03.13.04 —

What this control requires

Source: NIST SP 800-171 R3 §03.13.04 (official control text).

Why this matters

When multiple users or processes share the same computing resources — memory, storage blocks, CPU registers, network buffers — data from one session can leak into the next if not properly cleared. This control prevents unauthorized disclosure when the system reallocates RAM, disk sectors, or virtual machine instances to new users. Without proper sanitization, sensitive data like cryptographic keys, customer records, or authentication tokens can persist in memory or storage and be read by the next user who claims that resource. This is especially critical in multi-tenant cloud environments and shared virtualization infrastructure where resource reuse is constant.

What evidence assessors expect

Assessors typically look for: screenshot, configuration export, PDF, signed letter. FORCE coaches you through the exact implementation steps and captures each artifact in-platform.

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