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AC.3.021
Content
Control Acronym
AC
Family
Access Control
CMMC Level
3
800-171 Control #
3.1.15
CMMC Description
Authorize remote execution of privileged commands and remote access to security-relevant information.
CMMC Clarification
Privileged users need to execute commands with elevated privileges. But not all privileged users are allowed to perform these functions from a remote location, and not all privileged commands can be executed remotely. You must document which user roles have permissions to remotely execute privileged commands to make changes and to access security relevant information. In addition, you must document which administrative functions can be executed remotely. This documentation must be used to establish security mechanisms that enforce the policy. Example In accordance with the Access Control Policy certain users may be permitted to perform a limited set of administrative commands from a remote machine. Implement controls to enforce 1) who can remotely execute a privileged command and which privileged commands they can execute, and 2) who is allowed access to security relevant information such as audit log configuration settings.
800-171 Description
Authorize remote execution of privileged commands and remote access to security- relevant information.
800-171 Discussion
A privileged command is a human-initiated (interactively or via a process operating on behalf of the human) command executed on a system involving the control, monitoring, or administration of the system including security functions and associated security-relevant information. Security- relevant information is any information within the system that can potentially impact the operation of security functions or the provision of security services in a manner that could result in failure to enforce the system security policy or maintain isolation of code and data. Privileged commands give individuals the ability to execute sensitive, security-critical, or security-relevant system functions. Controlling such access from remote locations helps to ensure that unauthorized individuals are not able to execute such commands freely with the potential to do serious or catastrophic damage to organizational systems. Note that the ability to affect the integrity of the system is considered security-relevant as that could enable the means to by-pass security functions although not directly impacting the function itself.
Other Source Discussion
N/A
CIS Control References
CIS Controls v7.1 8.8, 12.11, 12.12
NIST 800-53 Control Ref.
NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4 AC-17(4)
CMMC Derived
NIST CSF Control References
NIST 800-171 References
NIST SP 800-171 Rev 1 3.1.15
Applicable FAR Clause
NIST CSF Control Reference
NIST CSF v1.1 PR.AC-3, PR.PT-4
CERT RMM Reference
CERT RMM v1.2 TM:SG2.SP2
Modification of NIST 800-171B Reference
NIST 800-171B Reference
UK NCSCCyber Reference
AS ACSC Reference
Sub-Criterias
Assessment Sub-Criteria 1
AC.3.021.[a] privileged commands authorized for remote execution are identified;
Assessment Sub-Criteria 2
AC.3.021.[b] security-relevant information authorized to be accessed remotely is identified;
Assessment Sub-Criteria 3
AC.3.021.[c] the execution of the identified privileged commands via remote access is authorized; and
Assessment Sub-Criteria 4
AC.3.021.[d] access to the identified security-relevant information via remote access is authorized.