The application must notify system administrators (SAs) and information system security officers (ISSOs) of account enabling actions.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-222422	APSC-DV-000430	SV-222422r985917_rule		Low

Description
Once an attacker establishes access to a system, the attacker often attempts to create a persistent method of re-establishing access. One way to accomplish this is for the attacker to enable an account. Notification of account enabling is one method for mitigating this risk. A comprehensive account management process will ensure an audit trail which documents the enabling of application user accounts and notifies administrators and ISSOs such accounts exist. This type of process greatly reduces the risk that accounts will be surreptitiously enabled and provides logging that can be used for forensic purposes. To address access requirements, many application developers choose to integrate their applications with enterprise-level authentication/access/auditing mechanisms that meet or exceed access control policy requirements. Such integration allows the application developer to offload those access control functions and focus on core application features and functionality.

Description

Once an attacker establishes access to a system, the attacker often attempts to create a persistent method of re-establishing access. One way to accomplish this is for the attacker to enable an account. Notification of account enabling is one method for mitigating this risk. A comprehensive account management process will ensure an audit trail which documents the enabling of application user accounts and notifies administrators and ISSOs such accounts exist. This type of process greatly reduces the risk that accounts will be surreptitiously enabled and provides logging that can be used for forensic purposes. To address access requirements, many application developers choose to integrate their applications with enterprise-level authentication/access/auditing mechanisms that meet or exceed access control policy requirements. Such integration allows the application developer to offload those access control functions and focus on core application features and functionality.

STIG	Date
Application Security and Development Security Technical Implementation Guide	2024-06-05

Details

Check Text ( C-24092r985915_chk )
Review the application and system documentation. Interview application administrator and determine if the application is configured to utilize a centralized user management system like Active Directory for user management or if the application manages user accounts within the application. If the application is configured to use an enterprise-based application user management capability that is STIG compliant, the requirement is Not Applicable. Ensure the application is configured to notify SAs when accounts are enabled by identifying the SAs who will be notified when accounts are enabled. Disable and then enable a test account and check with the SA to verify the notification was received to indicate the account was enabled. If SAs and ISSOs are not notified when accounts are enabled, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-24092r985915_chk )

Review the application and system documentation.

Interview application administrator and determine if the application is configured to utilize a centralized user management system like Active Directory for user management or if the application manages user accounts within the application.

If the application is configured to use an enterprise-based application user management capability that is STIG compliant, the requirement is Not Applicable.

Ensure the application is configured to notify SAs when accounts are enabled by identifying the SAs who will be notified when accounts are enabled.

Disable and then enable a test account and check with the SA to verify the notification was received to indicate the account was enabled.

If SAs and ISSOs are not notified when accounts are enabled, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-24081r985916_fix)
Configure the application to notify the SA and the ISSO when application accounts are enabled.