Mapped to NIST 800-171 Requirement: 3.1.6
CMMC Assessment Objective: AC.L2-3.1.6[a]
What This Objective Means
The goal of this assessment objective is to ensure that your organization has clearly identified which accounts are considered non-privileged. These are accounts assigned to general users for routine work—not for system administration or privileged functions. Understanding privileged vs non-privileged accounts is essential for maintaining security and compliance. This distinction supports effective privileged account management.
You must distinguish between:
• Privileged accounts (admin, root, domain admin, etc.)
• Non-privileged accounts (standard user accounts)
The distinction is critical for ensuring that privileged access is used only when necessary and not for daily tasks.
Why It Matters
Without identifying non-privileged accounts:
• You can’t enforce policies that require separation of duties
• Users may inappropriately use admin accounts for day-to-day work
• Auditors won’t be able to validate access control configurations
This objective is crucial for enforcing least privilege and accountability, which are key aspects of IT security and compliance. Proper management of privileged vs non-privileged accounts ensures adherence to cyber security regulatory requirements.
How to Implement It
• Review your identity and access management (IAM) system or Active Directory
• Create a list or export of all user accounts
• Tag each account as either:
◦ Non-privileged (e.g., [email protected])
◦ Privileged (e.g., admin_johndoe or domainadmin)
• Store this list in a secure location (e.g., part of your SSP or user access inventory)
• Regularly review and update the account classifications to ensure compliance and IT security standards are met. This process is a fundamental part of using a NIST 800-171 compliance tool effectively.
Evidence the Assessor Will Look For
• A list of non-privileged accounts maintained by IT or security
• Documentation in your SSP or Access Control Policy showing account classification criteria
• Screenshots or exports from identity management tools showing account types
• Logs showing the use of non-privileged accounts for general access
Common Gaps
• No distinction between user types
• All users default to administrative accounts
• Account naming conventions don’t indicate access levels
How Cuick Trac Helps
Cuick Trac supports this objective by:
• Defining and managing all users through clearly labeled non-privileged and privileged roles
• Logging all user activity by account type, which is vital for privileged account management
• Preventing elevated access from being used outside of approved scenarios
• Providing exportable documentation to support access classification reviews
With Cuick Trac, non-privileged accounts are easily identifiable, auditable, and aligned with your compliance goals, ensuring adherence to cyber security regulatory requirements and facilitating the use of a NIST 800-171 compliance tool.
Final CTA
Knowing who has limited access is just as important as knowing who has full control. This is critical for maintaining NIST SP 800-171 DoD compliance and ensuring robust security & compliance across your organization.