Requirement text: AU.2.041: Ensure that the actions of individual system users can be uniquely traced
to those users so they can be held accountable for their actions.
DISCUSSION FROM SOURCE: DRAFT NIST SP 800-171 R2
This requirement ensures that the contents of the audit record include the information
needed to link the audit event to the actions of an individual to the extent feasible.
Organizations consider logging for traceability including results from monitoring of account
usage, remote access, wireless connectivity, mobile device connection, communications at
system boundaries, configuration settings, physical access, nonlocal maintenance, use of
maintenance tools, temperature and humidity, equipment delivery and removal, system
component inventory, use of mobile code, and use of VoIP.
CMMC CLARIFICATION
You need to capture information in audit logs. This ensures that you can trace the actions
you audit to a specific user. This may include capturing information from users, including:
• user IDs;
• source and destination addresses; and
• time stamps.
Such information helps track actions to an individual.
Example
You are the IT administrator for your organization. You want to ensure that you can trace
all remote access sessions to a specific user. You configure the VPN device to capture the
following information for all remote access connections:
• source and destination IP address;
• user ID;
• machine name;
• time stamp; and
• user actions during the remote session.
This lets you trace these actions to a specific user.
References
• NIST SP 800-171 Rev 1 3.3.2
• CIS Controls v7.1 16.8, 16.9
• NIST CSF v1.1 DE.CM-1, DE.CM-3, DE.CM-7
• CERT RMM v1.2 MON:SG1.SP3
• NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4 AU-2, AU-3, AU-3(1), AU-6, AU-11, AU-12