CPCSC Level 2 Control

Last updated June 25, 2026

03.11.02Risk assessment

CPCSC Level 2 03.11.02: Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning

Apply vulnerability monitoring and scanning to identify, prioritize, scan, and respond to risks that could affect specified information for CPCSC Level 2 readiness. This guide separates the official ITSP.10.171 control language from practical implementation, evidence, auditor questions, and related controls.

Open Level 2 Guide Browse Level 2 Controls

Formal Control Language

Official ITSP.10.171 wording for 03.11.02. Use the Cyber Centre publication and contract requirements as the source of truth for certification, assessment, or procurement submissions.

  • Monitor and scan for vulnerabilities in the system [Assignment: organization-defined frequency] and when new vulnerabilities affecting the system are identified
  • Remediate system vulnerabilities within [Assignment: organization-defined response times]
  • Update system vulnerabilities to be scanned [Assignment: organization-defined frequency] and when new vulnerabilities are identified and reported

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

What This Means In Plain English

Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning is part of the CPCSC Level 2 Risk assessment family. This is about turning risk identification into decisions: what matters, what is vulnerable, what is being fixed, and what leadership accepts.

For a founder, CISO, engineer, or compliance owner, the practical question is whether vulnerability monitoring and scanning 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 vulnerability monitoring and scanning.

2

Run scoped risk assessments, perform vulnerability scanning, rank findings, assign owners, track remediation, and document accepted residual risk.

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

Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning: risk assessment report.

Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning: risk register.

Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning: vulnerability scan results.

Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning: remediation tickets.

Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning: risk acceptance records.

Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning: leadership review notes.

Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning: owner assignment and review cadence.

Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning: exception, remediation, or POA&M records when the control is not fully implemented.

Common Auditor Questions

Where is vulnerability monitoring and scanning implemented in the in-scope environment?

Who owns vulnerability monitoring and scanning, and how do they know it is operating?

Show the evidence that proves vulnerability monitoring and scanning ran during the assessment period.

What happens when vulnerability monitoring and scanning 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