Connections Termination
Terminate network connections associated with communications sessions at the end of the sessions or after a defined period of inactivity.
What gets scored, the objectives
SC.L2-3.13.9 is met only when every one of these 3 objectives, from NIST SP 800-171A, is satisfied. A single missed objective makes the whole requirement not met.
- a.a period of inactivity to terminate network connections associated with communications sessions is defined
- b.network connections associated with communications sessions are terminated at the end of the sessions
- c.network connections associated with communications sessions are terminated after the defined period of inactivity
How this is assessed
NIST SP 800-171A defines three assessment methods. For SC.L2-3.13.9, whoever assesses it, including your own team in a self assessment, uses these:
System and communications protection policy; procedures addressing network disconnect; system design documentation; system security plan; system configuration settings and associated documentation; system audit logs and records; other relevant documents or records
System or network administrators; personnel with information security responsibilities; system developer
Mechanisms supporting or implementing network disconnect capability
What it means, in context
This requirement applies to internal and external networks . Terminating network connections associated with communications sessions include de-allocating associated TCP/IP address or port pairs at the operating system level, or de-allocating networking assignments at the application level if multiple application sessions are using a single, operating system-level network connection. Time periods of user inactivity may be established by organizations and include time periods by type of network access or for specific network accesses.
Prevent malicious actors from taking advantage of an open network session or an unattended computer at the end of the connection. Balance user work patterns and needs against security to determine the length of inactivity that will force a termination. This requirement, SC.L2-3.13.9, specifies network connections be terminated under certain conditions, which complements AC.L2-3.1.18 that specifies control of mobile device connections. Example You are an administrator of a server that provides remote access. Your company’s policies state that network connections must be terminated after being idle for 60 min utes [a]. You edit the server configuration file and set the timeout to 60 minutes and restart the remote access software [c]. You test the software and verify that the connection is terminated appropriately.
What passing evidence looks like
Network connections end when done: idle timeouts on VPN, RDP, and web sessions, from the settings that enforce them.
Common ways contractors fail SC.L2-3.13.9
- !Pairs with AC.L2-3.1.11 but at the network layer: the VPN idle disconnect and RDP session limits are the usual mechanisms. Define the period, show the setting.
The step by step walkthrough for Microsoft 365 GCC High, Google Workspace, and on premises setups, plus the exact evidence to capture, lives inside the CMMC Level 2 plan.
Prove SC.L2-3.13.9, and the other 109
The Level 2 workspace walks your team through all 110 requirements at the objective level, drafts your SSP section by section from your own record for your team to read and accept, gives a prime or your own internal auditor a read only seat on the same record, and a credentialed officer reviews every step.
Book a free advisory callNo credit card, and Level 1 and Level 2 are both open, so sign up for the level your contracts call for. Self assessed and self attested: you score yourself in SPRS on a three year cycle and your senior official affirms it every year. As of September 3, 2026 a class deviation directs contracting officers to remove third party assessment from contracts. The program rule still provides for it, so your solicitation sets the track. Your team builds the same evidence either way. DFARS 252.204-7012 is unaffected, and the NIST SP 800-171 Rev 2 baseline is unchanged.
SC.L2-3.13.9 questions, answered
How many points is CMMC requirement SC.L2-3.13.9 worth?+
SC.L2-3.13.9 is worth 1 point in the CMMC Level 2 score under 32 CFR 170.24. If it is not met, you lose 1 from your total of 110.
Can SC.L2-3.13.9 be placed on a POA&M?+
Yes. A gap on SC.L2-3.13.9 can be deferred to a Plan of Action and Milestones, provided your overall score is 88 or better and the item closes within 180 days.
What family does SC.L2-3.13.9 belong to?+
SC.L2-3.13.9 is in the System & Communications Protection (SC) family, one of the 14 families of NIST SP 800-171 that make up CMMC Level 2.
- NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2 3.13.9