id: "AC-02" title: "Account Management" family: "AC" family_name: "Access Control" sort_id: "ac-02" priority: "P1" implementation_level: "organization" enhancements: - ac-2.1 - ac-2.2 - ac-2.3 - ac-2.4 - ac-2.5 - ac-2.6 - ac-2.7 - ac-2.8 - ac-2.9 - ac-2.10 - ac-2.11 - ac-2.12 - ac-2.13
Define and document the types of accounts allowed and specifically prohibited for use within the system;
Assign account managers;
Require {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.01 }} for group and role membership;
Specify:
Authorized users of the system;
Group and role membership; and
Access authorizations (i.e., privileges) and {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.02 }} for each account;
Require approvals by {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.03 }} for requests to create accounts;
Create, enable, modify, disable, and remove accounts in accordance with {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.04 }};
Monitor the use of accounts;
Notify account managers and {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.05 }} within:
{{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.06 }} when accounts are no longer required;
{{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.07 }} when users are terminated or transferred; and
{{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.08 }} when system usage or need-to-know changes for an individual;
Authorize access to the system based on:
A valid access authorization;
Intended system usage; and
{{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.09 }};
Review accounts for compliance with account management requirements {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.10 }};
Establish and implement a process for changing shared or group account authenticators (if deployed) when individuals are removed from the group; and
Align account management processes with personnel termination and transfer processes.
Guidance
Examples of system account types include individual, shared, group, system, guest, anonymous, emergency, developer, temporary, and service. Identification of authorized system users and the specification of access privileges reflect the requirements in other controls in the security plan. Users requiring administrative privileges on system accounts receive additional scrutiny by organizational personnel responsible for approving such accounts and privileged access, including system owner, mission or business owner, senior agency information security officer, or senior agency official for privacy. Types of accounts that organizations may wish to prohibit due to increased risk include shared, group, emergency, anonymous, temporary, and guest accounts.
Where access involves personally identifiable information, security programs collaborate with the senior agency official for privacy to establish the specific conditions for group and role membership; specify authorized users, group and role membership, and access authorizations for each account; and create, adjust, or remove system accounts in accordance with organizational policies. Policies can include such information as account expiration dates or other factors that trigger the disabling of accounts. Organizations may choose to define access privileges or other attributes by account, type of account, or a combination of the two. Examples of other attributes required for authorizing access include restrictions on time of day, day of week, and point of origin. In defining other system account attributes, organizations consider system-related requirements and mission/business requirements. Failure to consider these factors could affect system availability.
Temporary and emergency accounts are intended for short-term use. Organizations establish temporary accounts as part of normal account activation procedures when there is a need for short-term accounts without the demand for immediacy in account activation. Organizations establish emergency accounts in response to crisis situations and with the need for rapid account activation. Therefore, emergency account activation may bypass normal account authorization processes. Emergency and temporary accounts are not to be confused with infrequently used accounts, including local logon accounts used for special tasks or when network resources are unavailable (may also be known as accounts of last resort). Such accounts remain available and are not subject to automatic disabling or removal dates. Conditions for disabling or deactivating accounts include when shared/group, emergency, or temporary accounts are no longer required and when individuals are transferred or terminated. Changing shared/group authenticators when members leave the group is intended to ensure that former group members do not retain access to the shared or group account. Some types of system accounts may require specialized training.
Assessment Objective: account types allowed for use within the system are defined and documented;
Assessment Objective: account types specifically prohibited for use within the system are defined and documented;
Assessment Objective: account managers are assigned;
Assessment Objective: {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.01 }} for group and role membership are required;
Assessment Objective: authorized users of the system are specified;
Assessment Objective: group and role membership are specified;
Assessment Objective: access authorizations (i.e., privileges) are specified for each account;
Assessment Objective: {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.02 }} are specified for each account;
Assessment Objective: approvals are required by {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.03 }} for requests to create accounts;
Assessment Objective: accounts are created in accordance with {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.04 }};
Assessment Objective: accounts are enabled in accordance with {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.04 }};
Assessment Objective: accounts are modified in accordance with {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.04 }};
Assessment Objective: accounts are disabled in accordance with {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.04 }};
Assessment Objective: accounts are removed in accordance with {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.04 }};
Assessment Objective: the use of accounts is monitored;
Assessment Objective: account managers and {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.05 }} are notified within {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.06 }} when accounts are no longer required;
Assessment Objective: account managers and {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.05 }} are notified within {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.07 }} when users are terminated or transferred;
Assessment Objective: account managers and {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.05 }} are notified within {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.08 }} when system usage or the need to know changes for an individual;
Assessment Objective: access to the system is authorized based on a valid access authorization;
Assessment Objective: access to the system is authorized based on intended system usage;
Assessment Objective: access to the system is authorized based on {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.09 }};
Assessment Objective: accounts are reviewed for compliance with account management requirements {{ insert: param, ac-02_odp.10 }};
Assessment Objective: a process is established for changing shared or group account authenticators (if deployed) when individuals are removed from the group;
Assessment Objective: a process is implemented for changing shared or group account authenticators (if deployed) when individuals are removed from the group;
Assessment Objective: account management processes are aligned with personnel termination processes;
Assessment Objective: account management processes are aligned with personnel transfer processes.
Access control policy
personnel termination policy and procedure
personnel transfer policy and procedure
procedures for addressing account management
system design documentation
system configuration settings and associated documentation
list of active system accounts along with the name of the individual associated with each account
list of recently disabled system accounts and the name of the individual associated with each account
list of conditions for group and role membership
notifications of recent transfers, separations, or terminations of employees
access authorization records
account management compliance reviews
system monitoring records
system audit records
system security plan
privacy plan
other relevant documents or records
Organizational personnel with account management responsibilities
system/network administrators
organizational personnel with information security with information security and privacy responsibilities
Organizational processes for account management on the system
mechanisms for implementing account management