AC-3(10)_audited-override-of-access-control-mechanisms

AC-3(10) Audited Override of Access Control Mechanisms

Enhancement of: AC-3

High-Level Description

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

In certain situations, such as when there is a threat to human life or an event that threatens the organization’s ability to carry out critical missions or business functions, an override capability for access control mechanisms may be needed. Override conditions are defined by organizations and used only in those limited circumstances. Audit events are defined in AU-2 . Audit records are generated in AU-12.

What to Check

• Verify AC-3(10) Audited Override of Access Control Mechanisms is documented in SSP
• Confirm control is operating effectively
• Review evidence of continuous monitoring for AC-3(10)
• Verify enhancement builds upon base control AC-3

How to Test

Step 1: Review Documentation

Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for AC-3(10) 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

Employ an audited override of automated access control mechanisms under [organization-defined] by [organization-defined].

Implementation Guidance

In certain situations, such as when there is a threat to human life or an event that threatens the organization’s ability to carry out critical missions or business functions, an override capability for access control mechanisms may be needed. Override conditions are defined by organizations and used only in those limited circumstances. Audit events are defined in AU-2 . Audit records are generated in AU-12.

Risk Assessment

CWE Categories

References

• NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 - AC-3(10)
• 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 (AU-2, AU-6, AU-10, AU-12, AU-14) reviewed