What is a key component of the Common Criteria standards?

The Common Criteria standards are a set of internationally recognized guidelines for evaluating the security properties of IT products and systems. A key component of these standards is the establishment of security functional and assurance requirements. These requirements specify what security features a product must have (functional requirements) and the degree of confidence in the product's ability to perform those functions correctly (assurance requirements).

The functional requirements include aspects such as access control, authentication, and auditing capabilities, ensuring that the product can effectively protect sensitive information. The assurance requirements, on the other hand, outline the processes and methodologies used to evaluate and guarantee that these functional requirements are met. This comprehensive framework allows organizations to assess and compare the security capabilities of different products in a consistent manner, fostering trust in their security measures.

The other options, while related to cybersecurity and risk management, do not reflect the foundational aspects of the Common Criteria standards. For instance, encryption protocols are specific techniques used to secure data but do not encompass the broader evaluation criteria set forth in Common Criteria. Similarly, disaster recovery plans and fraud detection systems pertain to specific areas of cybersecurity but do not align with the framework for evaluating and certifying the security features of IT products as outlined by Common Criteria.