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AC-6(8) AC · Access Control

Privilege Levels for Code Execution

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Requirements NIST SOURCE

Prevent the following software from executing at higher privilege levels than users executing the software: [software].

Discussion (NIST Supplemental 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.

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(8) 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. software to be prevented from executing at higher privilege levels than users executing the software is defined;
  2. <AC-06(08)_ODP software> is prevented from executing at higher privilege levels than users executing the software.

Examine

[SELECT FROM: 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].

Interview

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

Test

[SELECT FROM: Mechanisms implementing least privilege functions for software execution].

Overlays

Showing the OT/ICS overlay for the parent control AC-6 — see the AC-6(8) 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(8). 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 software execution

Other Records

  • procedures addressing least privilege
  • list of software that should not execute at higher privilege levels than users executing software
  • system audit records
  • other relevant documents or records