SC-42(2)_authorized-use

SC-42(2) Authorized Use

Enhancement of: SC-42

High-Level Description

Family: System and Communications Protection (SC) Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5

Information collected by sensors for a specific authorized purpose could be misused for some unauthorized purpose. For example, GPS sensors that are used to support traffic navigation could be misused to track the movements of individuals. Measures to mitigate such activities include additional training to help ensure that authorized individuals do not abuse their authority and, in the case where sensor data is maintained by external parties, contractual restrictions on the use of such data.

What to Check

• Verify SC-42(2) Authorized Use is documented in SSP
• Confirm control is operating effectively
• Review evidence of continuous monitoring for SC-42(2)
• Verify enhancement builds upon base control SC-42

How to Test

Step 1: Review Documentation

Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for SC-42(2) 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

Employ the following measures so that data or information collected by [organization-defined] is only used for authorized purposes: [organization-defined].

Implementation Guidance

Information collected by sensors for a specific authorized purpose could be misused for some unauthorized purpose. For example, GPS sensors that are used to support traffic navigation could be misused to track the movements of individuals. Measures to mitigate such activities include additional training to help ensure that authorized individuals do not abuse their authority and, in the case where sensor data is maintained by external parties, contractual restrictions on the use of such data.

Risk Assessment

CWE Categories

References

• NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 - SC-42(2)
• 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 (PT-2) reviewed