id: "AC-06(08)" title: "Privilege Levels for Code Execution" family: "AC" family_name: "Access Control" sort_id: "ac-06.08" priority: "P1" implementation_level: "system" parent: "AC-06" enhancement: True


Statement

Prevent the following software from executing at higher privilege levels than users executing the software: {{ insert: param, ac-06.08_odp }}.

Guidance

In certain situations, software applications or programs need to execute with elevated privileges to perform required functions. However, depending on the software functionality and configuration, if the privileges required for execution are at a higher level than the privileges assigned to organizational users invoking such applications or programs, those users may indirectly be provided with greater privileges than assigned.

Assessment Objective

{{ insert: param, ac-06.08_odp }} is prevented from executing at higher privilege levels than users executing the software.

Access control policy

procedures addressing least privilege

list of software that should not execute at higher privilege levels than users executing software

system design documentation

system configuration settings and associated documentation

system audit records

system security plan

other relevant documents or records

Organizational personnel with responsibilities for defining least privileges necessary to accomplish specified tasks

organizational personnel with information security responsibilities

system/network administrators

system developers

Mechanisms implementing least privilege functions for software execution