NIST 800-171 Control 3.14.7: Identify Unauthorized Use of Organizational Systems
Control 3.14.7 requires your organization to detect and identify unauthorized access or use of systems in real-time or near-real-time. Without active monitoring and identification mechanisms, unauthorized activity can persist undetected, creating compliance gaps and security risks. This control is critical for meeting NIST 800-171 requirements and protecting controlled unclassified information (CUI).
What this means
Unauthorized use identification means implementing technical and procedural mechanisms to detect when individuals access systems or data without authorization, or when authorized users exceed their privileges. This includes monitoring for suspicious login patterns, data exfiltration attempts, privilege escalation, and access to restricted resources. The goal is to identify these incidents quickly enough to prevent or minimize harm.
How to comply
- 1.Deploy user and entity behavior analytics (UEBA) or anomaly detection tools to identify unusual system access patterns and activities
- 2.Configure logging on all systems and applications to capture authentication attempts, access events, and permission changes
- 3.Establish real-time or near-real-time alerting for critical events such as failed login attempts, after-hours access, and privilege escalations
- 4.Review logs and alerts regularly through a security operations center (SOC) or designated personnel
- 5.Document the tools, thresholds, and procedures used to identify unauthorized use
- 6.Test detection mechanisms periodically through authorized penetration testing or red team exercises
- 7.Train system administrators and security staff on identifying and responding to unauthorized use indicators
Evidence auditors look for
- SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) configuration documentation showing active monitoring rules
- System logs capturing authentication events, access denials, and privilege changes
- Alert logs demonstrating detection of suspicious activities (failed logins, unusual access times, privilege escalations)
- Monitoring tool configuration files (e.g., audit policies, detection rules, threshold settings)
- Security incident response records showing identified unauthorized use incidents and actions taken
- Network flow logs or IDS/IPS alerts indicating blocked or flagged unauthorized access attempts
- Procedure documentation describing how unauthorized use is identified and escalated
Frequently asked questions
When will FAQs be available?
The FAQ for this control is currently being prepared.
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