MA.L2-3.7.4
Media Inspection
Source and approval
CMMC Assessment Guide — Level 2 · Revision 2.13
Publisher approved · Complete cited source edition 2026-10-31
Read the official guideSee MA.L2-3.7.4 in the reference catalog with its NIST cross-references
Official requirement
Check media containing diagnostic and test programs for malicious code before the media are used in organizational systems.
Assessment objectives
a. media containing diagnostic and test programs are checked for malicious code before being used in organizational systems that process, store, or transmit CUI.
Implementation guidance
Editorial examples to help you plan. Adapt them to your environment; the official requirement and objectives remain authoritative.
In plain language
Check diagnostic and test media for malicious code before use.
Implementation example
Example from the source assessment guide (not a mandatory implementation): You have recently been experiencing performance issues on one of your servers. After troubleshooting for much of the morning , the vendor has asked to install a utility that will collect more data from the server. The file is stored on the vendor’s FTP server. The support technician gives you the FTP site so you can anonymously download the utility file. You also ask him for a hash of the utility file. As you download the file to your local computer , you realize it is compressed. You unzip the file and perform a manual antivirus scan, which reports no issues [a]. To verify the utility file has not been altered, you run an application to see that the hash from the vendor matches.
Evidence examples
Examples suggested by the source guide (not an exhaustive or mandatory checklist): System maintenance policy; procedures addressing system maintenance tools; system maintenance tools and associated documentation; maintenance records; system security plan; other relevant documents or records
Common mistakes
Trusting a technician's maintenance media without examining it.