CPCSC Level 2 Control

Last updated June 25, 2026

03.04.11Configuration management

CPCSC Level 2 03.04.11: Information Location

Apply information location 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 03.04.11. Use the Cyber Centre publication and contract requirements as the source of truth for certification, assessment, or procurement submissions.

  • Identify and document the location of specified information and the system components on which the information is processed and stored.
  • Document changes to the system or system component location where specified information is processed and stored.

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

What This Means In Plain English

Information Location 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 information location 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 information location.

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

Information Location: baseline configuration documents.

Information Location: change tickets.

Information Location: asset inventory.

Information Location: configuration screenshots.

Information Location: software allowlist or inventory.

Information Location: exception records.

Information Location: owner assignment and review cadence.

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

Common Auditor Questions

Where is information location implemented in the in-scope environment?

Who owns information location, and how do they know it is operating?

Show the evidence that proves information location ran during the assessment period.

What happens when information location 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