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Privacy PolicyTerms of Service
  1. Frameworks
  2. >SP 800-53
  3. >Access Control
  4. >SP800-53-AC-4
SP800-53-AC-4Active

Information Flow Enforcement

Statement

Enforce approved authorizations for controlling the flow of information within the system and between connected systems based on information flow control policies.

Location

Control Family
Access Control

Control Details

Identifier
SP800-53-AC-4
Family
AC

Organisation-Defined Parameters

ac-04_odp
information flow control policies

Supplemental Guidance

Information flow control regulates where information can travel within a system and between systems (in contrast to who is allowed to access the information) and without regard to subsequent accesses to that information. Flow control restrictions include blocking external traffic that claims to be from within the organization, keeping export-controlled information from being transmitted in the clear to the Internet, restricting web requests that are not from the internal web proxy server, and limiting information transfers between organizations based on data structures and content. Transferring information between organizations may require an agreement specifying how the information flow is enforced (see CA-3 ). Transferring information between systems in different security or privacy domains with different security or privacy policies introduces the risk that such transfers violate one or more domain security or privacy policies. In such situations, information owners/stewards provide guidance at designated policy enforcement points between connected systems. Organizations consider mandating specific architectural solutions to enforce specific security and privacy policies. Enforcement includes prohibiting information transfers between connected systems (i.e., allowing access only), verifying write permissions before accepting information from another security or privacy domain or connected system, employing hardware mechanisms to enforce one-way information flows, and implementing trustworthy regrading mechanisms to reassign security or privacy attributes and labels.

Organizations commonly employ information flow control policies and enforcement mechanisms to control the flow of information between designated sources and destinations within systems and between connected systems. Flow control is based on the characteristics of the information and/or the information path. Enforcement occurs, for example, in boundary protection devices that employ rule sets or establish configuration settings that restrict system services, provide a packet-filtering capability based on header information, or provide a message-filtering capability based on message content. Organizations also consider the trustworthiness of filtering and/or inspection mechanisms (i.e., hardware, firmware, and software components) that are critical to information flow enforcement. Control enhancements 3 through 32 primarily address cross-domain solution needs that focus on more advanced filtering techniques, in-depth analysis, and stronger flow enforcement mechanisms implemented in cross-domain products, such as high-assurance guards. Such capabilities are generally not available in commercial off-the-shelf products. Information flow enforcement also applies to control plane traffic (e.g., routing and DNS).

Assessment Objective

approved authorizations are enforced for controlling the flow of information within the system and between connected systems based on information flow control policies.

