| name | AC-16(6)_maintenance-of-attribute-association |
| description | Require personnel to associate and maintain the association of [organization-defined] with [organization-defined] in accordance with [organization-def |
| category | authorization |
| version | 5.2.0 |
| author | cyberstrike-official |
| tags | ["nist","sp800-53","rev5","ac-16-6","ac","enhancement"] |
| tech_stack | ["aws","azure","gcp","linux","windows"] |
| cwe_ids | ["CWE-284"] |
| chains_with | [] |
| prerequisites | ["AC-16"] |
| severity_boost | {} |
AC-16(6) Maintenance of Attribute Association
Enhancement of: AC-16
High-Level Description
Family: Access Control (AC)
Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5
Maintaining attribute association requires individual users (as opposed to the system) to maintain associations of defined security and privacy attributes with subjects and objects.
What to Check
How to Test
Step 1: Review Documentation
Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for AC-16(6) 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
Require personnel to associate and maintain the association of [organization-defined] with [organization-defined] in accordance with [organization-defined].
Implementation Guidance
Maintaining attribute association requires individual users (as opposed to the system) to maintain associations of defined security and privacy attributes with subjects and objects.
Risk Assessment
