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IAC-03: Authenticate, Authorize and Audit (AAA)

IAC 9 — Critical Protect

Mechanisms exist to strictly govern the use of Authenticate, Authorize and Audit (AAA) solutions, both on-premises and those hosted by an External Service Provider (ESP).

Renumbered: Formerly IAC-01.2 in SCF 2025.4.

Code reused: In SCF 2025.4 and earlier, IAC-03 was Identification & Authentication for Non-Organizational Users. That control is now IAC-33.

Control Question: Does the organization strictly govern the use of Authenticate, Authorize and Audit (AAA) solutions, both on-premises and those hosted by an External Service Provider (ESP)?

General (35)
Framework Mapping Values
AICPA TSC 2017:2022 (used for SOC 2) (source) CC6.1-POF3 CC6.1-POF4 CC6.6 CC6.6-POF2 CC6.6-POF3
CIS CSC 8.1 5.6 6.6 12.5
CIS CSC 8.1 IG2 5.6 6.6 12.5
CIS CSC 8.1 IG3 5.6 6.6 12.5
CSA IoT SCF 2 CLS-09
GovRAMP IA-04 IA-04(04)
GovRAMP Core IA-04 IA-04(04)
GovRAMP Low IA-04
GovRAMP Low+ IA-04
GovRAMP Moderate IA-04 IA-04(04)
GovRAMP High IA-04 IA-04(04)
IEC 62443-2-1 2024 USER 1.4 USER 1.6 USER 1.7
IEC 62443-3-3 2013 SR 1.1 RE 1 SR 1.5(h) SR 1.5(i) SR 1.5(j) SR 1.5(k)
ISO 27018 2025 5.16(a)
MPA Content Security Program 5.3.1 TS-1.6 TS-1.7 TS-1.8
NIST 800-53 R5.2 IA-04 IA-04(04)
NIST 800-53B R5 (low) (source) IA-04
NIST 800-53B R5 (moderate) (source) IA-04 IA-04(04)
NIST 800-53B R5 (high) (source) IA-04 IA-04(04)
NIST 800-82 R3 IA-04 IA-04(04)
NIST 800-82 R3 LOW OT Overlay IA-04
NIST 800-82 R3 MODERATE OT Overlay IA-04 IA-04(04)
NIST 800-82 R3 HIGH OT Overlay IA-04 IA-04(04)
NIST 800-161 R1 IA-4
NIST 800-161 R1 C-SCRM Baseline IA-4
NIST 800-161 R1 Flow Down IA-4
NIST 800-161 R1 Level 2 IA-4
NIST 800-161 R1 Level 3 IA-4
NIST 800-171 R3 (source) 03.01.01.d.01 03.01.16.b 03.05.01.a 03.05.02 03.05.05.d 03.05.07.a 03.05.07.b 03.05.07.c 03.05.07.d 03.05.07.e 03.05.12.d 03.07.05.a
NIST 800-171A R3 (source) A.03.01.01.d.01 A.03.01.16.b A.03.05.01.a[01] A.03.05.01.a[02] A.03.05.02[01] A.03.05.02[02] A.03.05.05.d A.03.05.07.a[01] A.03.05.07.b A.03.05.07.c A.03.05.07.d A.03.05.07.e A.03.05.12.d A.03.07.05.a[01]
NIST 800-207 NIST Tenet 2 NIST Tenet 3 NIST Tenet 4 NIST Tenet 6
NIST CSF 2.0 (source) PR.AA PR.AA-03 PR.AA-04 PR.AA-05
SCF DPMP 2026 7.1
SPARTA 4.0 CM0031
UL 2900-2-2 2016 8.6
US (17)
Framework Mapping Values
USA Federal CMS MARS-E 2.0 AC-2-IS.3 IA-4
USA Federal DHS CISA TIC 3.0 3.PEP.ID.EINVE 3.UNI.SAUTH
USA Federal C2M2 2.1 ACCESS-1b
USA Federal DoD Zero Trust Execution Roadmap v1.1 1.1.1 1.2.1 1.9 1.9.1 2.1.3 2.1.4
USA Federal CJIS Security Policy 6.0 IA-4 IA-4(4)
USA Federal FedRAMP R5 (low) IA-04
USA Federal FedRAMP R5 (moderate) IA-04 IA-04(04)
USA Federal FedRAMP R5 (high) IA-04 IA-04(04)
USA Federal FedRAMP R5 (LI-SaaS) IA-04
USA Federal IRS 1075 2021 IA-4 IA-4(CE-4) IA-4(IRS-Defined)
USA Federal NERC CIP 2024 CIP-007-6 5.1
USA California CCPA 2025 7123(c)(1)(B) 7123(c)(3)
USA Massachusetts 201 CMR 17.00 2008 17.04(1)
USA Texas DIR SCSC 2.2 2025 IA-04
USA Texas TX-RAMP Level 1 IA-04
USA Texas TX-RAMP Level 2 IA-04 IA-04 (04)
USA Vermont Act 171 2018 2447(c)(1)(A) 2447(c)(1)(B) 2447(c)(2)
EMEA (9)
Framework Mapping Values
EMEA EU EBA GL/2019/04 3.4.2.31(g)
EMEA EU NIS2 Annex 2024 11.3.2(a) 11.4.2(c) 11.6.1 11.6.3
EMEA UK CAP 1850 2020 B2
EMEA UK Cyber Essentials 3.3 2-BP5 4.0 4-BP2
EMEA UK DEFSTAN 05-138 2024 2200 2209 2210 2304
EMEA UK DEFSTAN 05-138 - L1 2024 2200 2210 2304
EMEA UK DEFSTAN 05-138 - L2 2024 2200 2210 2304
EMEA UK DEFSTAN 05-138 - L3 2024 2200 2209 2210 2304
EMEA Saudi Arabia ECC-1 2018 2-2-3-1
APAC (8)
Framework Mapping Values
APAC Australia ISM June 2026 ISM-2013 ISM-2014
APAC India RBI Digital Payments 2021 30.0
APAC Japan ISMAP 9.4.2 9.4.2.1 9.4.2.2.B 9.4.2.3 9.4.2.4 9.4.2.5 9.4.2.6 9.4.2.7 9.4.2.8 9.4.2.9 9.4.2.10 9.4.2.11 9.4.2.12 9.4.2.13 9.4.2.14 9.4.2.15 9.4.2.16
APAC Malaysia RMiT 2025 A2-C2(b) A3-4 A5-E1(f)
APAC New Zealand HISF MLHSP 2023 HHSP39 HML39
APAC New Zealand HISF Suppliers 2023 HSUP34
APAC New Zealand NZISM 3.9 16.1.26.C.01
APAC Singapore CCOP CII 2026 5.1.2
Americas (3)
Framework Mapping Values
Americas Argentina Reg 132 2018 B.2.3-1
Americas Canada ITSP-10-171 2025 03.01.01.D.01 03.01.16.B 03.05.01.A 03.05.02 03.05.05.D 03.05.07.A 03.05.07.B 03.05.07.C 03.05.07.D 03.05.07.E 03.05.12.D 03.07.05.A
Americas Canada OSFI Self-Assessment Guidance 3.2.7

