3.14.6Monitor traffic in and out

Watch the network, including inbound and outbound communications, for indicators of attack.

SI
Level 2
5 pt
Rev. 3: Reworded

The requirement, verbatim

NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2 · 3.14.6
Monitor organizational systems, including inbound and outbound communications traffic, to detect attacks and indicators of potential attacks.

Requirement 3.14.6, practice name in the CMMC assessment guide: Monitor Communications for Attacks.

NIST's discussion

System monitoring includes external and internal monitoring. External monitoring includes the observation of events occurring at the system boundary (i.e., part of perimeter defense and boundary protection). Internal monitoring includes the observation of events occurring within the system. Organizations can monitor systems, for example, by observing audit record activities in real time or by observing other system aspects such as access patterns, characteristics of access, and other actions. The monitoring objectives may guide determination of the events. System monitoring capability is achieved through a variety of tools and techniques (e.g., intrusion detection systems, intrusion prevention systems, malicious code protection software, scanning tools, audit record monitoring software, network monitoring software). Strategic locations for monitoring devices include selected perimeter locations and near server farms supporting critical applications, with such devices being employed at managed system interfaces. The granularity of monitoring information collected is based on organizational monitoring objectives and the capability of systems to support such objectives.

System monitoring is an integral part of continuous monitoring and incident response programs. Output from system monitoring serves as input to continuous monitoring and incident response programs. A network connection is any connection with a device that communicates through a network (e.g., local area network, Internet). A remote connection is any connection with a device communicating through an external network (e.g., the Internet). Local, network, and remote connections can be either wired or wireless.

Unusual or unauthorized activities or conditions related to inbound/outbound communications traffic include internal traffic that indicates the presence of malicious code in systems or propagating among system components, the unauthorized exporting of information, or signaling to external systems. Evidence of malicious code is used to identify potentially compromised systems or system components. System monitoring requirements, including the need for specific types of system monitoring, may be referenced in other requirements.

NIST SP 800-94 provides guidance on intrusion detection and prevention systems.

NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2, discussion under 3.14.6. Whitespace normalised; wording unchanged.

Assessment objectives

An assessor decides each of these separately. The requirement is met only when every objective is.

[a] inbound communications traffic is monitored to detect attacks and indicators of potential attacks
[b] outbound communications traffic is monitored to detect attacks and indicators of potential attacks

NIST SP 800-171A, determination statements for 3.14.6.

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

System and information integrity policy
procedures addressing system monitoring tools and techniques
continuous monitoring strategy
system and information integrity policy
procedures addressing system monitoring tools and techniques
facility diagram or layout
system security plan
system monitoring tools and techniques documentation
system design documentation
locations within system where monitoring devices are deployed
system protocols
system configuration settings and associated documentation
system audit logs and records
other relevant documents or records

Interview

System or network administrators
personnel with information security responsibilities
personnel installing, configuring, and maintaining the system
personnel with responsibility monitoring the system
personnel with responsibility for the intrusion detection system

Test

Organizational processes for system monitoring
mechanisms supporting or implementing intrusion detection capability and system monitoring
mechanisms supporting or implementing system monitoring capability
organizational processes for intrusion detection and system monitoring
mechanisms supporting or implementing the monitoring of inbound and outbound communications traffic

NIST SP 800-171A, potential assessment methods and objects for 3.14.6.

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: 03.14.06 System Monitoring.

See the Rev. 2 and Rev. 3 wording word by word, or start with the status page.

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)