IA-3(1)_cryptographic-bidirectional-authentication

IA-3(1) Cryptographic Bidirectional Authentication

Enhancement of: IA-3

High-Level Description

Family: Identification and Authentication (IA) Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5

A local connection is a connection with a device that communicates without the use of a network. A network connection is a connection with a device that communicates through a network. A remote connection is a connection with a device that communicates through an external network. Bidirectional authentication provides stronger protection to validate the identity of other devices for connections that are of greater risk.

What to Check

• Verify IA-3(1) Cryptographic Bidirectional Authentication is documented in SSP
• Confirm control is operating effectively
• Review evidence of continuous monitoring for IA-3(1)
• Verify enhancement builds upon base control IA-3

How to Test

Step 1: Review Documentation

Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for IA-3(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

Authenticate [organization-defined] before establishing [organization-defined] connection using bidirectional authentication that is cryptographically based.

Implementation Guidance

A local connection is a connection with a device that communicates without the use of a network. A network connection is a connection with a device that communicates through a network. A remote connection is a connection with a device that communicates through an external network. Bidirectional authentication provides stronger protection to validate the identity of other devices for connections that are of greater risk.

Risk Assessment

CWE Categories

References

• NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 - IA-3(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 (SC-8, SC-12, SC-13) reviewed