CIS Controls v8 16.10 — Apply Secure Design Principles in Application Architectures

What this control requires

Apply secure design principles in application architectures, such as least privilege and validating all user input ("never trust user input"). Ensure proper error checking for input size, type, and format. Minimize the attack surface by disabling unused ports and services, removing unnecessary files and programs, and securing or deleting default accounts.

In plain English

Apply secure design principles in application architectures, such as least privilege and validating all user input ("never trust user input"). In practice, this means you can prove you ensure user-level controls on a defined cadence.

Why it matters

The CIS Controls are an industry-vetted, prioritised defence: skipping a safeguard widens the attack surface that the safeguards above and below it assume is closed. Audit frameworks (FedRAMP, PCI DSS, HIPAA) all cite CIS as evidence of due care.

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 CIS-aligned reviewer wants to see (a) which Implementation Group you are targeting, (b) a documented owner for the safeguard, and (c) a tooling or process artefact (config, scan output, ticket) that proves the safeguard runs on the cadence the control demands.

Within Protect, the assessor will trace your implementation back to the catalogue reference (Control 16.10) and look for objective evidence on the latest two assessment cycles.

How to implement

1. Write a short policy stating intent, scope and named owner.
2. Encode it as a platform guardrail — SCP, Azure Policy initiative, Organisation Policy, or repository policy.
3. Wire a monitoring signal that catches drift (CSPM rule, SIEM rule, scheduled query, Workspace alert) and ticket it.
4. Review on a documented cadence and capture the review in the risk register or compliance tracker.

Operational checklist

• Ensure. Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence.
• Protect. Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence.
• Apply. Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence.
• Scope: user, least privilege, never trust user input, identity management.

Evidence to collect

• Identity Scan. IAM / IdP exports — Entra ID, Okta, IAM Identity Center, Workspace directory — showing accounts, roles, MFA state and last sign-in.

Identity analytics (Okta, SailPoint, Access Analyzer) demonstrates least-privilege. Focus: Apply Secure Design Principles in Application Architectures.

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.

• ISO/IEC 27001:2022 A.8.23 — Web filtering
• ISO/IEC 27701:2025 A.3.8 — Identity management
• NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 IA-12(1) — Supervisor Authorization
• SOC 2 (2017 TSC) CC1.5 — Accountability for Internal Control Responsibilities
• NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3 3.13.4 — Information in Shared System Resources

Related controls in CIS Controls v8

• Control 6.1 — Establish an Access Granting Process
• Control 6.2 — Establish an Access Revoking Process
• Control 9.2 — Use DNS Filtering Services
• Control 5.6 — Centralize Account Management
• Control 6.7 — Centralize Access Control
• Control 14.9 — Conduct Role-Specific Security Awareness and Skills Training

References

• Center for Internet Security — CIS Controls v8
• Catalogue identifier: Control 16.10

Topics: identity accessidentity managementaccess reviewprivileged access