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AC-4(17) AC · Access Control

Domain Authentication

LOW MODERATE HIGH
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Requirements NIST SOURCE

Uniquely identify and authenticate source and destination points by [one of: organization, system, application, service, individual] for information transfer.

Discussion (NIST Supplemental Guidance)

Attribution is a critical component of a security and privacy concept of operations. The ability to identify source and destination points for information flowing within systems allows the forensic reconstruction of events and encourages policy compliance by attributing policy violations to specific organizations or individuals. Successful domain authentication requires that system labels distinguish among systems, organizations, and individuals involved in preparing, sending, receiving, or disseminating information. Attribution also allows organizations to better maintain the lineage of personally identifiable information processing as it flows through systems and can facilitate consent tracking, as well as correction, deletion, or access requests from individuals.

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-4(17) 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. one or more of the following PARAMETER VALUES is/are selected: {organization, system, application, service, individual};
  2. source and destination points are uniquely identified and authenticated by <AC-04(17)_ODP SELECTED PARAMETER VALUES> for information transfer.

Examine

[SELECT FROM: Access control policy; information flow control policies; procedures addressing information flow enforcement; procedures addressing source and destination domain identification and authentication; system design documentation; system configuration settings and associated documentation; system audit records; list of system labels; system security plan; privacy plan; other relevant documents or records].

Interview

[SELECT FROM: System/network administrators; organizational personnel with information security and privacy responsibilities; system developers].

Test

[SELECT FROM: Mechanisms implementing information flow enforcement policy].

Overlays

Showing the OT/ICS overlay for the parent control AC-4 — see the AC-4(17) 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

Not applicable at this tier.

MODERATE

  • Base control: Included (matches standard baseline)

HIGH

  • Base control: Included (matches standard baseline)
  • Included: (4)

STIGs & CCIs

No STIG checks or CCI mappings are currently loaded for AC-4(17). 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
  • information flow control policies
  • system security plan
  • privacy plan

Configuration

  • system design documentation
  • system configuration settings and associated documentation

Testing

  • Mechanisms implementing information flow enforcement policy

Other Records

  • procedures addressing information flow enforcement
  • procedures addressing source and destination domain identification and authentication
  • system audit records
  • list of system labels
  • other relevant documents or records