PE-3(1)_system-access

PE-3(1) System Access

Enhancement of: PE-3

High-Level Description

Family: Physical and Environmental Protection (PE) Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5

Control of physical access to the system provides additional physical security for those areas within facilities where there is a concentration of system components.

What to Check

• Verify PE-3(1) System Access is documented in SSP
• Confirm control is operating effectively
• Review evidence of continuous monitoring for PE-3(1)
• Verify enhancement builds upon base control PE-3

How to Test

Step 1: Review Documentation

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

Enforce physical access authorizations to the system in addition to the physical access controls for the facility at [organization-defined].

Implementation Guidance

Control of physical access to the system provides additional physical security for those areas within facilities where there is a concentration of system components.

Risk Assessment

CWE Categories

References

• NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 - PE-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 (none) reviewed