Capability Maturity Model

Level 0 — Not Performed

Practices are non-existent, based on the inability to demonstrate an implemented and operational capability. A reasonable person would conclude the control is not being performed.

Level 1 — Performed Informally

SCR-CMM Level 1 criteria definitions are not available for this control: ▪ A reasonable person would conclude this control requires a structured process. ▪ At this level of maturity, the "ad hoc" nature of performing a capability informally would indicate the intent of the control is not met due to a lack of consistency and formality.

Level 2 — Planned & Tracked

Identification & Authentication (IAC) capabilities are requirements-driven, but are not standardized across the entity (e.g., local/regional level consistency). Capability criteria associated with this control reasonably expect the following criteria to exist: ▪ Policies and standards associated with IAC domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with IAC domain capabilities are documented and maintained by process owners. ▪ IT and/or cybersecurity personnel work with business stakeholders and process owners to appropriately scope and reasonably implement cybersecurity and data protection controls associated with IAC domain capabilities to address applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). ▪ Identity & Access Management (IAM)-related controls are primarily administrative and preventative in nature (e.g., policies, standards and procedures & guidelines) to enforce Logical Access Control (LAC). ▪ IAM may be a defined function (e.g., team or department) or assigned as an additional duty to existing IT and/or cybersecurity personnel to implement Role Based Access Control (RBAC) practices for the management of user, group and system accounts, including privileged accounts. ▪ A directory services technology is used to centrally manage identities and permissions with RBAC. Due to technical or business limitations, asset/process owners are empowered to operate a decentralized access control program for their specific Technology Assets, Applications and/or Services (TAAS) that cannot be integrated into directory services. ▪ Configuration management and IAM functions collaborate to ensure Secure Baseline Configurations (SBC) enforce “least privileges” on TAAS. ▪ IAM restricts the assignment of privileged accounts to entity-defined personnel and/or roles (privilege assignment requires management approval). ▪ LAC and RBAC enforcements limit the ability of non-administrators from making unauthorized configuration changes to TAAS. ▪ IAM proactively governs account management of individual, group, system, application, guest and temporary accounts.

