CM-3(6) - Configuration Change Control | Cryptography Management
Ensure that cryptographic mechanisms used to provide the following controls are under configuration management: [Assignment: organization-defined controls].
Testing and validating changes before committing them to flight hardware is a near-universal best practice, yet the stakes are even higher in space platforms. This enhancement underscores the need to replicate on-orbit conditions (e.g., thermal extremes, communication latencies) in ground-based simulations or testbeds before pushing new configurations. Once the patch is deemed stable, the final step is an additional integrity check before upload, preventing last-minute tampering. By thoroughly vetting each configuration through a chain of incremental tests, mission operators can confidently roll out changes, knowing they have already weathered the worst-case scenarios.
The [organization] shall ensure that cryptographic mechanisms, including authentication schemes and command dictionaries, are under strict configuration management.{CM-3(6)}