Back to Control Explorer
AU.3.050
Content
Control Acronym
AU
Family
Audit And Accountability
CMMC Level
3
800-171 Control #
3.3.9
CMMC Description
Limit management of audit logging functionality to a subset of privileged users.
CMMC Clarification
Organizations should restrict access to audit logging functions to a limited number of privileged users that can modify audit logs and audit settings. There are three classes of users: general users, privileged users, and audit managers. General users should not be granted permissions to perform audit management. All audit managers should come from the set of privileged users, but only a small subset of privileged users will be given audit management responsibilities. Functions performed by privileged users must be distinctly separate from the functions performed by users who have audit-related responsibilities to reduce the potential of fraudulent activities by privileged users not being detected or reported. Example You are in charge of IT operations in your organization. You are responsible for the administration of the infrastructure, but you are not an audit manager and cannot review audit logs, delete audit logs, or modify audit log settings. Full control of audit logging functions has been given to the security auditors, and they are able to review logs and modify audit log settings. This separation of system administration duties from audit logging management is necessary to prevent possible log file tampering.
800-171 Description
Limit management of audit logging functionality to a subset of privileged users.
800-171 Discussion
Individuals with privileged access to a system and who are also the subject of an audit by that system, may affect the reliability of audit information by inhibiting audit logging activities or modifying audit records. This requirement specifies that privileged access be further defined between audit-related privileges and other privileges, thus limiting the users with audit-related privileges.
Other Source Discussion
N/A
CIS Control References
NIST 800-53 Control Ref.
NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4 AU-6(7), AU-9(4)
CMMC Derived
NIST CSF Control References
NIST 800-171 References
NIST SP 800-171 Rev 1 3.3.9
Applicable FAR Clause
NIST CSF Control Reference
CERT RMM Reference
CERT RMM v1.2 MON:SG2.SP2
Modification of NIST 800-171B Reference
NIST 800-171B Reference
UK NCSCCyber Reference
AS ACSC Reference
Sub-Criterias
Assessment Sub-Criteria 1
AU.3.050.[a] a subset of privileged users granted access to manage audit logging functionality is defined; and
Assessment Sub-Criteria 2
AU.3.050.[b] management of audit logging functionality is limited to the defined subset of privileged users.