# NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3 3.1.4 — Separation of Duties - Source: https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-171-rev-3/3-1-4-separation-of-duties - Section: [Compliance](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance) › [NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3 Requirements](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-171-rev-3) › Access Control — §3.1 - Last updated: 2026-06-05 - Publisher: iCompaas, Inc. (https://www.icompaas.com) **NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3**·Requirement `3.1.4`·high·Component: **Access Control** ## What this control requires > This control ensures that duties requiring separation to prevent abuse of authorized privileges are identified and defined. It establishes system access authorizations to support the division of tasks, such as separating mission and support functions, and ensuring that personnel responsible for access control do not also handle audit functions. This reduces the risk of unauthorized activity or collusion within the organization. This control supports the Separation of Duties Enforcement capability within the Access Control (3.1) family. > > — NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3, Requirement 3.1.4 ### In plain English This control ensures that duties requiring separation to prevent abuse of authorized privileges are identified and defined. In practice, this means you can prove you access management-level controls on a defined cadence. ## Why it matters DoD contractors and their subcontractors must implement all 100 SP 800-171 requirements to keep CUI handling contracts. Gaps are scored against the SPRS scoring methodology; below a 110-point starting score, each unmet requirement deducts points and a below-threshold score can disqualify a bid. 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 C3PAO conducting a CMMC Level 2 assessment uses NIST SP 800-171A objectives. They expect a System Security Plan (SSP), Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M) for any gaps, and objective evidence (configurations, ticket records, training records) for every requirement. Within **Access Control**, the assessor will trace your implementation back to the catalogue reference (Requirement 3.1.4) and look for objective evidence on the latest two assessment cycles. ## How to implement #### Logging Monitoring **AWS.** Org-trail CloudTrail to a central log archive account, GuardDuty in every region, and Security Hub for cross-source correlation. **Azure.** Pipe every diagnostic setting into a central Log Analytics workspace; onboard Microsoft Sentinel for SIEM/SOAR. **GCP.** Aggregate audit logs in a dedicated logging project with sink to BigQuery; enable Security Command Center Premium and route findings to Chronicle SIEM. ### Operational checklist - **Access.** Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence. - **Separation.** Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence. - **Access Control.** Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence. - **Authorized.** Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence. - **System.** Document the trigger, the owner and the cadence. - **Scope:** management, enforcement, support functions, personnel, access authorizations, access control. ## 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: Separation of Duties. ## Common pitfalls - Per-account logging that nobody stitches together at the org level — incidents that cross accounts go undetected for days. ## 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. - [**NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 AC-6(6)** — Privileged Access By Non-Organizational Users](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5/ac-6-6-privileged-access-by-non-organizational-users) - [**CIS Controls v8 6.8** — Define and Maintain Role-Based Access Control](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/cis-controls-v8/6-8-define-and-maintain-role-based-access-control) - [**ISO/IEC 27001:2022 A.5.16** — Identity management](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/iso-27001-2022/a-5-16-identity-management) - [**BSI C5:2020 PS-04** — Physical site access control](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/bsi-c5-2020/ps-04-physical-site-access-control) - [**SOC 2 (2017 TSC) CC6.1** — Logical Access Controls](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/soc-2-trust-services-criteria/cc6-1-logical-access-controls) ## Related controls in NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3 - [**Requirement 3.1.6** — Least Privilege - Privileged Accounts](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-171-rev-3/3-1-6-least-privilege-privileged-accounts) - [**Requirement 3.1.1** — Account Management](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-171-rev-3/3-1-1-account-management) - [**Requirement 3.1.22** — Publicly Accessible Content](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-171-rev-3/3-1-22-publicly-accessible-content) - [**Requirement 3.9.2** — Personnel Termination and Transfer](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-171-rev-3/3-9-2-personnel-termination-and-transfer) - [**Requirement 3.1.7** — Least Privilege - Privileged Functions](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-171-rev-3/3-1-7-least-privilege-privileged-functions) - [**Requirement 3.1.11** — Session Termination](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-171-rev-3/3-1-11-session-termination) ## References - [NIST Computer Security Resource Center — NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 3](https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/171/r3/final) - Catalogue identifier: `Requirement 3.1.4` Topics: governance riskidentity accessidentity managementaccess reviewprivileged accesslogging monitoring ## Related compliance guidance - [NIST SP 800-171 and CMMC: a practical guide to protecting CUI in the cloud](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-171-rev-3): Start with the full NIST SP 800-171 implementation guide — scope, roadmap, evidence and how the assessment runs. - [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: a practical implementation guide for cloud teams](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/nist-sp-800-53-rev-5): The catalogue 800-171 is tailored from, and the basis of the FedRAMP Moderate baseline your cloud providers must meet for CUI. - [ISO/IEC 27001:2022 compliance: a practical implementation guide](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/iso-27001-2022): If commercial customers ask for a certificate as well, most 800-171 controls can be evidenced once and mapped to Annex A.