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AC-3(5) AC · Access Control

Security-relevant Information

LOW MODERATE HIGH
1 Overlay 2 Related Controls
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Requirements NIST SOURCE

Prevent access to [security-relevant information] except during secure, non-operable system states.

Discussion (NIST Supplemental Guidance)

Security-relevant information is information within systems that can potentially impact the operation of security functions or the provision of security services in a manner that could result in failure to enforce system security and privacy policies or maintain the separation of code and data. Security-relevant information includes access control lists, filtering rules for routers or firewalls, configuration parameters for security services, and cryptographic key management information. Secure, non-operable system states include the times in which systems are not performing mission or business-related processing, such as when the system is offline for maintenance, boot-up, troubleshooting, or shut down.

Implementation Guidance

Engineering Interpretation

Original engineering commentary written for this explorer — not NIST source text and not authoritative guidance.

No engineering interpretation has been authored for AC-3(5) yet. This section is architected to receive it — see the Requirements and Assessment sections above for the authoritative NIST source content in the meantime.

Assessment

NIST SP 800-53A REV 5.2.0

Assessment Objectives

  1. security-relevant information to which access is prevented except during secure, non-operable system states is defined;
  2. access to <AC-03(05)_ODP security-relevant information> is prevented except during secure, non-operable system states.

Examine

[SELECT FROM: Access control policy; procedures addressing access enforcement; system design documentation; system configuration settings and associated documentation; system audit records; system security plan; other relevant documents or records].

Interview

[SELECT FROM: Organizational personnel with access enforcement responsibilities; system/network administrators; organizational personnel with information security responsibilities; system developers].

Test

[SELECT FROM: Mechanisms preventing access to security-relevant information within the system].

Overlays

Showing the OT/ICS overlay for the parent control AC-3 — see the AC-3(5) entries within each baseline below.

OT/ICS Overlay SP 800-82r3

NIST SP 800-82r3 Appendix F, Table 22. Blank baseline means the control/control enhancement is not selected in that initial OT baseline.

LOW

  • Base control: Included (matches standard baseline)

MODERATE

  • Base control: Included (matches standard baseline)

HIGH

  • Base control: Included (matches standard baseline)
  • Added: (11)

STIGs & CCIs

No STIG checks or CCI mappings are currently loaded for AC-3(5). This section is architected to display, per product: STIG ID, Finding ID, Severity, Title, Description, Check, Fix, CCI, and NIST control mapping — but nothing is populated here until a real DISA STIG/CCI dataset is ingested.

Learn more about STIG/CCI integration →

Evidence

Potential Evidence — Derived

Categorized from the SP 800-53A "Examine"/"Test" artifact list above by keyword — not an authoritative NIST evidence list.

Policy

  • Access control policy
  • system security plan

Configuration

  • system design documentation
  • system configuration settings and associated documentation

Testing

  • Mechanisms preventing access to security-relevant information within the system

Other Records

  • procedures addressing access enforcement
  • system audit records
  • other relevant documents or records