MP-7: Media Use

The mp-7: media use requirement sits in the NIST SP 800-53 Media Protection (MP) family and focuses on controlling how media is used with organizational systems. For most compliance programs, MP-7 becomes urgent when you handle federal data, operate regulated enclaves, or support distributed teams where removable media and portable storage still appear in real workflows (field service, labs, manufacturing, incident response, offline transfers, backups, and cross-domain moves).

Operationally, MP-7 is not a generic “ban USB drives” statement. It is a requirement to make explicit decisions about media use, enforce those decisions with technical controls, and prove through evidence that the control operates consistently. Auditors typically fail teams here for two reasons: (1) the organization cannot clearly describe which media is permitted on which systems and why, and (2) the organization cannot show technical enforcement and monitoring beyond a policy document.

This page gives requirement-level implementation guidance you can hand to control owners (IT, endpoint engineering, security operations, and data governance) and quickly turn into a working procedure, evidence plan, and audit narrative aligned to NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5. ¹

Requirement overview (MP-7: Media Use)

MP-7 expects you to control “media use” by specifying what media can be used, where it can be used, and what safeguards must be in place. In practice, you operationalize MP-7 by building a media control standard, enforcing it on endpoints and servers, and managing exceptions with traceable approvals and compensating controls. ¹

Plain-English interpretation

You must:

1. Decide which types of media are allowed (or prohibited) for your environment.
2. Scope those decisions to specific systems, environments, or network zones.
3. Enforce the decision using defined technical and procedural controls.
4. Monitor and prove the rules are active and effective.

This is a control that examiners expect to be “real” in tooling: device control, encryption, endpoint policy, and logs that show connection attempts and outcomes.

Regulatory text

NIST’s MP-7 control text in your source material states, in excerpted form: “... the use of ... on ... using ...; and” which indicates the control is parameterized to your environment: you define (a) what media types are in scope, (b) where they may be used (systems or environments), and (c) what controls must be used to allow that use. ²

Operator translation: what you must do

• Establish an explicit media use rule set (allowed, restricted, prohibited) for each in-scope system boundary.
• Implement technical mechanisms that enforce the rule set (for example: block unapproved removable storage; require encryption; restrict write access).
• Put an exception process in place so business needs do not quietly override policy.
• Generate repeatable evidence that enforcement is in place and exceptions are controlled.

Who it applies to

Entity applicability

• Federal information systems and contractor systems handling federal data where NIST SP 800-53 is the selected control baseline or is flowed down via contract, ATO requirements, or customer security requirements. ¹

Operational contexts where MP-7 shows up

• End-user endpoints (laptops/desktops) where users may connect removable storage.
• Admin workstations and jump hosts where privileged actions increase blast radius.
• Servers and production workloads where media use could bypass network controls.
• Secure enclaves or controlled environments where offline transfer is part of the operating model.
• Third-party operational support where contractors connect devices to your systems.

What you actually need to do (step-by-step)

Step 1: Define “media” for your environment (scope statement)

Create a media taxonomy your engineers can implement:

• Removable storage (USB mass storage, external HDD/SSD, SD cards)
• Optical media (if relevant)
• Mobile devices used as storage (MTP/PTP, tethering, file transfer)
• Virtual media and mounted images (common in data centers and remote management)
• Cloud sync clients as “media-like” transfer paths (treat as a transfer mechanism even if not removable)

Deliverable: “Media Types in Scope” section in your MP-7 standard.

Step 2: Build a media use decision matrix (allowed/restricted/prohibited)

Create a table that answers, without ambiguity, what is permitted.

Example decision matrix (tailor to your environment):

System / Zone	Media Type	Default	Conditions to allow	Enforcement point
Corporate endpoints	USB mass storage	Restricted	Approved device ID; encrypted; user in approved group	Endpoint device control
Privileged admin workstations	Any removable storage	Prohibited	Exception only; time-bound; SOC notified	Endpoint device control + SIEM alert
Production servers	Removable storage	Prohibited	Break-glass only; documented change ticket	Change management + host controls
Lab/test environment	Removable storage	Allowed	Encrypted required; malware scan	Endpoint controls + EDR

Deliverable: MP-7 “Media Use Standard” with matrix + rationale.

Step 3: Select enforcement controls (make the policy executable)

Minimum control set most auditors expect to see working:

• Endpoint device control: block or restrict removable storage; allow-list by hardware ID where needed.
• Encryption requirement: mandate encryption for approved removable media; define what counts as compliant (organization-managed encryption preferred).
• Malware scanning / content inspection: scan media on insertion and before file execution where feasible.
• Logging: record device connection events and policy outcomes (allowed/blocked), tied to user and host identity.
• Data controls: restrict copying of sensitive data to removable media via DLP rules where feasible.

Deliverables:

• Endpoint configuration baselines (screenshots/exported policy settings).
• Encryption policy and technical configuration evidence.
• SIEM/EDR logging proof for device events.

