Audit Correlation
Correlate audit record review, analysis, and reporting processes for investigation and response to indications of unlawful, unauthorized, suspicious, or unusual activity.
What an assessor scores, the objectives
AU.L2-3.3.5 is met only when every one of these 2 objectives, from NIST SP 800-171A, is satisfied. A single missed objective makes the whole requirement not met.
- a.audit record review, analysis, and reporting processes for investigation and response to indications of unlawful, unauthorized, suspicious, or unusual activity are defined
- b.defined audit record review, analysis, and reporting processes are correlated
How a C3PAO checks it
NIST SP 800-171A defines three assessment methods. For AU.L2-3.3.5, an assessor uses these:
Audit and accountability policy; procedures addressing audit record review, analysis, and reporting; system security plan; system design documentation; system configuration settings and associated documentation; procedures addressing investigation of and response to suspicious activities; system audit logs and records across different repositories; other relevant documents or records
Personnel with audit record review, analysis, and reporting responsibilities; personnel with information security responsibilities
Mechanisms supporting analysis and correlation of audit records; mechanisms integrating audit review, analysis and reporting
What it means, in context
Correlating audit record review, analysis, and reporting processes helps to ensure that they do not operate independently, but rather collectively . Regarding the assessment of a given organizational system, the requirement is agnostic as to whether this correlation is applied at the system level or at the organization level across all systems.
Companies must review, analyze, and report audit records to help detect and respond to security incidents in a timely manner for the purpose of investigation and corrective actions. Collection of audit logs into one or more central repositories may facilitate correlated review. Small companies may be able to accomplish this manually with well -defined and -managed procedures. Larger companies will use an automated system for analysis that correlates log data from across the entire enterprise. Some companies may want to orchestrate the analysis process to include the use of Application Programming Inter faces ( APIs) for collection, correlation, and the automation of responses based on programed rulesets. Example You are a member of a cyber defense team responsible for audit log analysis. You run an automated tool that analyzes all the audit logs across a Local Area Network (LAN) segment simultaneously looking for similar anomalies on separate systems at separate locations. Some of these systems store CUI. After extracting anomalous information and performing a correlation analysis [b], you determine that four different systems have had their event log information cleared between 2:00 AM to 3:00 AM, although the associated dates are different. The team monitors all systems on the same LAN segment between 2:00 AM to 3:00 AM for the next 30 days. Potential Assessment Considerations • Are mechanisms used across different repositories to integrate audit review, analysis, correlation, and reporting processes [b]?
What passing evidence looks like
Proof you can look across log sources at once when investigating: the audit search spanning workloads, or the SIEM view joining sign ins with file activity.
Common ways contractors fail AU.L2-3.3.5
- !Five point requirement, and the trap is scattered logs nobody can correlate. The unified audit log or a simple SIEM (even a spreadsheet export joined on timestamps for a small shop) is the answer; show one worked example.
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Prove AU.L2-3.3.5, and the other 109
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AU.L2-3.3.5 questions, answered
How many points is CMMC requirement AU.L2-3.3.5 worth?+
AU.L2-3.3.5 is worth 5 points in the CMMC Level 2 score under 32 CFR 170.24. If it is not met, you lose 5 from your total of 110.
Can AU.L2-3.3.5 be placed on a POA&M?+
No. AU.L2-3.3.5 must be fully met before you can file. It cannot be deferred to a POA&M, so it is a gate on your assessment.
What family does AU.L2-3.3.5 belong to?+
AU.L2-3.3.5 is in the Audit & Accountability (AU) family, one of the 14 families of NIST SP 800-171 that make up CMMC Level 2.
- NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2 3.3.5