ATTACK
ATTACK-T1020.001relatedvia ctid-attack-to-sp800-53
ATTACK-T1021.001relatedvia ctid-attack-to-sp800-53
ATTACK-T1095relatedvia ctid-attack-to-sp800-53
ATTACK-T1098relatedvia ctid-attack-to-sp800-53
ATTACK-T1098.001relatedvia ctid-attack-to-sp800-53
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Access Control147 controls
SP800-53-AC-1Policy and ProceduresSP800-53-AC-2Account ManagementSP800-53-AC-2(1)Automated System Account ManagementSP800-53-AC-2(2)Automated Temporary and Emergency Account ManagementSP800-53-AC-2(3)Disable AccountsSP800-53-AC-2(4)Automated Audit ActionsSP800-53-AC-2(5)Inactivity LogoutSP800-53-AC-2(6)Dynamic Privilege ManagementSP800-53-AC-2(7)Privileged User AccountsSP800-53-AC-2(8)Dynamic Account ManagementSP800-53-AC-2(9)Restrictions on Use of Shared and Group AccountsSP800-53-AC-2(10)Shared and Group Account Credential ChangeSP800-53-AC-2(11)Usage ConditionsSP800-53-AC-2(12)Account Monitoring for Atypical UsageSP800-53-AC-2(13)Disable Accounts for High-risk IndividualsSP800-53-AC-3Access EnforcementSP800-53-AC-3(1)Restricted Access to Privileged FunctionsSP800-53-AC-3(2)Dual AuthorizationSP800-53-AC-3(3)Mandatory Access ControlSP800-53-AC-3(4)Discretionary Access ControlSP800-53-AC-3(5)Security-relevant InformationSP800-53-AC-3(6)Protection of User and System InformationSP800-53-AC-3(7)Role-based Access ControlSP800-53-AC-3(8)Revocation of Access AuthorizationsSP800-53-AC-3(9)Controlled ReleaseSP800-53-AC-3(10)Audited Override of Access Control MechanismsSP800-53-AC-3(11)Restrict Access to Specific Information TypesSP800-53-AC-3(12)Assert and Enforce Application AccessSP800-53-AC-3(13)Attribute-based Access ControlSP800-53-AC-3(14)Individual AccessSP800-53-AC-3(15)Discretionary and Mandatory Access ControlSP800-53-AC-4Information Flow EnforcementSP800-53-AC-4(1)Object Security and Privacy AttributesSP800-53-AC-4(2)Processing DomainsSP800-53-AC-4(3)Dynamic Information Flow ControlSP800-53-AC-4(4)Flow Control of Encrypted InformationSP800-53-AC-4(5)Embedded Data TypesSP800-53-AC-4(6)MetadataSP800-53-AC-4(7)One-way Flow MechanismsSP800-53-AC-4(8)Security and Privacy Policy FiltersSP800-53-AC-4(9)Human ReviewsSP800-53-AC-4(10)Enable and Disable Security or Privacy Policy FiltersSP800-53-AC-4(11)Configuration of Security or Privacy Policy FiltersSP800-53-AC-4(12)Data Type IdentifiersSP800-53-AC-4(13)Decomposition into Policy-relevant SubcomponentsSP800-53-AC-4(14)Security or Privacy Policy Filter ConstraintsSP800-53-AC-4(15)Detection of Unsanctioned InformationSP800-53-AC-4(16)Information Transfers on Interconnected SystemsSP800-53-AC-4(17)Domain AuthenticationSP800-53-AC-4(18)Security Attribute BindingSP800-53-AC-4(19)Validation of MetadataSP800-53-AC-4(20)Approved SolutionsSP800-53-AC-4(21)Physical or Logical Separation of Information FlowsSP800-53-AC-4(22)Access OnlySP800-53-AC-4(23)Modify Non-releasable InformationSP800-53-AC-4(24)Internal Normalized FormatSP800-53-AC-4(25)Data SanitizationSP800-53-AC-4(26)Audit Filtering ActionsSP800-53-AC-4(27)Redundant/Independent Filtering MechanismsSP800-53-AC-4(28)Linear Filter PipelinesSP800-53-AC-4(29)Filter Orchestration EnginesSP800-53-AC-4(30)Filter Mechanisms Using Multiple ProcessesSP800-53-AC-4(31)Failed Content Transfer PreventionSP800-53-AC-4(32)Process Requirements for Information TransferSP800-53-AC-5Separation of DutiesSP800-53-AC-6Least PrivilegeSP800-53-AC-6(1)Authorize Access to Security FunctionsSP800-53-AC-6(2)Non-privileged Access for Nonsecurity FunctionsSP800-53-AC-6(3)Network Access to Privileged CommandsSP800-53-AC-6(4)Separate Processing DomainsSP800-53-AC-6(5)Privileged AccountsSP800-53-AC-6(6)Privileged Access by