| name | AC-6_least-privilege |
| description | Employ the principle of least privilege, allowing only authorized accesses for users (or processes acting on behalf of users) that are necessary to ac |
| category | authorization |
| version | 5.2.0 |
| author | cyberstrike-official |
| tags | ["nist","sp800-53","rev5","ac-6","ac"] |
| tech_stack | ["aws","azure","gcp","linux","windows"] |
| cwe_ids | ["CWE-284"] |
| chains_with | ["AC-2","AC-3","AC-5","AC-16","CM-5","CM-11","PL-2","PM-12","SA-8","SA-15"] |
| prerequisites | [] |
| severity_boost | {"AC-2":"Chain with AC-2 for comprehensive security coverage","AC-3":"Chain with AC-3 for comprehensive security coverage","AC-5":"Chain with AC-5 for comprehensive security coverage"} |
AC-6 Least Privilege
High-Level Description
Family: Access Control (AC)
Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5
Organizations employ least privilege for specific duties and systems. The principle of least privilege is also applied to system processes, ensuring that the processes have access to systems and operate at privilege levels no higher than necessary to accomplish organizational missions or business functions. Organizations consider the creation of additional processes, roles, and accounts as necessary to achieve least privilege. Organizations apply least privilege to the development, implementation, and operation of organizational systems.
What to Check
How to Test
Step 1: Review Documentation
Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for AC-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
Employ the principle of least privilege, allowing only authorized accesses for users (or processes acting on behalf of users) that are necessary to accomplish assigned organizational tasks.
Implementation Guidance
Organizations employ least privilege for specific duties and systems. The principle of least privilege is also applied to system processes, ensuring that the processes have access to systems and operate at privilege levels no higher than necessary to accomplish organizational missions or business functions. Organizations consider the creation of additional processes, roles, and accounts as necessary to achieve least privilege. Organizations apply least privilege to the development, implementation, and operation of organizational systems.
