Rule: Maintain Current Contact Details
Ensure compliance by keeping contact information up-to-date.
| Rule | Maintain current contact details |
| Framework | cis_v150 |
| Severity | ✔ Medium |
Maintain Current Contact Details for CIS v1.5.0
Regularly updating and maintaining accurate contact details is critical for effective communication and incident response within an organization. The specific rule you've referenced, "Maintain Current Contact Details", falls under benchmark guidelines such as those provided by the Center for Internet Security (CIS). The version 1.5.0 likely corresponds to a specific set of standards or a profile within the CIS benchmarks.
Description of the Rule
The rule "Maintain Current Contact Details" generally mandates that an organization must have a process in place to ensure that contact information for employees, contractors, and any other necessary personnel is kept up to date. This is vital for a number of operational and security reasons, including but not limited to:
- Incident response
- Emergency alerts
- Business continuity communications
- Regulatory compliance notifications
- Technical support coordination
The rule may cover various forms of contact information such as:
- Phone numbers (work, mobile, home)
- Email addresses (work and/or personal)
- Physical office locations
- Mailing addresses
Troubleshooting Steps
If issues are noted with the retention of current contact details, here are troubleshooting steps that can be taken:
- 1.
Validation Check: Ensure that there are systems in place to regularly request confirmation or updates of contact details from staff members.
- 2.
Automated Reminders: Implement automated reminders or prompts for users to verify and update their information at set intervals or upon login to certain systems.
- 3.
Access Controls: Verify that only authorized personnel have the ability to edit contact information to maintain data integrity.
- 4.
Audit Logs: Frequently review audit logs to confirm that changes to contact details are being adequately recorded and that the history of changes can be traced for accountability.
Remediation Steps
Below are the step-by-step actions that should typically be followed to comply with this rule:
- 1.
Establish a Policy: Draft a formal policy that mandates the regular review and update of contact details.
- 2.
Communicate Expectations: Make sure the requirement is well communicated across the organization so employees understand the importance of keeping their contact information current.
- 3.
Implement a System: Deploy a system or mechanism which facilitates the easy updating and verification of contact details. This could include a Self-Service Portal or HR management system.
- 4.
Scheduling Regular Updates: Determine the frequency at which details should be verified and establish automated reminders or mandatory check-ins during set periods, such as annually or biannually.
- 5.
Monitor Compliance: Use reports from the management system to monitor who has or has not updated their contact information and follow up accordingly.
- 6.
Maintain Security: Ensure that all contact information is stored securely and in compliance with relevant privacy regulations, making sure access is restricted to authorized personnel only.
Technical Implementation
For systems like Active Directory, you may implement PowerShell scripts to periodically query and report on user contact information:
Import-Module ActiveDirectory
Get-ADUser -Filter * -Properties DisplayName, EmailAddress, OfficePhone, Office |
Where-Object { -not $_.EmailAddress -or -not $_.OfficePhone } |
Select-Object DisplayName, EmailAddress, OfficePhone, Office |
Export-Csv -Path "MissingContactReport.csv" -NoTypeInformation
This script extracts users who have missing email addresses or phone numbers and exports the list to a CSV file for review.
For organizations using Microsoft 365 or similar platforms, you can automate such processes through tools like Power Automate or Azure Automation to alert users to update their contact details, triggering emails or approval flows for missing information.
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