Active

Architecture Approval

The organization shall approve security architecture designs and changes, ensuring architecture decisions are reviewed and authorized by appropriate authorities. Approval shall include review of architecture designs, assessment of security impacts, and formal approval of architecture decisions.

Requirement ID
ARC-002-R002
Parent Control
Domain Code

Requirement Details & Guidance

ARC-002-R002 · ARC-002
Why This Requirement Exists

This requirement exists to ensure architecture designs and changes receive appropriate security review and formal authorization and to ensure security architecture decisions are consistent, risk-informed, and traceable.

Implementation Guidance

Establish a documented process for ensure architecture designs and changes receive appropriate security review and formal authorization. Define accountable roles, required inputs and outputs, approval or validation points, criteria, review frequency, exception handling, monitoring, and evidence requirements. Integrate the activity with architecture governance, risk management, security requirements, engineering, and change processes as applicable. Retain records sufficient to demonstrate that the control operates.

Practical Application & Audit Readiness

ARC-002-R002 · Field Guidance

Business Examples

    Common Audit Findings

      Common Mistakes

        Best Practices & Ownership

        ARC-002 · Recommended Approach

        Recommended Practices

          Typical Owner

          Cross-Mapped Regulatory Frameworks

          Harmonized Control Mappings
          FRAMEWORK CODE FRAMEWORK NAME & DETAILS FAMILY / CATEGORY VERSION ACTION
          IRDAI IRDAI Information & Cyber Security Guidelines IRDAI information and cyber-security requirements... Clause: §1.5-II – Governing Board; §1.6-3 – Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
          India
          Guideline
          vLatest View →
          RBI-CSF RBI Cyber Security Framework / Master Directions RBI cyber-security requirements and directions set... Clause: Circular §7 – IT architecture should be conducive to security; Circular §17 – Organisational arrangements
          India
          Regulation
          vLatest View →
          SEBI-CSCRF SEBI Cyber Security & Cyber Resilience Framework SEBI’s Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience Framewor... Clause: 3.4 PR.IP: Information Protection Processes and Procedures; 1.1 GV.OC: Organizational Context
          India
          Regulation
          vLatest View →
          DORA Digital Operational Resilience Act The EU Digital Operational Resilience Act establis... Clause: Article 5(2)(c) – Clear roles and responsibilities for all ICT-related functions and governance arrangements Article 6(8)(d) – ICT reference architecture and changes needed for business objectives
          EU
          Regulation
          vCurrent View →
          NIS2 NIS2 Directive The NIS2 Directive establishes EU-wide cybersecuri... Clause: Article 21(2)(e) – Security in network and information systems acquisition, development and maintenance, including vulnerability handling and disclosure
          EU
          Directive
          vCurrent View →
          PCI-DSS PCI DSS PCI DSS is an industry security standard maintaine... Clause: 1.2.3 – An accurate network diagram(s) is maintained; 1.2.4 – An accurate data-flow diagram(s) is; 1.4.1 – NSCs are implemented between trusted and; 2.2.1 – Configuration standards are developed,
          PCI
          Standard
          v4 View →
          COBIT2019 COBIT COBIT is an enterprise governance and management f... Clause: 4.2 – Align, Plan and Organize (APO) > APO13 – Managed Security > APO13.01 – Establish and maintain an information security management system. 4.3 – Build, Acquire and Implement (BAI) > BAI03 – Managed Solutions Identification and Build > BAI03.04 – Procure solution components.
          COBIT
          Governance Framework
          v2019 View →
          NIST-CSF NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) The NIST Cybersecurity Framework provides high-lev... Clause: PR.IR – Technology Infrastructure Resilience | PR.IR-01 – Networks and environments are protected from unauthorized logical access and usage
          NIST
          Framework
          v2 View →
          NIST80053 NIST SP 800-53 NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 presents control families, i... Clause: 3.12 – PLANNING, 3.17 – SYSTEM AND SERVICES ACQUISITION; PL-8 – SECURITY AND PRIVACY ARCHITECTURES, SA-17 – DEVELOPER SECURITY AND PRIVACY ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
          NIST
          Control Catalog
          vRev. 5 View →
          GDPR General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) The General Data Protection Regulation is a bindin... Clause: Article 25(1) – Data protection by design and by default; Article 32(1) – Security of processing
          EU
          Regulation
          vCurrent View →
          NPCI-ISR NPCI Information Security Requirements NPCI information-security requirements define cont... Clause: Operational Review; Review – Architectural Review
          India
          Standard
          vLatest View →
          SOC2 SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria SOC 2 is an independent examination and reporting... Clause: CC1.3 – Control Environment – COSO Principle 3: Management establishes, with board oversight, structures, reporting lines, and appropriate authorities and responsibilities in the pursuit of objectives. CC1.5 – Control Environment – COSO Principle 5: The entity holds individuals accountable for their internal control responsibilities in the pursuit of objectives.
          AICPA
          Audit Framework
          vLatest View →

          Parent Domain Context

          Governance Domain Baseline
          Domain Name:
          Security Architecture (ARC)
          Purpose:
          To design secure systems and ensure security is built into the architecture.
          Scope:
          Enterprise

          Parent Control Context

          Control Baseline
          Control Name:
          Architecture Governance (ARC-002)
          Summary:
          Establishes architecture governance including approval, roles, decision management, exception management, monitoring, reporting, compliance verification, review, and continuous improvement.
          Business Description:
          Establish and maintain governance processes for reviewing, approving, monitoring, and managing security architecture decisions, exceptions, and major technology changes.