# BSI C5:2020 IDM-03 — Locking and withdrawal of user accounts in the event of inactivity or multiple failed logins - Source: https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/bsi-c5-2020/idm-03-locking-and-withdrawal-of-user-accounts-in-the-event-of-inactivity-or-multiple - Section: [Compliance](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance) › [BSI C5:2020 (Cloud Computing Compliance Criteria)](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/bsi-c5-2020) › Identity & Access Management (IDM) - Last updated: 2026-06-05 - Publisher: iCompaas, Inc. (https://www.icompaas.com) **BSI C5:2020**·Criterion `IDM-03`·high·Component: **Identity & Access Management** ## What this control requires > Automatically locks inactive user accounts after two months and revokes them after six months, requiring re-approval per IDM-02. Prevents unauthorized access, ensuring cloud customer data security in case of dormant or compromised accounts. > > — BSI C5:2020, Criterion IDM-03 ### In plain English Automatically locks inactive user accounts after two months and revokes them after six months, requiring re-approval per IDM-02. In practice, this means you can prove you review cloud customer data-level controls on a defined cadence. ## Why it matters BSI C5 is the default cloud-security baseline German public-sector buyers and many DAX-listed enterprises expect; gaps here directly block procurement in the DACH region and frequently appear as must-have items in EU public-tender documents. This control is rated **high**. Auditors expect a named owner, a remediation SLA, and a tooling artefact that evidences continuous operation. ## What an auditor looks for A C5 attesting auditor (under ISAE 3000 / IDW PS 860) tests both the design and — for a Type 2 — the operating effectiveness over the attestation period. For each criterion they look for both the Basic and any in-scope Additional objectives. Within **Identity & Access Management**, the assessor will trace your implementation back to the catalogue reference (Criterion IDM-03) and look for objective evidence on the latest two assessment cycles. ## How to implement #### Cloud Posture **CSPM.** Run Wiz / Prisma / Defender for Cloud / Security Command Center over every account; auto-ticket findings above your accepted-risk threshold. ### Operational checklist - **Review.** Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence. - **Security.** Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence. - **Data.** Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence. - **Access.** Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence. - **Scope:** cloud customer data, management. ## Evidence to collect - **Identity Scan.** IAM / IdP exports — Entra ID, Okta, IAM Identity Center, Workspace directory — showing accounts, roles, MFA state and last sign-in. Identity analytics (Okta, SailPoint, Access Analyzer) demonstrates least-privilege. Focus: Locking and withdrawal of user accounts in the event of inactivity or multiple failed logins. ## Common pitfalls - Treating CSPM findings as a backlog instead of a hot queue: findings older than the policy SLA accumulate until the auditor asks why. ## How it maps to other frameworks Computed from shared tags, control component and key-operation subjects — handy when you are reconciling controls across an audit. - [**ISO/IEC 27001:2022 A.8.23** — Web filtering](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/iso-27001-2022/a-8-23-web-filtering) - [**SOC 2 (2017 TSC) CC1.5** — Accountability for Internal Control Responsibilities](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/soc-2-trust-services-criteria/cc1-5-accountability-for-internal-control-responsibilities) - [**NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3 3.13.4** — Information in Shared System Resources](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-171-rev-3/3-13-4-information-in-shared-system-resources) - [**CIS Controls v8 9.2** — Use DNS Filtering Services](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/cis-controls-v8/9-2-use-dns-filtering-services) - [**ISO/IEC 27701:2025 A.3.8** — Identity management](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/iso-27701-2025/a-3-8-identity-management) ## Related controls in BSI C5:2020 - [**Criterion IDM-07** — Access to cloud customer data](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/bsi-c5-2020/idm-07-access-to-cloud-customer-data) - [**Criterion IDM-05** — Regular review of access rights](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/bsi-c5-2020/idm-05-regular-review-of-access-rights) - [**Criterion AM-05** — Commitment to Permissible Use, Safe Handling and Return of Assets](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/bsi-c5-2020/am-05-commitment-to-permissible-use-safe-handling-and-return-of-assets) - [**Criterion HR-01** — Verification of qualification and trustworthiness](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/bsi-c5-2020/hr-01-verification-of-qualification-and-trustworthiness) - [**Criterion INQ-03** — Conditions for Access to or Disclosure of Data in Investigation Requests](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/bsi-c5-2020/inq-03-conditions-for-access-to-or-disclosure-of-data-in-investigation-requests) - [**Criterion INQ-04** — Limiting Access to or Disclosure of Data in Investigation Requests](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/bsi-c5-2020/inq-04-limiting-access-to-or-disclosure-of-data-in-investigation-requests) ## References - [Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (BSI) — BSI C5:2020](https://www.bsi.bund.de/EN/Topics/CloudComputing/Compliance_Criteria_Catalogue/Compliance_Criteria_Catalogue_node.html) - Catalogue identifier: `Criterion IDM-03` Topics: identity accessidentity managementaccess reviewprivileged accesscloud posture ## Related compliance guidance - [SOC 2 compliance: a practical implementation guide for cloud-native SaaS teams](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/soc-2-trust-services-criteria): Configuration checks like this one are the technical half of a SOC 2 / ISO 27001 programme — the guide shows where they fit, what else an auditor expects, and how to evidence them. - [ISO/IEC 27001:2022 compliance: a practical implementation guide](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/iso-27001-2022): ISO 27001 Annex A.8 (technological controls) is where cloud hardening evidence lands; the guide shows how to run the ISMS around it.