Level 3 — Well Defined

Identification & Authentication (IAC) capabilities are standardized across the entity for applicability to People, Processes, Technologies, Data and/or Facilities (PPTDF) to ensure consistency for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). Capability criteria associated with this control reasonably expect the following criteria to exist: ▪ Policies and standards associated with IAC domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity's Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team, or similar function. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with IAC domain capabilities are well-documented and kept current by process owners. ▪ An Identity & Access Management (IAM) team, or similar function, is appropriately staffed and supported to implement and maintain IAC domain capabilities. ▪ Technology is leveraged to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of IAM operations (e.g., directory services, Authenticate, Authorize and Audit (AAA) solution). ▪ The entity's Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team, or similar function, works with business stakeholders and process owners to appropriately scope and reasonably implement cybersecurity and data protection controls associated with IAC domain capabilities to address Minimum Compliance Requirements (MCR) (e.g., applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements) and Discretionary Security Requirements (DSR) (e.g., entity-required controls). ▪ An implemented and operational capability exists to strictly govern the use of Authenticate, Authorize and Audit (AAA) solutions, both on-premises and those hosted by an External Service Provider (ESP).

Level 4 — Quantitatively Controlled

Utilize SCR-CMM Level 3 criteria definitions: ▪ There are no defined Level 4 criteria, since it is reasonable to assume a quantitatively-controlled process is not necessary to operationalize this control. ▪ While it may be possible to develop “metrics-driven” capabilities for this control, the criteria would be organization-specific to define.

Level 5 — Continuously Improving

Utilize SCR-CMM Level 3 or Level 4 (if available) criteria definitions: ▪ There are no defined Level 5 criteria, since it is reasonable to assume a continuously-improving process is not necessary to operationalize this control. ▪ Level 5 capabilities should be considered “world-class” where the control builds on Level 4 capabilities, but are continuously improving through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and/or Machine Learning (ML) technologies. ▪ While it may be possible to develop responsive capabilities for this control through the use of AI and/or ML technologies, the criteria would be organization-specific to define.

Assessment Objectives

  1. IAC-03_A01 access to the system is authorized based on a valid access authorization.
  2. IAC-03_A02 system users are uniquely identified.
  3. IAC-03_A03 system users are authenticated.
  4. IAC-03_A04 an inventory of Authenticate, Authorize and Audit (AAA) solutions exists, including instances on-premises and hosted by an External Service Provider (ESP).
  5. IAC-03_A05 procedures exist for assigned stakeholders to govern on-premises Authenticate, Authorize and Audit (AAA) solutions.
  6. IAC-03_A06 contracts with External Service Providers (ESPs) contain explicit governance requirements for ESP-controlled Authenticate, Authorize and Audit (AAA) solutions.
  7. IAC-03_A07 access to the system is authorized based on intended system usage.
  8. IAC-03_A08 each type of wireless access to the system is authorized prior to establishing such connections.

Evidence Requirements

E-IAC-06 Authenticate, Authorize and Audit (AAA) Solution

Documented evidence of an Authenticate, Authorize and Audit (AAA) solution (on-premises and hosted by External Service Providers (ESP)).

Identity & Access Management

Technology Recommendations

Micro/Small

  • Microsoft Active Directory (https://microsoft.com)
  • Microsoft Entra (https://microsoft.com)
  • AWS IAM (https://aws.amazon.com)

Small

  • Microsoft Active Directory (https://microsoft.com)
  • Microsoft Entra (https://microsoft.com)
  • AWS IAM (https://aws.amazon.com)

Medium

  • Microsoft Active Directory (https://microsoft.com)
  • Microsoft Entra (https://microsoft.com)
  • AWS IAM (https://aws.amazon.com)

Large

  • Microsoft Active Directory (https://microsoft.com)
  • Microsoft Entra (https://microsoft.com)
  • AWS IAM (https://aws.amazon.com)

Enterprise

  • Microsoft Active Directory (https://microsoft.com)
  • Microsoft Entra (https://microsoft.com)
  • AWS IAM (https://aws.amazon.com)

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