Control statement
Employ identity providers and authorization servers to manage user, device, and non-person entity (NPE) identities, attributes, and access rights supporting authentication and authorization decisions in accordance with [Organization-defined: policy] using [Organization-defined: mechanisms].
Discussion
Identity providers, both internal and external to the organization, manage the user, device, and NPE authenticators and issue statements, often called identity assertions, attesting to identities of other systems or systems components. Authorization servers create and issue access tokens to identified and authenticated users and devices that can be used to gain access to system or information resources. For example, single sign-on (SSO) provides identity provider and authorization server functions. Authenticator management (to include credential management) is covered by IA-05.
Organization-defined parameters
These values must be resolved through the organization’s tailoring and governance process. Bracketed parameter references in the control text identify where a decision is required.
From control text to operational evidence
Use Identity Providers and Authorization Servers as a testable risk decision. Translate the official statement into accountable people, repeatable processes, configured technology, and evidence that demonstrates the outcome over time. In this family, pay particular attention to identity proofing, authentication strength, credential lifecycle, and trusted identity assertions.
Implementation workflow
- Define the control boundary, responsible owner, inherited portions, and systems or processes in scope.
- Resolve each organization-defined parameter before declaring the control implemented.
- Document how the implementation satisfies every clause of the official control statement.
- Collect evidence as a normal byproduct of operation rather than only before an assessment.
- Review exceptions, changes, and monitoring results on a risk-based cadence.
Evidence examples
- identity-proofing records
- authenticator issuance and revocation logs
- MFA and federation configuration
- credential inventory and rotation evidence
Common failure patterns
- strong authentication applied only to interactive users
- service credentials without ownership or rotation
- weak recovery paths that bypass MFA
- federated trust not reviewed after partner changes
Questions practitioners should ask
- What risk decision is this control intended to support in this system?
- Which parts are implemented locally, inherited, shared, or not applicable—and what evidence supports that decision?
- