CA-7(6) Automation Support for Monitoring
Enhancement of: CA-7
High-Level Description
Family: Assessment, Authorization, and Monitoring (CA) Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5
Using automated tools for monitoring helps to maintain the accuracy, currency, and availability of monitoring information which in turns helps to increase the level of ongoing awareness of the system security and privacy posture in support of organizational risk management decisions.
What to Check
- Verify CA-7(6) Automation Support for Monitoring is documented in SSP
- Confirm control is operating effectively
- Review evidence of continuous monitoring for CA-7(6)
- Verify enhancement builds upon base control CA-7
How to Test
Step 1: Review Documentation
Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for CA-7(6) 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
| Tool | Purpose | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Manual Review | Documentation and interview-based | N/A |
Remediation Guide
Control Statement
Ensure the accuracy, currency, and availability of monitoring results for the system using [organization-defined].
Implementation Guidance
Using automated tools for monitoring helps to maintain the accuracy, currency, and availability of monitoring information which in turns helps to increase the level of ongoing awareness of the system security and privacy posture in support of organizational risk management decisions.
Risk Assessment
| Finding | Severity | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| CA-7(6) Automation Support for Monitoring not implemented | Medium | Assessment, Authorization, and Monitoring |
| CA-7(6) partially implemented | Low | Incomplete Assessment, Authorization, and Monitoring |
CWE Categories
| CWE ID | Title |
|---|---|
| N/A | No direct CWE mapping |
References
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 - CA-7(6)
- 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