Primary scoping componentsare systems, applications, and infrastructure directly involved in processing, storing, or transmitting sensitive information. Examples includehypervisors(supporting virtualized systems), servers(hosting applications and data),databaseslikeOracle(storing structured data), andnetwork attached storage (NAS)devices (storing files). These are all core elements of an IT environment subject to assessment.
By contrast,smoke detectorsare physical safety devices, not considered primary scoping components for HITRUST. Physical safeguards like detectors may fall under facility security, but they are not tested as primary IT components. Proper identification of primary scoping components is critical to defining the assessment boundary and ensuring appropriate requirements are applied.
References:HITRUST CSF Methodology - "Primary vs. Secondary Components"; CCSFP Study Guide -
"Examples of Scoping Components."

HITRUST does not permit marking a requirement statement "Not Applicable" simply because most of the evaluative elements don't apply. Requirement statements are mandatory unless a legitimate scoping or regulatory justification supports exclusion. For example, a control related to cardholder data could be marked N/A only if the organization does not process credit cards. However, if even one evaluative element applies, the requirement must be scored, and the non-applicable elements may be documented as part of evidence.
HITRUST QA reviews all N/A designations, requiring organizations to justify exclusions in the Subscriber Comments field. Improperly marking requirements as N/A may result in assessment rejection or mandatory CAPs.
References: HITRUST Assurance Program - "Rules for N/A Designations"; CCSFP Practitioner Guide -
"Proper Use of N/A in Assessments."

TheReadiness Assessmentis designed to give organizations flexibility when evaluating their security and compliance posture. Unlike validated assessments, which are bound by specific methodologies, thresholds, and QA requirements, the readiness format allows entities to scope assessments more freely. This includes the ability to selectany HITRUST authoritative source, such as HIPAA, PCI-DSS, NIST, ISO, or GDPR, for self-assessment purposes. The readiness option is often used for gap analysis, remediation planning, and preparing for a future validated assessment. Since the results are not submitted to HITRUST QA, organizations can tailor the assessment to their needs without external restrictions. Neither e1, i1, nor r2 assessments provide this level of flexibility, as those validated assessments are standardized and tightly controlled.
References:HITRUST Assurance Program Overview - "Assessment Types"; CCSFP Study Guide -
"Readiness Assessments and Authoritative Sources."

Explanation:
* Fully Compliant = 100
* Mostly Compliant = 75
* Partially Compliant = 50
* Somewhat Compliant = 25
* Non-Compliant = 0
HITRUST assigns specific numeric values to compliance categories within the scoring rubric to standardize assessments. These categories translate qualitative assessments intoquantitative scores:
* Fully Compliant (100):All criteria met with complete and verified evidence.
* Mostly Compliant (75):Most criteria met; minor gaps exist.
* Partially Compliant (50):Roughly half of the evaluative elements are met.
* Somewhat Compliant (25):Only a small fraction of the evaluative elements are satisfied.
* Non-Compliant (0):No evidence of compliance.
These values are applied at the Requirement Statement level and then averaged upward into Control Reference and Domain scores. This quantification ensures consistency and supports certification thresholds such as the domain-level requirement of 71 for r2 certification.
References:HITRUST Scoring Rubric - "Compliance Categories"; CCSFP Practitioner Guide - "Scoring Scales."

When a requirement statement or control reference fails to meet the HITRUST scoring threshold, aCorrective Action Plan (CAP)may be required. CAPs represent formal remediation commitments that must be documented in the assessment object before submission to QA. Each CAP must include details such as the control deficiency, planned remediation steps, responsible parties, milestones, and expected completion dates.
HITRUST QA will verify that all required CAPs are present before accepting the assessment for review.
Without CAP documentation, the assessment submission is considered incomplete. This process ensures transparency and accountability and demonstrates to relying parties that the organization has a structured plan to close gaps. Therefore, the statement isTrue.
References:HITRUST Assurance Program Requirements - "CAP Documentation"; CCSFP Practitioner Guide - "CAPs and Submission Readiness."