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MON-14: Privileged Functions Logging

MON 8 — High Detect

Mechanisms exist to log and review the actions of users and/or services with elevated privileges.

Renumbered: Formerly MON-03.3 in SCF 2025.4.

Code reused: In SCF 2025.4 and earlier, MON-14 was Cross-Organizational Monitoring. That control is now MON-36.1.

Control Question: Does the organization log and review the actions of users and/or services with elevated privileges?

General (19)
Framework Mapping Values
CIS CSC 8.1 8.8
CIS CSC 8.1 IG2 8.8
CIS CSC 8.1 IG3 8.8
CSA CCM 4.1.0 IAM-09 IAM-10 IAM-11
ISO 27002 2022 8.15
ISO 27017 2015 12.4.1 12.4.3
ISO 27018 2025 8.15
NIST 800-53 R4 AU-6(8)
NIST 800-53 R5.2 AU-06(08)
NIST 800-82 R3 AU-06(08)
NIST 800-160 Vol2 R1 AU-06(08)
NIST 800-171 R3 (source) 03.01.07.b
NIST 800-171A R3 (source) A.03.01.07.b
OWASP Top 10 2025 A09:2025
PCI DSS 4.0.1 (source) 10.2.1.1 10.2.1.2 10.2.1.3 10.2.1.4 10.2.1.5 10.2.1.6 10.2.1.7
PCI DSS 4.0.1 SAQ A-EP (source) 10.2.1.1 10.2.1.2 10.2.1.3 10.2.1.4 10.2.1.5 10.2.1.6 10.2.1.7
PCI DSS 4.0.1 SAQ C (source) 10.2.1.2 10.2.1.4 10.2.1.5
PCI DSS 4.0.1 SAQ D Merchant (source) 10.2.1.1 10.2.1.2 10.2.1.3 10.2.1.4 10.2.1.5 10.2.1.6 10.2.1.7
PCI DSS 4.0.1 SAQ D Service Provider (source) 10.2.1.1 10.2.1.2 10.2.1.3 10.2.1.4 10.2.1.5 10.2.1.6 10.2.1.7
US (2)
Framework Mapping Values
USA Federal FFIEC ITEH 2016 II.C.15.a
USA New York DFS 23 NYCRR500 2023 Amd 2 500.7(c)
EMEA (7)
APAC (6)
Framework Mapping Values
APAC Australia Essential 8 2024 ISM-1509 ISM-1650 ISM-1889
APAC Australia ISM June 2026 ISM-1509 ISM-1537 ISM-1650 ISM-1889
APAC Japan ISMAP 12.4.3 12.4.3.1
APAC Malaysia RMiT 2025 A10-B9(a)(iv)
APAC New Zealand NZISM 3.9 16.4.41.C.01 16.4.41.C.02
APAC Singapore CCOP CII 2026 5.3.1(f) 12.3.3
Americas (1)
Framework Mapping Values
Americas Canada ITSP-10-171 2025 03.01.07.B

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

Continuous Monitoring (MON) domain capabilities are ad hoc and inconsistent. Capability criteria associated with this control may include: ▪ Policies, standards & procedures associated with MON domain capabilities provide limited coverage due to the depth and breadth of the existing documentation. ▪ Event monitoring-related activities are decentralized (e.g., a localized/regionalized function) and uses non-standardized methods to implement secure, resilient and compliant practices. ▪ Monitoring is primarily reactive in nature, focused on identifying incidents that occurred. ▪ Event log reviews primarily rely on manual processes to identify anomalous behaviors. ▪ Generating event logs and the review of those event logs is narrowly-focused to business-critical Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD).

Level 2 — Planned & Tracked

Continuous Monitoring (MON) 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 MON domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with MON 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 MON domain capabilities to address applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). ▪ Continuous monitoring-related controls are primarily administrative and preventative in nature (e.g., policies, standards and procedures & guidelines). ▪ Continuous monitoring may be a defined function (e.g., team or department) or assigned as an additional duty to existing IT and/or cybersecurity personnel. ▪ Secure Baseline Configurations (SBC) enforce security event logging to contain sufficient information to establish necessary details of activity and allow for forensics analysis. ▪ SBC enforce logging to link system access to individual users or service accounts using a non-repudiation capability to protect against an individual falsely denying having performed a particular action. ▪ SBC enforce local security event logging and forward those logs to a centralized log repository to provide an alternate audit capability in the event of a failure in the primary audit capability.

Level 3 — Well Defined

Continuous Monitoring (MON) 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 MON domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity's Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team, or similar function. ▪ Cybersecurity personnel use a structured process via Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) to review and analyze logs. ▪ A Security Operations Center (SOC) team, or similar function, is appropriately staffed and supported to implement and maintain MON domain capabilities. ▪ Technology is leveraged to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of continuous monitoring operations (e.g., Security Incident Event Manager (SIEM)). ▪ 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 MON 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). ▪ Secure Baseline Configurations (SBC) enforce security event logging to contain sufficient information to establish necessary details of activity and allow for forensics analysis. ▪ An implemented and operational capability exists to log and review the actions of users and/or services with elevated privileges.

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. MON-14_A01 a full text analysis of logged privileged commands in a physically distinct component or subsystem of the system or other system that is dedicated to that analysis is performed.
  2. MON-14_A02 the execution of privileged functions is logged.

Evidence Requirements

E-MON-03 Privileged User Oversight

Documented evidence of privileged user activity being logged and included as part of the centralized event log collection and review/analysis process.

Event Log Monitoring

Technology Recommendations

Micro/Small

  • Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP)

Small

  • Security Incident Event Manager (SIEM)
  • Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP)

Medium

  • Security Incident Event Manager (SIEM)
  • Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP)

Large

  • Security Incident Event Manager (SIEM)
  • Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP)

Enterprise

  • Security Incident Event Manager (SIEM)
  • Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP)

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