Changes by Authorized Individuals
LOW MODERATE ✓ HIGHRequirements NIST SOURCE
Provide and implement the capability for [individuals or roles] to change the logging to be performed on [system components] based on [selectable event criteria] within [time thresholds].
Discussion (NIST Supplemental Guidance)
Permitting authorized individuals to make changes to system logging enables organizations to extend or limit logging as necessary to meet organizational requirements. Logging that is limited to conserve system resources may be extended (either temporarily or permanently) to address certain threat situations. In addition, logging may be limited to a specific set of event types to facilitate audit reduction, analysis, and reporting. Organizations can establish time thresholds in which logging actions are changed (e.g., near real-time, within minutes, or within hours).
Implementation Guidance
Original engineering commentary written for this explorer — not NIST source text and not authoritative guidance.
No engineering interpretation has been authored for AU-12(3) 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
Assessment Objectives
- individuals or roles authorized to change the logging on system components are defined;
- system components on which logging is to be performed are defined;
- selectable event criteria with which change logging is to be performed are defined;
- time thresholds in which logging actions are to change is defined;
- the capability for <AU-12(03)_ODP[01] individuals or roles> to change the logging to be performed on <AU-12(03)_ODP[02] system components> based on <AU-12(03)_ODP[03] selectable event criteria> within <AU-12(03)_ODP[04] time thresholds> is provided;
- the capability for <AU-12(03)_ODP[01] individuals or roles> to change the logging to be performed on <AU-12(03)_ODP[02] system components> based on <AU-12(03)_ODP[03] selectable event criteria> within <AU-12(03)_ODP[04] time thresholds> is implemented.
Examine
[SELECT FROM: Audit and accountability policy; system security plan; privacy plan; procedures addressing audit record generation; system design documentation; system configuration settings and associated documentation; system-generated list of individuals or roles authorized to change auditing to be performed; system audit records; other relevant documents or records].
Interview
[SELECT FROM: Organizational personnel with audit record generation responsibilities; organizational personnel with information security and privacy responsibilities; system/network administrators; system developers].
Test
[SELECT FROM: Mechanisms implementing audit record generation capability].
Overlays
STIGs & CCIs
No STIG checks or CCI mappings are currently loaded for AU-12(3). 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
Categorized from the SP 800-53A "Examine"/"Test" artifact list above by keyword — not an authoritative NIST evidence list.
Policy
- Audit and accountability policy
- system security plan
- privacy plan
Configuration
- system design documentation
- system configuration settings and associated documentation
Logging
- procedures addressing audit record generation
Testing
- Mechanisms implementing audit record generation capability
Other Records
- system-generated list of individuals or roles authorized to change auditing to be performed
- system audit records
- other relevant documents or records