CA-6(1)_joint-authorization-intra-organization

CA-6(1) Joint Authorization — Intra-organization

Enhancement of: CA-6

High-Level Description

Family: Assessment, Authorization, and Monitoring (CA) Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5

Assigning multiple authorizing officials from the same organization to serve as co-authorizing officials for the system increases the level of independence in the risk-based decision-making process. It also implements the concepts of separation of duties and dual authorization as applied to the system authorization process. The intra-organization joint authorization process is most relevant for connected systems, shared systems, and systems with multiple information owners.

What to Check

• Verify CA-6(1) Joint Authorization — Intra-organization is documented in SSP
• Confirm control is operating effectively
• Review evidence of continuous monitoring for CA-6(1)
• Verify enhancement builds upon base control CA-6

How to Test

Step 1: Review Documentation

Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for CA-6(1) 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 a joint authorization process for the system that includes multiple authorizing officials from the same organization conducting the authorization.

Implementation Guidance

Assigning multiple authorizing officials from the same organization to serve as co-authorizing officials for the system increases the level of independence in the risk-based decision-making process. It also implements the concepts of separation of duties and dual authorization as applied to the system authorization process. The intra-organization joint authorization process is most relevant for connected systems, shared systems, and systems with multiple information owners.

Risk Assessment

CWE Categories

References

• NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 - CA-6(1)
• 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 (AC-6) reviewed