| name | AU-10_non-repudiation |
| description | Provide irrefutable evidence that an individual (or process acting on behalf of an individual) has performed [organization-defined]. |
| category | information-gathering |
| version | 5.2.0 |
| author | cyberstrike-official |
| tags | ["nist","sp800-53","rev5","au-10","au"] |
| tech_stack | ["aws","azure","gcp","linux","windows"] |
| cwe_ids | ["CWE-778"] |
| chains_with | ["AU-9","PM-12","SA-8","SC-8","SC-12","SC-13","SC-16","SC-17","SC-23"] |
| prerequisites | [] |
| severity_boost | {"AU-9":"Chain with AU-9 for comprehensive security coverage","PM-12":"Chain with PM-12 for comprehensive security coverage","SA-8":"Chain with SA-8 for comprehensive security coverage"} |
AU-10 Non-repudiation
High-Level Description
Family: Audit and Accountability (AU)
Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5
Types of individual actions covered by non-repudiation include creating information, sending and receiving messages, and approving information. Non-repudiation protects against claims by authors of not having authored certain documents, senders of not having transmitted messages, receivers of not having received messages, and signatories of not having signed documents. Non-repudiation services can be used to determine if information originated from an individual or if an individual took specific actions (e.g., sending an email, signing a contract, approving a procurement request, or receiving specific information). Organizations obtain non-repudiation services by employing various techniques or mechanisms, including digital signatures and digital message receipts.
What to Check
How to Test
Step 1: Review Documentation
Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for AU-10 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 logging configuration | cloud_audit_logging |
| AWS CLI | Review CloudTrail/CloudWatch | aws cloudtrail describe-trails |
Remediation Guide
Control Statement
Provide irrefutable evidence that an individual (or process acting on behalf of an individual) has performed [organization-defined].
Implementation Guidance
Types of individual actions covered by non-repudiation include creating information, sending and receiving messages, and approving information. Non-repudiation protects against claims by authors of not having authored certain documents, senders of not having transmitted messages, receivers of not having received messages, and signatories of not having signed documents. Non-repudiation services can be used to determine if information originated from an individual or if an individual took specific actions (e.g., sending an email, signing a contract, approving a procurement request, or receiving specific information). Organizations obtain non-repudiation services by employing various techniques or mechanisms, including digital signatures and digital message receipts.
