AC-6(8)_privilege-levels-for-code-execution

DevOps & Security

Prevent the following software from executing at higher privilege levels than users executing the software: [organization-defined].

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Source SKILL.md: https://github.com/CyberStrikeus/CyberStrike/blob/HEAD/.cyberstrike/skill/NIST/SP800-53_rev5/AC_access-control/AC-6(8)_privilege-levels-for-code-execution/SKILL.md

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AC-6(8) Privilege Levels for Code Execution

Enhancement of: AC-6

High-Level Description

Family: Access Control (AC) Framework: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5

In certain situations, software applications or programs need to execute with elevated privileges to perform required functions. However, depending on the software functionality and configuration, if the privileges required for execution are at a higher level than the privileges assigned to organizational users invoking such applications or programs, those users may indirectly be provided with greater privileges than assigned.

What to Check

Verify AC-6(8) Privilege Levels for Code Execution is documented in SSP
Confirm control is operating effectively
Review evidence of continuous monitoring for AC-6(8)
Verify enhancement builds upon base control AC-6

How to Test

Step 1: Review Documentation

Examine the System Security Plan (SSP) and related artifacts for AC-6(8) 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

Prevent the following software from executing at higher privilege levels than users executing the software: [organization-defined].

Implementation Guidance

Risk Assessment

Finding	Severity	Impact
AC-6(8) Privilege Levels for Code Execution not implemented	High	Access Control
AC-6(8) partially implemented	Medium	Incomplete Access Control

CWE Categories

CWE ID	Title
CWE-284	Improper Access Control

References

Checklist

Control documented in SSP
Implementation evidence collected
Operating effectiveness validated
Continuous monitoring in place
Related controls (none) reviewed