cyberstrikeus CM-5(1) Automated Access Enforcement and Audit Records
Enhancement of: CM-5
High-Level Description
Family: Configuration Management (CM) Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5
Organizations log system accesses associated with applying configuration changes to ensure that configuration change control is implemented and to support after-the-fact actions should organizations discover any unauthorized changes.
What to Check
- Verify CM-5(1) Automated Access Enforcement and Audit Records is documented in SSP
- Validate all 2 control requirements are implemented
- Confirm control is operating effectively
- Review evidence of continuous monitoring for CM-5(1)
- Verify enhancement builds upon base control CM-5
How to Test
Step 1: Review Documentation
Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for CM-5(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
| Tool | Purpose | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| cloud-audit-mcp | Check configuration baselines | cloud_audit_config |
| AWS CLI | Review Config rules | aws configservice describe-config-rules |
Remediation Guide
Control Statement
Enforce access restrictions using [organization-defined] ; and Automatically generate audit records of the enforcement actions.
Implementation Guidance
Organizations log system accesses associated with applying configuration changes to ensure that configuration change control is implemented and to support after-the-fact actions should organizations discover any unauthorized changes.
Risk Assessment
| Finding | Severity | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| CM-5(1) Automated Access Enforcement and Audit Records not implemented | Medium | Configuration Management |
| CM-5(1) partially implemented | Low | Incomplete Configuration Management |
CWE Categories
| CWE ID | Title |
|---|---|
| CWE-16 | Configuration |
References
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 - CM-5(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 (AU-2, AU-6, AU-7, AU-12, CM-6) reviewed