# CIS 4.2 — Establish and Maintain a Secure Configuration Process for Network Infrastructure

- Source: https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/articles/a_gen_cis_42_a60fff7ce1-cis-42-establish-and-maintain-a-secure-configuration-process-for-network-infrastructure
- Section: [Solutions](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions) › [AWS Checks New Version](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/62000112673) › [Protect](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/folders/f_gen_62000112673_protect)
- Last updated: 2026-05-30
- Publisher: iCompaas, Inc. (https://www.icompaas.com)

CIS · Control 4.2 · Priority: critical · Component: Protect

### What this control covers

Establish and maintain a secure configuration process for network devices. Review and update documentation annually, or when significant enterprise changes occur that could impact this Safeguard.

### Why it matters

Risk is the language an executive team understands; this control connects technical reality to board-level decisions and budget allocation.

### How to implement

#### AWS

Codify the policy intent as **SCPs, AWS Config conformance packs, and Security Hub standards** so the cloud enforces what the document says.

#### Azure

Codify in **Azure Policy initiatives** (built-in regulatory compliance for CIS, ISO 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA) and assign at management-group level.

#### GCP

Use **VPC Service Controls** to draw a perimeter around sensitive APIs and a hierarchical **Firewall policy** at the org/folder level so projects inherit a deny-by-default posture. Front HTTP workloads with the global **Cloud Load Balancer + Cloud Armor**.

#### On-premises

Maintain a policy library with a documented review cadence (annual minimum); store in your GRC tool with attestation tracking. Map each policy to controls so an audit pull cites the exact policy clause.

### Evidence to collect

-   `infra_scan` — See the iCompaas Evidence library for the canonical source for this evidence type.
-   `policy_document` — A signed, version-controlled policy stating leadership intent and the named owner.

Infrastructure posture tooling (AWS Config, Azure Policy, Nessus) verifies platform hardening. Signed policy or standard documents the safeguard. Focus: Establish and Maintain a Secure Configuration Process for Network Infrastructure.

### Quick checklist

-   Establish And Maintain — Network / Secure Configuration Process
-   Protect — Network / Secure Configuration Process

### Related articles on this site

-   [Microsoft Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM)](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/articles/62000234105-microsoft-cloud-security-posture-management-cspm-)
-   [Ensure to Review and Update the Security Configuration](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/articles/62000234480-ensure-to-review-and-update-the-security-configuration)
-   [Ensure that Activity Log Alert exists for Create or Update Network Security Group](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/articles/62000219859-ensure-that-activity-log-alert-exists-for-create-or-update-network-security-group)
-   [5.2.5 Ensure that Activity Log Alert exists for Create or Update Network Security Group Rule](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/articles/62000219862-5-2-5-ensure-that-activity-log-alert-exists-for-create-or-update-network-security-group-rule)

## Related compliance guidance

- [SOC 2 compliance: a practical implementation guide for cloud-native SaaS teams](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/soc-2-trust-services-criteria): Configuration checks like this one are the technical half of a SOC 2 / ISO 27001 programme — the guide shows where they fit, what else an auditor expects, and how to evidence them.
- [ISO/IEC 27001:2022 compliance: a practical implementation guide](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/iso-27001-2022): ISO 27001 Annex A.8 (technological controls) is where cloud hardening evidence lands; the guide shows how to run the ISMS around it.