CPCSC Level 2 Control

Last updated June 25, 2026

03.10.01Physical protection

CPCSC Level 2 03.10.01: Physical Access Authorizations

Apply physical access authorizations to protect facilities, work sites, transmission paths, and physical access to systems and media 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 03.10.01. Use the Cyber Centre publication and contract requirements as the source of truth for certification, assessment, or procurement submissions.

  • Develop, approve, and maintain a list of individuals with authorized access to the physical location where the system resides
  • Issue authorization credentials for physical access
  • Review the physical access list [Assignment: organization-defined frequency]
  • Remove individuals from the physical access list when access is no longer required

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

What This Means In Plain English

Physical Access Authorizations is part of the CPCSC Level 2 Physical protection family. This is about making physical access controls match the sensitivity of systems, media, transmission points, and alternate work locations.

For a founder, CISO, engineer, or compliance owner, the practical question is whether physical access authorizations 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 physical access authorizations.

2

Define restricted areas, approve access, monitor entry, control visitors, protect transmission paths, and document alternate work site expectations.

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

Physical Access Authorizations: facility access lists.

Physical Access Authorizations: visitor logs.

Physical Access Authorizations: badge reports.

Physical Access Authorizations: alternate work agreements.

Physical Access Authorizations: physical security diagrams.

Physical Access Authorizations: transmission path controls.

Physical Access Authorizations: owner assignment and review cadence.

Physical Access Authorizations: exception, remediation, or POA&M records when the control is not fully implemented.

Common Auditor Questions

Where is physical access authorizations implemented in the in-scope environment?

Who owns physical access authorizations, and how do they know it is operating?

Show the evidence that proves physical access authorizations ran during the assessment period.

What happens when physical access authorizations 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