Non-organizational UsersSP800-53-AC-6(7)Review of User PrivilegesSP800-53-AC-6(8)Privilege Levels for Code ExecutionSP800-53-AC-6(9)Log Use of Privileged FunctionsSP800-53-AC-6(10)Prohibit Non-privileged Users from Executing Privileged FunctionsSP800-53-AC-7Unsuccessful Logon AttemptsSP800-53-AC-7(1)Automatic Account LockSP800-53-AC-7(2)Purge or Wipe Mobile DeviceSP800-53-AC-7(3)Biometric Attempt LimitingSP800-53-AC-7(4)Use of Alternate Authentication FactorSP800-53-AC-8System Use NotificationSP800-53-AC-9Previous Logon NotificationSP800-53-AC-9(1)Unsuccessful LogonsSP800-53-AC-9(2)Successful and Unsuccessful LogonsSP800-53-AC-9(3)Notification of Account ChangesSP800-53-AC-9(4)Additional Logon InformationSP800-53-AC-10Concurrent Session ControlSP800-53-AC-11Device LockSP800-53-AC-11(1)Pattern-hiding DisplaysSP800-53-AC-12Session TerminationSP800-53-AC-12(1)User-initiated LogoutsSP800-53-AC-12(2)Termination MessageSP800-53-AC-12(3)Timeout Warning MessageSP800-53-AC-13Supervision and Review — Access ControlSP800-53-AC-14Permitted Actions Without Identification or AuthenticationSP800-53-AC-14(1)Necessary UsesSP800-53-AC-15Automated MarkingSP800-53-AC-16Security and Privacy AttributesSP800-53-AC-16(1)Dynamic Attribute AssociationSP800-53-AC-16(2)Attribute Value Changes by Authorized IndividualsSP800-53-AC-16(3)Maintenance of Attribute Associations by SystemSP800-53-AC-16(4)Association of Attributes by Authorized IndividualsSP800-53-AC-16(5)Attribute Displays on Objects to Be OutputSP800-53-AC-16(6)Maintenance of Attribute AssociationSP800-53-AC-16(7)Consistent Attribute InterpretationSP800-53-AC-16(8)Association Techniques and TechnologiesSP800-53-AC-16(9)Attribute Reassignment — Regrading MechanismsSP800-53-AC-16(10)Attribute Configuration by Authorized IndividualsSP800-53-AC-17Remote AccessSP800-53-AC-17(1)Monitoring and ControlSP800-53-AC-17(2)Protection of Confidentiality and Integrity Using EncryptionSP800-53-AC-17(3)Managed Access Control PointsSP800-53-AC-17(4)Privileged Commands and AccessSP800-53-AC-17(5)Monitoring for Unauthorized ConnectionsSP800-53-AC-17(6)Protection of Mechanism InformationSP800-53-AC-17(7)Additional Protection for Security Function AccessSP800-53-AC-17(8)Disable Nonsecure Network ProtocolsSP800-53-AC-17(9)Disconnect or Disable AccessSP800-53-AC-17(10)Authenticate Remote CommandsSP800-53-AC-18Wireless AccessSP800-53-AC-18(1)Authentication and EncryptionSP800-53-AC-18(2)Monitoring Unauthorized ConnectionsSP800-53-AC-18(3)Disable Wireless NetworkingSP800-53-AC-18(4)Restrict Configurations by UsersSP800-53-AC-18(5)Antennas and Transmission Power LevelsSP800-53-AC-19Access Control for Mobile DevicesSP800-53-AC-19(1)Use of Writable and Portable Storage DevicesSP800-53-AC-19(2)Use of Personally Owned Portable Storage DevicesSP800-53-AC-19(3)Use of Portable Storage Devices with No Identifiable OwnerSP800-53-AC-19(4)Restrictions for Classified InformationSP800-53-AC-19(5)Full Device or Container-based EncryptionSP800-53-AC-20Use of External SystemsSP800-53-AC-20(1)Limits on Authorized UseSP800-53-AC-20(2)Portable Storage Devices — Restricted UseSP800-53-AC-20(3)Non-organizationally Owned Systems — Restricted UseSP800-53-AC-20(4)Network Accessible Storage Devices — Prohibited UseSP800-53-AC-20(5)Portable Storage Devices — Prohibited UseSP800-53-AC-21Information SharingSP800-53-AC-21(1)Automated Decision SupportSP800-53-AC-21(2)Information Search and RetrievalSP800-53-AC-22Publicly Accessible ContentSP800-53-AC-23Data Mining ProtectionSP800-53-AC-24Access Control DecisionsSP800-53-AC-24(1)Transmit Access Authorization InformationSP800-53-AC-24(2)No User or Process IdentitySP800-53-AC-25Reference Monitor