NIST SP 800-171 Rev 2 · 3.5 Identification & Authentication
3.5.3 Multifactor authentication
Use multifactor authentication (MFA) for local and network access to privileged accounts and for network access to nonprivileged accounts.
- SPRS weight
- 5
- 5 points when not implemented; 3 points in the methodology's partial state.
- CMMC level
- L2
- Level 2 only; not among the 17 Level 1 practices.
- Assessment objectives
- 4
- From NIST SP 800-171A, each one a “determine if” an assessor answers.
What an assessor checks
NIST SP 800-171A breaks 3.5.3 into 4 objectives. Every one has to be met for the requirement to be met; a partial answer scores as not implemented.
- [a]Determine if privileged accounts are identified.
- [b]Determine if multifactor authentication is implemented for local access to privileged accounts.
- [c]Determine if multifactor authentication is implemented for network access to privileged accounts.
- [d]Determine if multifactor authentication is implemented for network access to non-privileged accounts.
- Examine
- [SELECT FROM: Identification and authentication policy; procedures addressing user identification and authentication; security plan; system design documentation; system configuration settings and associated documentation; system audit logs and records; list of system accounts; other relevant documents or records].
- Interview
- [SELECT FROM: Personnel with system operations responsibilities; personnel with account management responsibilities; personnel with information security responsibilities; system or network administrators; system developers].
- Test
- [SELECT FROM: Mechanisms supporting or implementing multifactor authentication capability].
If it is open: POA&M eligibility
Not POA&M-eligible: above the 1-point ceiling · 5 points deducted
Worth 5 points. No requirement over 1 point may appear on a Level 2 POA&M, so this has to be closed before the assessment.
Partial state: Not POA&M-eligible: above the 1-point ceiling · 3 points deducted
Worth 3 points. No requirement over 1 point may appear on a Level 2 POA&M, so this has to be closed before the assessment.
A POA&M is only permitted at a score of 88 or above, and closes in one 180-day window. Check a full gap list or compute your score.
Where 3.5.3 maps
NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5
- IA-2(1) Multifactor Authentication
NIST CSF 2.0
- Authentication is managed
SOC 2
No direct mapping.
Query it from your own tools
This page and the MacTech CMMC MCP server render the same dataset. Ask your assistant and it will answer from the methodology, not from memory.
lookup_control 3.5.3 get_assessment_objectives 3.5.3 generate_poam_entries ["3.5.3"]
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