3.1.16Approve wireless before it connects
Wireless networks are authorized before use, not stood up ad hoc.
The requirement, verbatim
NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2 · 3.1.16Authorize wireless access prior to allowing such connections.
NIST's discussion
Establishing usage restrictions and configuration/connection requirements for wireless access to the system provides criteria for organizations to support wireless access authorization decisions. Such restrictions and requirements reduce the susceptibility to unauthorized access to the system through wireless technologies. Wireless networks use authentication protocols that provide credential protection and mutual authentication.
NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2, discussion under 3.1.16. Whitespace normalised; wording unchanged.
Assessment objectives
An assessor decides each of these separately. The requirement is met only when every objective is.
- [a] wireless access points are identified
- [b] wireless access is authorized prior to allowing such connections
NIST SP 800-171A, determination statements for 3.1.16.
For assessors: examine, interview, test
NIST SP 800-171A names what an assessor may examine, whom they may interview, and what they may test for this requirement. Assessors select from these lists; they are not a checklist of everything you must produce.
Examine
- Access control policy
- configuration management policy
- procedures addressing wireless access implementation and usage
- system security plan
- system design documentation
- system configuration settings and associated documentation
- wireless access authorizations
- system audit logs and records
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- Personnel with responsibilities for managing wireless access connections
- personnel with information security responsibilities
- system or network administrators
Test
- Mechanisms implementing wireless access authorizations
NIST SP 800-171A, potential assessment methods and objects for 3.1.16.
Evidence
No evidence examples are published for this requirement yet. The objectives above are what an assessor checks; evidence is whatever shows each one is true in your environment, dated and kept with your system security plan.
Scoring weight
Worth 5 points. Not meeting this requirement subtracts 5 from your 110-point SPRS score. These are the requirements with the largest effect on your posture.
DoD NIST SP 800-171 Assessment Methodology v1.2.1 weighting, as carried in the Bedrock scoring table. The score starts at 110 and subtracts the weight of every requirement not met.
In Rev. 3
Rev. 2 is what your contract requires today. A standing DoD class deviation keeps Rev. 2 in force; NIST has published Rev. 3, but it is not adopted for contracts. In Rev. 3 this requirement is reworded: 03.01.16 Wireless Access.
See the Rev. 2 and Rev. 3 wording word by word, or start with the status page.
Related requirements
Where this page's facts come from
- Requirement text
- bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:migrations/004_reference_requirements.sql#Requirement.basicRequirement@rev2
- Discussion
- bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:migrations/004_reference_requirements.sql#Requirement.discussion@rev2
- Practice name
- bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:migrations/004_reference_requirements.sql#Requirement.title@rev2 (CMMC Assessment Guide practice name)
- Objectives
- bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:migrations/005_reference_objectives.sql#AssessmentObjective.description@rev2
- Examine, interview, test
- bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:migrations/005_reference_objectives.sql#AssessmentObjective.description@rev2 ({examineGuidance, interviewGuidance, testGuidance})
- Level
- bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:migrations/021_fix_level1_requirements.sql#Requirement.cmmcLevel@rev2
- Weight
- bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:internal/cmmc/requirement_values.go#requirementValues (DoD AM v1.2.1 / eMASS L2 template v3.8)
- Rev. 3 mapping
- bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:docs/reference/nist-800-171-rev3/normalized/r2_r3_transition_map.json#r2_to_r3
- Plain-language title and summary
- editorial/CMMC Navigator.dc.html#RAW (Foxx Cyber editorial)