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NIST SP 800-171 CUI Protection Center

03.10.02 — Monitoring Physical Access

Read the official CUI requirement and assessment content, then use the separately labeled Bare Metal Cyber perspective to connect it to implementation, evidence, and sustained operation.

2Parameters
1Source controls
4Assessment objectives
3Assessment methods

03.10 — Physical Protection · NIST SP 800-171 Revision 3

Active
Official NIST requirement content

Security requirement

  1. a.Monitor physical access to the facility where the system resides to detect and respond to physical security incidents.
  2. b.Review physical access logs [Organization-defined: frequency] and upon occurrence of [Organization-defined: events or potential indicators of events].
Official NIST discussion

Discussion

A facility can include one or more physical locations containing systems or system components that process, store, or transmit CUI. Physical access monitoring includes publicly accessible areas within organizational facilities. Examples of physical access monitoring include guards, video surveillance equipment (i.e., cameras), and sensor devices. Reviewing physical access logs can help to identify suspicious activities, anomalous events, or potential threats. The reviews can be supported by audit logging controls if the access logs are part of an automated system. Incident response capabilities include investigations of physical security incidents and responses to those incidents. Incidents include security violations or suspicious physical access activities, such as access outside of normal work hours, repeated access to areas not normally accessed, access for unusual lengths of time, and out-of-sequence access.

Official organization-defined parameters

Tailoring decisions required

Resolve these values through the governing organization’s approved tailoring and risk-management process before declaring the requirement implemented.

frequencyorganization-defined frequencythe frequency at which to review physical access logs is defined.
events or potential indicators of eventsorganization-defined events or potential indications of eventsevents or potential indications of events requiring physical access logs to be reviewed are defined.
Bare Metal Cyber interpretation

Implementation perspective

Treat Monitoring Physical Access as a CUI protection outcome that must be reflected in the system boundary, documented implementation, operational behavior, and assessment evidence. Pay particular attention to physical access, facility protection, visitor accountability, and protection of system components that handle CUI.

  1. Confirm the requirement is in scope for the CUI system components, services, users, and external connections being assessed.
  2. Resolve every organization-defined parameter through an approved governance and tailoring process.
  3. Map each clause of the requirement to an accountable owner, implementation mechanism, and evidence source.
  4. Verify that inherited and shared implementations are supported by current provider evidence and responsibility boundaries.
  5. Collect evidence during normal operation and review changes, exceptions, and deficiencies on a risk-based cadence.

Questions to ask

  • Which CUI assets, data flows, users, and services are protected by this requirement?
  • Which portions are implemented locally, inherited, shared, or not applicable, and what evidence supports that determination?
  • Do the system security plan, deployed configuration, operating process, and assessment evidence tell the same story?
  • What change, incident, or threshold should trigger reassessment?

Evidence and validation

  • badge and visitor logs
  • physical access reviews
  • facility diagrams and sensor records
  • environmental and power test results

Common failure patterns

  • logical controls undermined by physical access
  • tailgating or visitor exceptions normalized
  • critical infrastructure omitted from access reviews
  • environmental alarms disconnected from response
Official NIST SP 800-171A content

Assessment objectives and methods

Assessment objectives (4)
  1. a.

    physical access to the facility where the system resides is monitored to detect physical security incidents.

  2. a.

    physical security incidents are responded to.

  3. b.

    physical access logs are reviewed [Organization-defined: frequency] .

  4. b.

    physical access logs are reviewed upon occurrence of [Organization-defined: events or potential indicators of events].

Examine

  • physical protection policy and procedures
  • procedures for physical access monitoring
  • physical access logs or records
  • physical access monitoring records
  • physical access log reviews
  • system security plan
  • other relevant documents or records

Interview

  • personnel with physical access monitoring responsibilities
  • personnel with incident response responsibilities
  • personnel with information security responsibilities

Test

  • processes for monitoring physical access
  • mechanisms for supporting or implementing physical access monitoring
  • mechanisms for supporting or implementing the review of physical access logs
Official source-control relationships

Source NIST SP 800-53 controls

These controls are referenced by the official SP 800-171 Rev. 3 OSCAL record. Open the corresponding control pages for complete control text, enhancements, D3FEND mappings, and related learning.

Source controlPE-6Open SP 800-53 control →
Source record

Authoritative sources

Bare Metal Cyber is an independent educational publisher and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NIST. The official publications, the responsible federal agency, and the governing contract or agreement determine applicability, tailoring, assessment depth, and required implementation.