CPCSC Level 2 Control

Last updated June 25, 2026

03.10.02Physical protection

CPCSC Level 2 03.10.02: Monitoring Physical Access

Apply monitoring physical access 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 03.10.02. Use the Cyber Centre publication and contract requirements as the source of truth for certification, assessment, or procurement submissions.

  • Monitor physical access to the facility where the system resides to detect and respond to physical security incidents
  • Review physical access logs [Assignment: organization-defined frequency] and upon occurrence of [Assignment: organization-defined events or potential indications of events]

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

What This Means In Plain English

Monitoring Physical Access 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 monitoring physical access 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 monitoring physical access.

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

Monitoring Physical Access: facility access lists.

Monitoring Physical Access: visitor logs.

Monitoring Physical Access: badge reports.

Monitoring Physical Access: alternate work agreements.

Monitoring Physical Access: physical security diagrams.

Monitoring Physical Access: transmission path controls.

Monitoring Physical Access: owner assignment and review cadence.

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

Common Auditor Questions

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

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

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

What happens when monitoring physical access 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