Step 4: Implement an exception workflow that won’t collapse in audit

Auditors accept exceptions if they are controlled. Define:

• Who can request (roles)
• Required justification (business need + data classification + destination)
• Security conditions (encryption, time-boxing, device allow-listing, SOC monitoring)
• Approval chain (system owner + security)
• Expiration and review (automatic end date; renewal requires re-approval)
• Revocation (what triggers immediate removal of the exception)

Deliverables:

• Exception form/template
• Approval records
• Exception register with status and expiry

Step 5: Operational monitoring (prove ongoing effectiveness)

Run recurring checks that create artifacts:

• Device control policy deployment status (coverage by device population)
• Logs of blocked events and allowed events
• Exception register reconciliation (active exceptions match endpoint allow-lists)
• Spot checks of encryption status for approved removable media

Deliverables:

• Monthly/quarterly monitoring report
• Ticket evidence for remediation actions when gaps appear

Step 6: Map ownership and evidence (assessment readiness)

Assign a single accountable owner and named contributors:

• Control owner: Security/GRC or IT Security
• Implementers: Endpoint Engineering, IAM, SOC, IT Ops
• Approvers: System owners, Data owners (where applicable)

A simple way to keep this from drifting: track MP-7 in your GRC system with defined procedures and recurring evidence tasks. Daydream is useful here because it helps teams map MP-7 to a control owner, an implementation procedure, and a recurring evidence set that stays consistent across audits. ²

Required evidence and artifacts to retain

Keep artifacts that answer “what is the rule” and “is it working”:

Policy/standard artifacts

• MP-7 Media Use Standard (matrix + definitions + enforcement requirements)
• Data classification handling rules tied to media transfer (if separate, cross-reference)
• Exception procedure and approval authority

Technical artifacts

• Endpoint/device control configuration exports or screenshots
• EDR/SIEM log samples showing device events and enforcement outcomes
• Encryption configuration evidence for approved removable media
• Allow-list configurations (device IDs) and change records

Operational artifacts

• Exception register with approvals and expiry
• Monitoring reports and remediation tickets
• Training/communications evidence for affected user groups (targeted comms is fine; keep records)

Common exam/audit questions and hangups

Auditors often ask:

• “Which media types are permitted on which systems, and where is that documented?”
• “Show me technical enforcement. Where do you block USB storage?”
• “How do you prevent admins from bypassing the restriction?”
• “How do exceptions work, who approves them, and how do they expire?”
• “Show logs for media connection events and your review process.”

Hangups that cause findings:

• Policy says “USB is restricted” but engineers cannot show the device control configuration.
• Exceptions exist in email threads, not in a register with expirations.
• Encryption is “required” but not validated or measured.

Frequent implementation mistakes (and how to avoid them)

1. Writing a policy that is not enforceable.
   Fix: Build the decision matrix first, then write the policy to match what your tools can enforce.

2. Treating all endpoints the same.
   Fix: Separate privileged workstations, standard endpoints, and servers. The default should be stricter for higher-impact systems.

3. Allowing exceptions without compensating controls.
   Fix: Pair exceptions with allow-listing, time-boxing, encryption, and logging. Require a ticket and approval trail.

4. No evidence of monitoring.
   Fix: Schedule periodic exports/reports from device control tooling and log reviews. Store them in an evidence repository mapped to MP-7.

Enforcement context and risk implications

No public enforcement cases were provided in the source catalog for MP-7, so you should treat this as an assessment-readiness and contractual compliance control rather than a control with a cited enforcement history in this dataset.

Risk-wise, MP-7 failures commonly translate into:

• Data exfiltration paths that bypass network monitoring
• Malware introduction via removable media
• Inability to prove chain-of-custody for offline transfers
• ATO delays or security assessment findings due to weak evidence

Practical 30/60/90-day execution plan

Use this as a working plan for a CCO/GRC lead coordinating IT and Security. Treat the phases as execution gates, not calendar promises.

First 30 days (stabilize scope and decisions)

• Name the MP-7 control owner and implementation owners.
• Inventory in-scope systems and endpoint populations.
• Publish the media taxonomy and a first-pass allowed/restricted/prohibited matrix.
• Identify current tooling for device control, encryption, and logging; document gaps.
• Stand up an exception register and approval workflow (even if manual at first).

Days 31–60 (enforce and start collecting evidence)

• Configure endpoint device control policies aligned to the matrix.
• Implement encryption requirements for approved removable media.
• Route device control events to logging/SIEM and validate event quality (user, host, action).
• Run a first monitoring cycle and capture evidence artifacts.
• Train service desk and IT ops on how to handle exception requests and troubleshooting.

Days 61–90 (harden operations and make it audit-proof)

• Tighten privileged workstation and server controls (default deny where required).
• Reconcile allow-lists to the exception register; remove stale approvals.
• Add recurring evidence tasks in your GRC workflow and assign due dates to owners.
• Run an internal “audit walk-through”: pick a system, show the rule, show enforcement, show logs, show exception handling end-to-end.
• Document lessons learned and update the MP-7 standard to reflect actual operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does MP-7 require a total ban on USB or removable media?

No. MP-7 requires you to define and control media use based on your parameters and system context, then enforce that decision. Many programs allow limited use with encryption, allow-listing, logging, and time-bound exceptions. ¹

What’s the minimum technical enforcement an auditor will accept?

Policy alone usually fails. Expect to show endpoint/device control settings, evidence of enforcement outcomes (allowed/blocked events), and an exception process with approvals and expirations. ¹

How do I handle legitimate business needs for offline transfer?

Build an exception workflow that requires justification, data classification, encryption, an approved device identity, and an end date. Keep a register and reconcile it to your technical allow-lists.

Does MP-7 apply to cloud file-sharing tools?

MP-7 is written for media use, but auditors often evaluate “media-like” transfer paths as part of how you control data movement. If cloud sync clients are a common bypass route, document how they are governed alongside removable media.

What evidence should I have ready for a control assessment?

Keep the media use standard (matrix), device control configuration exports, sample logs showing enforcement, the exception register with approvals, and monitoring review records that show you found and fixed issues.

How can Daydream help with MP-7 without turning this into a documentation exercise?

Use Daydream to assign a clear control owner, store the implementation procedure, and schedule recurring evidence collection so your MP-7 artifacts are consistent across assessments and staff turnover. ²

Footnotes

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 OSCAL JSON