OPS-17·high·Component: Operations SecurityWhat this control requires
Monitors logging and monitoring system components, automatically reporting failures to responsible departments for prompt action. Ensures continuous operation of monitoring tools to detect threats and protect cloud customer data effectively.
In plain English
Monitors logging and monitoring system components, automatically reporting failures to responsible departments for prompt action. In practice, this means you can prove you application cloud customer data-level controls on a defined cadence.
Why it matters
BSI C5 is the default cloud-security baseline German public-sector buyers and many DAX-listed enterprises expect; gaps here directly block procurement in the DACH region and frequently appear as must-have items in EU public-tender documents.
This control is rated high. Auditors expect a named owner, a remediation SLA, and a tooling artefact that evidences continuous operation.
What an auditor looks for
A C5 attesting auditor (under ISAE 3000 / IDW PS 860) tests both the design and — for a Type 2 — the operating effectiveness over the attestation period. For each criterion they look for both the Basic and any in-scope Additional objectives.
Within Operations Security, the assessor will trace your implementation back to the catalogue reference (Criterion OPS-17) and look for objective evidence on the latest two assessment cycles.
How to implement
Secure Development
Pipeline. Require code review, SAST (Semgrep / Snyk Code), SCA (Dependabot / Renovate), secret-scanning and IaC scanning in the merge pipeline.
Branch protection. Protected branches enforce reviews, signed commits and passing CI before merge; document the protection rules as the control evidence.
Code Review Testing
Pipeline. Require at least one human reviewer plus passing CI (lint, type, unit, security scan) before merge — protected branches enforce this.
Operational checklist
- Application. Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence.
- Review. Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence.
- Security. Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence.
- Data. Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence.
- Secure. Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence.
- Scope: cloud customer data, development.
Evidence to collect
- Code Repo Scan. Source-control evidence — branch protection, required reviewers, CI status, SCA / SAST reports.
- Infra Scan. Continuous infrastructure-posture telemetry — AWS Config, Azure Policy compliance, GCP Organisation Policy, Wiz / Prisma findings.
Source control pipelines (GitHub, GitLab) enforce SDLC guardrails. Focus: Logging and Monitoring - Availability of the Monitoring Software.
Common pitfalls
- CI security checks set to warn-only; the merge button is faster than the security feedback.
How it maps to other frameworks
Computed from shared tags, control component and key-operation subjects — handy when you are reconciling controls across an audit.
- NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3 3.13.13 — Mobile Code
- ISO/IEC 27001:2022 A.8.28 — Secure coding
- SOC 2 (2017 TSC) CC1.3 — Organizational Structure and Reporting Lines
- GDPR Article 41 — Monitoring of approved codes of conduct
- CIS Controls v8 16.3 — Perform Root Cause Analysis on Security Vulnerabilities
Related controls in BSI C5:2020
- Criterion OPS-13 — Logging and Monitoring - Identification of Events
- Criterion OPS-03 — Capacity Management - Controlling of Resources
- Criterion PSS-02 — Identification of Vulnerabilities of the Cloud Service
- Criterion DEV-04 — Safety training and awareness programme regarding continuous software delivery and associated systems, components or tools.
- Criterion OPS-10 — Logging and Monitoring - Concept
- Criterion OPS-16 — Logging and Monitoring - Configuration
References
- Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (BSI) — BSI C5:2020
- Catalogue identifier:
Criterion OPS-17
Topics: application securitylogging monitoringsecure developmentcode review testingcontinuous monitoringdevsecops