Mapped to NIST 800-171 Requirement: 3.1.21
CMMC Assessment Objective: AC.L2-3.1.21[b]
What This Objective Means
Your policies and procedures should clearly specify:
• Which systems are publicly accessible (web portals, apps, VPNs, email services)
• Who is authorized to access them
• What content or functions are available without authentication
• What controls are in place to restrict access to authenticated users or roles
This control helps prevent accidental or unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information through publicly accessible services.
Why It Matters
Without formal guidance, public-facing systems may:
• Display sensitive content to unauthorized users
• Allow anonymous access to CUI-related functions
• Be misconfigured by default or during rapid deployment
Documenting these expectations helps ensure secure, role-based access to public content.
How to Implement It
• Update your access control policy and SOPs to include:
◦ A section specifically addressing access to public systems
◦ Definitions of authorized users and permitted public content
◦ Restrictions on publishing CUI or administrative interfaces without controls
• Establish procedures that:
◦ Require review before deploying public content
◦ Define approval workflows for granting user accounts on public systems
◦ Include access logging and monitoring expectations
Evidence the Assessor Will Look For
• Policy statements specifying rules for access to public web apps or portals
• Procedure documents detailing account management or content publishing requirements
• Screenshots of public-facing login pages or user access interfaces
• Logs or records showing role-based access enforcement for registered users
Common Gaps
• No distinction in policy between internal and public system access
• Public-facing systems allow anonymous or default user access
• Sensitive content (e.g., unprotected admin panels, login screens) exposed without restriction
How Cuick Trac Helps
Cuick Trac supports this control by:
• Minimizing public access to systems that store or process CUI
• Helping document public vs. private system segmentation in your policy set
• Supporting role-based access to CUI-related services even when accessed remotely
• Offering templates for defining public content access restrictions in compliance documentation
With Cuick Trac, public content access is limited, defined, and controlled—backed by policy and technical enforcement.
Final CTA
If it’s online, it must be governed.
Schedule a Cuick Trac demo and lock down your public-facing systems with clear policy-backed controls.