AC-3(15)_discretionary-and-mandatory-access-control

AC-3(15) Discretionary and Mandatory Access Control

Enhancement of: AC-3

High-Level Description

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

Simultaneously implementing a mandatory access control policy and a discretionary access control policy can provide additional protection against the unauthorized execution of code by users or processes acting on behalf of users. This helps prevent a single compromised user or process from compromising the entire system.

What to Check

• Verify AC-3(15) Discretionary and Mandatory Access Control is documented in SSP
• Validate all 2 control requirements are implemented
• Confirm control is operating effectively
• Review evidence of continuous monitoring for AC-3(15)
• 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(15) 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

Enforce [organization-defined] over the set of covered subjects and objects specified in the policy; and Enforce [organization-defined] over the set of covered subjects and objects specified in the policy.

Implementation Guidance

Simultaneously implementing a mandatory access control policy and a discretionary access control policy can provide additional protection against the unauthorized execution of code by users or processes acting on behalf of users. This helps prevent a single compromised user or process from compromising the entire system.

Risk Assessment

CWE Categories

References

• NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 - AC-3(15)
• 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 (SC-2, SC-3, AC-4) reviewed