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AC-6(10) AC · Access Control

Prohibit Non-privileged Users from Executing Privileged Functions

LOW ✓ MODERATE ✓ HIGH
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Requirements NIST SOURCE

Prevent non-privileged users from executing privileged functions.

Discussion (NIST Supplemental Guidance)

Privileged functions include disabling, circumventing, or altering implemented security or privacy controls, establishing system accounts, performing system integrity checks, and administering cryptographic key management activities. Non-privileged users are individuals who do not possess appropriate authorizations. Privileged functions that require protection from non-privileged users include circumventing intrusion detection and prevention mechanisms or malicious code protection mechanisms. Preventing non-privileged users from executing privileged functions is enforced by AC-3.

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-6(10) 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. non-privileged users are prevented from executing privileged functions.

Examine

[SELECT FROM: Access control policy; procedures addressing least privilege; system design documentation; system configuration settings and associated documentation; list of privileged functions and associated user account assignments; system audit records; system security plan; other relevant documents or records].

Interview

[SELECT FROM: Organizational personnel with responsibilities for defining least privileges necessary to accomplish specified tasks; organizational personnel with information security responsibilities; system developers].

Test

[SELECT FROM: Mechanisms implementing least privilege functions for non-privileged users].

Overlays

Showing the OT/ICS overlay for the parent control AC-6 — see the AC-6(10) 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)
  • Included: (1) (2) (5) (7) (9) (10)

HIGH

  • Base control: Included (matches standard baseline)
  • Included: (1) (2) (3) (5) (7) (9) (10)

STIGs & CCIs

No STIG checks or CCI mappings are currently loaded for AC-6(10). 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 implementing least privilege functions for non-privileged users

Other Records

  • procedures addressing least privilege
  • list of privileged functions and associated user account assignments
  • system audit records
  • other relevant documents or records