 Control

Last updated June 25, 2026

03.04.02Configuration management

CPCSC Level 2 03.04.02: Configuration Settings

Apply configuration settings to keep systems configured, changed, inventoried, and hardened in a controlled way for CPCSC Level 2 readiness. This guide separates the official ITSP.10.171 control language from practical implementation, evidence, auditor questions, and related controls.

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Formal Control Language

Official ITSP.10.171 wording for 03.04.02. Use the Cyber Centre publication and contract requirements as the source of truth for certification, assessment, or procurement submissions.

  • Establish, document, and implement the following configuration settings for the system that reflect the most restrictive mode consistent with operational requirements: [Assignment: organization-defined configuration settings]
  • Identify, document, and approve any deviations from established configuration settings.

Contains information sourced from Government of Canada material used under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

What This Means In Plain English

Configuration Settings is part of the CPCSC Level 2 Configuration management family. This is about knowing what a secure configuration looks like and controlling how systems move away from that baseline.

For a founder, CISO, engineer, or compliance owner, the practical question is whether configuration settings is visible in real operating evidence: a setting, workflow, ticket, log, approval, review, or exception record that can survive an external assessment.

Level 2 is different from Level 1 because the evidence has to survive an external assessment. A policy statement helps, but the stronger answer is a record that shows who did the work, when it ran, what system setting or workflow enforced it, and how exceptions were handled.

How To Implement It

1

Define the in-scope systems, owners, users, vendors, and data flows affected by configuration settings.

2

Create baselines for in-scope systems, track inventory, review changes, restrict configuration access, and remove unnecessary software and services.

3

Translate the formal requirement into one or two operating procedures: who performs it, how often, where it is recorded, and who approves exceptions.

4

Configure the relevant systems so the control is enforced by identity, endpoint, cloud, network, ticketing, monitoring, vendor, or documentation workflows rather than memory.

5

Keep evidence in a consistent folder, GRC system, ticket queue, or audit workspace so an assessor can trace the control from requirement to implementation to review.

Evidence Normally Gathered

Configuration Settings: baseline configuration documents.

Configuration Settings: change tickets.

Configuration Settings: asset inventory.

Configuration Settings: configuration screenshots.

Configuration Settings: software allowlist or inventory.

Configuration Settings: exception records.

Configuration Settings: owner assignment and review cadence.

Configuration Settings: exception, remediation, or POA&M records when the control is not fully implemented.

Common Auditor Questions

Where is configuration settings implemented in the in-scope environment?

Who owns configuration settings, and how do they know it is operating?

Show the evidence that proves configuration settings ran during the assessment period.

What happens when configuration settings fails, is bypassed, or has an exception?

How does this control connect to the system security plan, risk register, POA&M, and related CPCSC controls?

Sources

Source and attribution.

Formal control language is sourced from the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security ITSP.10.171 publication. CPCSC Level 2 assessment context references the Government of Canada CPCSC program overview and ITSP.10.171-01 assessment guidance.

CPCSC Program OverviewITSP.10.171ITSP.10.171-01Open Government Licence - Canada