ac-7-3-biometric-attempt-limiting

name	AC-7(3)_biometric-attempt-limiting
description	Limit the number of unsuccessful biometric logon attempts to [organization-defined].
category	authorization
version	5.2.0
author	cyberstrike-official
tags	["nist","sp800-53","rev5","ac-7-3","ac","enhancement"]
tech_stack	["aws","azure","gcp","linux","windows"]
cwe_ids	["CWE-284"]
chains_with	["IA-3"]
prerequisites	["AC-7"]
severity_boost	{"IA-3":"Chain with IA-3 for comprehensive security coverage"}

AC-7(3) Biometric Attempt Limiting

Enhancement of: AC-7

High-Level Description

Family: Access Control (AC) Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5

Biometrics are probabilistic in nature. The ability to successfully authenticate can be impacted by many factors, including matching performance and presentation attack detection mechanisms. Organizations select the appropriate number of attempts for users based on organizationally-defined factors.

What to Check

• Verify AC-7(3) Biometric Attempt Limiting is documented in SSP
• Confirm control is operating effectively
• Review evidence of continuous monitoring for AC-7(3)
• Verify enhancement builds upon base control AC-7

How to Test

Step 1: Review Documentation

Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for AC-7(3) implementation details. Verify the organization has documented how this control is satisfied.

Step 2: Validate Implementation

# For cloud environments, use cloud-audit-mcp tools
# For on-premises, review system configurations directly

# Example: Check if account management policies exist
grep -r "account.management\|access.control" /etc/security/ 2>/dev/null

Step 3: Test Operating Effectiveness

Verify the control is actively functioning, not just documented. Check logs, configurations, and operational evidence.

Tools

Tool	Purpose	Usage
cloud-audit-mcp	Check IAM policies and access controls	cloud_audit_iam_policies
hackbrowser-mcp	Test web application access controls	browser_auth_test

Remediation Guide

Control Statement

Limit the number of unsuccessful biometric logon attempts to [organization-defined].

Implementation Guidance

Biometrics are probabilistic in nature. The ability to successfully authenticate can be impacted by many factors, including matching performance and presentation attack detection mechanisms. Organizations select the appropriate number of attempts for users based on organizationally-defined factors.