id: "IA-05(06)" title: "Protection of Authenticators" family: "IA" family_name: "Identification and Authentication" sort_id: "ia-05.06" priority: "P1" implementation_level: "organization" parent: "IA-05" enhancement: True


Statement

Protect authenticators commensurate with the security category of the information to which use of the authenticator permits access.

Guidance

For systems that contain multiple security categories of information without reliable physical or logical separation between categories, authenticators used to grant access to the systems are protected commensurate with the highest security category of information on the systems. Security categories of information are determined as part of the security categorization process.

Assessment Objective

authenticators are protected commensurate with the security category of the information to which use of the authenticator permits access.

Identification and authentication policy

procedures addressing authenticator management

security categorization documentation for the system

security assessments of authenticator protections

risk assessment results

system security plan

other relevant documents or records

Organizational personnel with authenticator management responsibilities

organizational personnel implementing and/or maintaining authenticator protections

organizational personnel with information security responsibilities

system/network administrators

Mechanisms supporting and/or implementing authenticator management capability

mechanisms protecting authenticators