Rules of Behavior (03.15.03) Rules of Behavior
High-Level Description
Family: Planning Framework: NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3 Applicability: Systems processing, storing, or transmitting CUI
Establish rules that describe the responsibilities and expected behavior for system usage and protecting CUI. Provide rules to individuals who require access to the system. Receive a documented acknowledgement from individuals indicating that they have read, understand, and agree to abide by the rules of behavior before authorizing access to CUI and the system. Review and update the rules of behavior [organization-defined].
What to Check
- Verify Rules of Behavior (03.15.03) Rules of Behavior is implemented for CUI systems
- Review SSP documentation for Rules of Behavior (03.15.03)
- Validate CMMC Level 2 assessment objective for Rules of Behavior (03.15.03)
- Confirm POA&M addresses any gaps for Rules of Behavior (03.15.03)
How to Test
Step 1: Review System Security Plan
Examine the SSP for Rules of Behavior (03.15.03) implementation description and responsible parties.
Step 2: Assess Implementation
# Verify security controls protecting CUI
# Check access controls, encryption, monitoring as applicable
# For Linux systems:
ls -la /etc/security/ 2>/dev/null
grep -r "CUI\|controlled" /etc/security/ 2>/dev/null
# For cloud:
# Use cloud-audit-mcp tools to assess posture
Step 3: CMMC Assessment Validation
Verify this requirement passes CMMC Level 2 assessment methodology per SP 800-171A Rev 3.
Tools
| Tool | Purpose | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| cloud-audit-mcp | Assess cloud CUI environment | cloud_audit_* tools |
| Manual Review | SSP and POA&M review | Documentation analysis |
Remediation Guide
Requirement Statement
Establish rules that describe the responsibilities and expected behavior for system usage and protecting CUI. Provide rules to individuals who require access to the system. Receive a documented acknowledgement from individuals indicating that they have read, understand, and agree to abide by the rules of behavior before authorizing access to CUI and the system. Review and update the rules of behavior [organization-defined].
Supplemental Guidance
Rules of behavior represent a type of access agreement for system users. Organizations consider rules of behavior for the handling of CUI based on individual user roles and responsibilities and differentiate between rules that apply to privileged users and rules that apply to general users.
Risk Assessment
| Finding | Severity | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Rules of Behavior (03.15.03) Rules of Behavior not implemented | Medium | CUI Protection - Planning |
| Rules of Behavior (03.15.03) partially implemented (POA&M) | Low | CMMC certification risk |
CWE Categories
| CWE ID | Title |
|---|---|
| N/A | No direct CWE mapping |
References
Checklist
- SSP documents Rules of Behavior (03.15.03) implementation
- Evidence of operating effectiveness collected
- POA&M addresses any gaps
- CMMC assessment objective met
- Continuous monitoring active