IAC-52: Compliance As Code (CAC) Credential Lifecycle Management
Mechanisms exist to rotate, expire and revoke credentials for Control Assurance Automation (CAA) automated identities: (1) On a defined cycle; and (2) Upon personnel, tooling or scope change.
Control Question: Does the organization rotate, expire and revoke credentials for Control Assurance Automation (CAA) automated identities: (1) On a defined cycle; and (2) Upon personnel, tooling or scope change?
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
Identification & Authentication (IAC) domain capabilities are ad hoc and inconsistent. Capability criteria associated with this control may include: ▪ Policies, standards & procedures associated with IAC domain capabilities provide limited coverage due to the depth and breadth of the existing documentation. ▪ Identity & Access Management (IAM)-related activities are decentralized (e.g., a localized/regionalized function) and uses non-standardized methods to implement secure, resilient and compliant practices. ▪ IAM controls are primarily administrative in nature (e.g., policies & standards) to manage accounts and permissions. ▪ IT and/or cybersecurity personnel identify and implement IAM cybersecurity and data protection controls that are appropriate to address applicable statutory, regulatory and contractual requirements.
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.
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).
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
- IAC-52_A01 the cycle on which credentials for Control Assurance Automation (CAA) automated identities are rotated is defined.
- IAC-52_A02 credentials for Control Assurance Automation (CAA) automated identities are rotated on the defined cycle.
- IAC-52_A03 credentials for Control Assurance Automation (CAA) automated identities are rotated, expired or revoked upon personnel change (e.g., departure or role change of the accountable owner or of personnel with knowledge of the credential).
- IAC-52_A04 credentials for Control Assurance Automation (CAA) automated identities are rotated, expired or revoked upon tooling change (e.g., replacement, decommissioning or re-platforming of CAA tooling or pipelines).
- IAC-52_A05 credentials for Control Assurance Automation (CAA) automated identities are rotated, expired or revoked upon change to the scope of Technology Assets, Applications and/or Services (TAAS) the identity is authorized to assess.
- IAC-52_A06 credentials for Control Assurance Automation (CAA) automated identities are configured with an expiration date consistent with the defined rotation cycle.
- IAC-52_A07 a record of credential rotation, expiration and revocation events for Control Assurance Automation (CAA) automated identities is retained.
Evidence Requirements
- E-IAC-15 Control Assurance Automation (CAA) Identity & Credential Management
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Documented evidence of the inventory, ownership, least-privilege (read-only) scope and credential lifecycle management for Control Assurance Automation (CAA) automated identities (service accounts, API keys, OAuth grants).
Identity & Access Management
Technology Recommendations
Micro/Small
- Annual rotation of API keys used by compliance tools
- Revoke keys when staff leave
Small
- Documented rotation schedule for service account credentials and API keys
- Offboarding checklist includes automation credentials
Medium
- Secrets manager with rotation (e.g., AWS Secrets Manager, Azure Key Vault, HashiCorp Vault)
- Credential expiration policies
- Rotation upon scope or personnel change
Large
- Automated secret rotation via secrets manager
- Workload identity federation replacing static keys where possible
- IGA-driven revocation on personnel change
Enterprise
- Enterprise secrets management with automated rotation (e.g., CyberArk, HashiCorp Vault, Azure Key Vault)
- Short-lived credentials via workload identity federation
- Automated revocation integrated with HR and change events