AC-16(4)_association-of-attributes-by-authorized-individuals
DevOps & SecurityAC-16(4)_association-of-attributes-by-authorized-individuals is an Agent Skill for devops & security published in the CyberStrikeus/CyberStrike repository on GitHub: a SKILL.md instruction file an AI agent can load to do this task.
Provide the capability to associate [organization-defined] with [organization-defined] by authorized individuals (or processes acting on behalf of ind
How to use this skill
Bring this guide into your coding agent with a prompt tailored to the tool you use.
- Open your project in Codex.
- Copy and paste the prompt below.
- Review files and risks before approving any action.
Inspect the Agent Skill at https://github.com/CyberStrikeus/CyberStrike/blob/HEAD/.cyberstrike/skill/NIST/SP800-53_rev5/AC_access-control/AC-16(4)_association-of-attributes-by-authorized-individuals/SKILL.md and all supporting files. Report provenance, permissions, scripts, dependencies, and security risks. Propose an exact installation into .agents/skills/ac-16-4-association-of-attributes-by-authorized-individuals, but wait for my approval before writing files or running scripts.
Copying this prompt does not install or run the skill. Review third-party files before use.
AC-16(4) Association of Attributes by Authorized Individuals
Enhancement of: AC-16
High-Level Description
Family: Access Control (AC) Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5
Systems, in general, provide the capability for privileged users to assign security and privacy attributes to system-defined subjects (e.g., users) and objects (e.g., directories, files, and ports). Some systems provide additional capability for general users to assign security and privacy attributes to additional objects (e.g., files, emails). The association of attributes by authorized individuals is described in the design documentation. The support provided by systems can include prompting users to select security and privacy attributes to be associated with information objects, employing automated mechanisms to categorize information with attributes based on defined policies, or ensuring that the combination of the security or privacy attributes selected is valid. Organizations consider the creation, deletion, or modification of attributes when defining auditable events.
What to Check
- Verify AC-16(4) Association of Attributes by Authorized Individuals is documented in SSP
- Confirm control is operating effectively
- Review evidence of continuous monitoring for AC-16(4)
- Verify enhancement builds upon base control AC-16
How to Test
Step 1: Review Documentation
Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for AC-16(4) implementation details. Verify the organization has documented how this control is satisfied.
Step 2: Validate Implementation
# For cloud environments, use cloud-audit-mcp tools
# For on-premises, review system configurations directly
# Example: Check if account management policies exist
grep -r "account.management\|access.control" /etc/security/ 2>/dev/null
Step 3: Test Operating Effectiveness
Verify the control is actively functioning, not just documented. Check logs, configurations, and operational evidence.
Tools
| Tool | Purpose | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| cloud-audit-mcp | Check IAM policies and access controls | cloud_audit_iam_policies |
| hackbrowser-mcp | Test web application access controls | browser_auth_test |
Remediation Guide
Control Statement
Provide the capability to associate [organization-defined] with [organization-defined] by authorized individuals (or processes acting on behalf of individuals).
Implementation Guidance
Systems, in general, provide the capability for privileged users to assign security and privacy attributes to system-defined subjects (e.g., users) and objects (e.g., directories, files, and ports). Some systems provide additional capability for general users to assign security and privacy attributes to additional objects (e.g., files, emails). The association of attributes by authorized individuals is described in the design documentation. The support provided by systems can include prompting users to select security and privacy attributes to be associated with information objects, employing automated mechanisms to categorize information with attributes based on defined policies, or ensuring that the combination of the security or privacy attributes selected is valid. Organizations consider the creation, deletion, or modification of attributes when defining auditable events.
Risk Assessment
| Finding | Severity | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| AC-16(4) Association of Attributes by Authorized Individuals not implemented | High | Access Control |
| AC-16(4) partially implemented | Medium | Incomplete Access Control |
CWE Categories
| CWE ID | Title |
|---|---|
| CWE-284 | Improper Access Control |
References
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 - AC-16(4)
- NIST SP 800-53A Rev 5 (Assessment Procedures)
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 Full Catalog
Checklist
- Control documented in SSP
- Implementation evidence collected
- Operating effectiveness validated
- Continuous monitoring in place
- Related controls (none) reviewed