AC-17(6)_protection-of-mechanism-information

AC-17(6) Protection of Mechanism Information

Enhancement of: AC-17

High-Level Description

Family: Access Control (AC) Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5

Remote access to organizational information by non-organizational entities can increase the risk of unauthorized use and disclosure about remote access mechanisms. The organization considers including remote access requirements in the information exchange agreements with other organizations, as applicable. Remote access requirements can also be included in rules of behavior (see PL-4 ) and access agreements (see PS-6).

What to Check

• Verify AC-17(6) Protection of Mechanism Information is documented in SSP
• Confirm control is operating effectively
• Review evidence of continuous monitoring for AC-17(6)
• Verify enhancement builds upon base control AC-17

How to Test

Step 1: Review Documentation

Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for AC-17(6) implementation details. Verify the organization has documented how this control is satisfied.

Step 2: Validate Implementation

# For cloud environments, use cloud-audit-mcp tools
# For on-premises, review system configurations directly

# Example: Check if account management policies exist
grep -r "account.management\|access.control" /etc/security/ 2>/dev/null

Step 3: Test Operating Effectiveness

Verify the control is actively functioning, not just documented. Check logs, configurations, and operational evidence.

Tools

Remediation Guide

Control Statement

Protect information about remote access mechanisms from unauthorized use and disclosure.

Implementation Guidance

Remote access to organizational information by non-organizational entities can increase the risk of unauthorized use and disclosure about remote access mechanisms. The organization considers including remote access requirements in the information exchange agreements with other organizations, as applicable. Remote access requirements can also be included in rules of behavior (see PL-4 ) and access agreements (see PS-6).

Risk Assessment

CWE Categories

References

• NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 - AC-17(6)
• NIST SP 800-53A Rev 5 (Assessment Procedures)
• NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 Full Catalog

Checklist

• Control documented in SSP
• Implementation evidence collected
• Operating effectiveness validated
• Continuous monitoring in place
• Related controls (AT-2, AT-3, PS-6) reviewed