| name | IA-2(12)_acceptance-of-piv-credentials |
| description | Accept and electronically verify Personal Identity Verification-compliant credentials. |
| category | authentication |
| version | 5.2.0 |
| author | cyberstrike-official |
| tags | ["nist","sp800-53","rev5","ia-2-12","ia","enhancement"] |
| tech_stack | ["aws","azure","active-directory","linux","windows"] |
| cwe_ids | ["CWE-287"] |
| chains_with | [] |
| prerequisites | ["IA-2"] |
| severity_boost | {} |
IA-2(12) Acceptance of PIV Credentials
Enhancement of: IA-2
High-Level Description
Family: Identification and Authentication (IA)
Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5
Acceptance of Personal Identity Verification (PIV)-compliant credentials applies to organizations implementing logical access control and physical access control systems. PIV-compliant credentials are those credentials issued by federal agencies that conform to FIPS Publication 201 and supporting guidance documents. The adequacy and reliability of PIV card issuers are authorized using SP 800-79-2 . Acceptance of PIV-compliant credentials includes derived PIV credentials, the use of which is addressed in SP 800-166 . The DOD Common Access Card (CAC) is an example of a PIV credential.
What to Check
How to Test
Step 1: Review Documentation
Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for IA-2(12) 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 authentication settings | cloud_audit_iam_policies |
| hackbrowser-mcp | Test authentication mechanisms | browser_auth_test |
Remediation Guide
Control Statement
Accept and electronically verify Personal Identity Verification-compliant credentials.
