safemode.space
← NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5
SC-31
System and Communications Protection

Covert Channel Analysis

Description

a. Perform a covert channel analysis to identify those aspects of communications within the system that are potential avenues for covert [organization-defined parameter] channels; and b. Estimate the maximum bandwidth of those channels.

Mapped SPARTA techniques

4 techniques

  • EX-0015Side-Channel AttackST0004
    addresses
    moderate

    SC-31 (Covert Channel Analysis) addresses identification of side-channel covert paths EX-0015 exploits.

  • EXF-0002Side-Channel ExfiltrationST0008
    addresses
    moderate

    SC-31 (Covert Channel Analysis) addresses identification of side-channel covert paths EXF-0002 exploits.

  • EXF-0002.03Traffic Analysis AttacksST0008
    addresses
    moderate

    SC-31 addresses covert-channel analysis that includes traffic-flow-based information leakage.

  • IA-0005.01Compromise EmanationsST0003
    addresses
    moderate

    SC-31 (Covert Channel Analysis) addresses identification of emanation-based covert channels that IA-0005.01 exploits.

Cross-framework references

Relationships published by the source frameworks themselves, reproduced here with attribution. They are not SafeMode Space mappings and carry no confidence rating of ours.

Referenced by 1 in NASA Best Practices Guide for Mission Cybersecurity

Cite as SafeMode Space, nist-80053-rev5 SC-31.

Built 2026-07-25 from 216 techniques, 334 regulation articles, 125 ENISA controls, 2,610 framework controls, and 90 countermeasures.