AC-2(3)_disable-accounts

AC-2(3) Disable Accounts

Enhancement of: AC-2

High-Level Description

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

Disabling expired, inactive, or otherwise anomalous accounts supports the concepts of least privilege and least functionality which reduce the attack surface of the system.

What to Check

• Verify AC-2(3) Disable Accounts is documented in SSP
• Validate all 4 control requirements are implemented
• Confirm control is operating effectively
• Review evidence of continuous monitoring for AC-2(3)
• Verify enhancement builds upon base control AC-2

How to Test

Step 1: Review Documentation

Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for AC-2(3) 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

Disable accounts within [organization-defined] when the accounts: Have expired; Are no longer associated with a user or individual; Are in violation of organizational policy; or Have been inactive for [organization-defined].

Implementation Guidance

Disabling expired, inactive, or otherwise anomalous accounts supports the concepts of least privilege and least functionality which reduce the attack surface of the system.

Risk Assessment

CWE Categories

References

• NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 - AC-2(3)
• 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 (none) reviewed