AC-3(11)_restrict-access-to-specific-information-types

AC-3(11) Restrict Access to Specific Information Types

Enhancement of: AC-3

High-Level Description

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

Restricting access to specific information is intended to provide flexibility regarding access control of specific information types within a system. For example, role-based access could be employed to allow access to only a specific type of personally identifiable information within a database rather than allowing access to the database in its entirety. Other examples include restricting access to cryptographic keys, authentication information, and selected system information.

What to Check

• Verify AC-3(11) Restrict Access to Specific Information Types is documented in SSP
• Confirm control is operating effectively
• Review evidence of continuous monitoring for AC-3(11)
• 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(11) 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

Restrict access to data repositories containing [organization-defined].

Implementation Guidance

Restricting access to specific information is intended to provide flexibility regarding access control of specific information types within a system. For example, role-based access could be employed to allow access to only a specific type of personally identifiable information within a database rather than allowing access to the database in its entirety. Other examples include restricting access to cryptographic keys, authentication information, and selected system information.

Risk Assessment

CWE Categories

References

• NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 - AC-3(11)
• 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 (CM-8, CM-12, CM-13, PM-5) reviewed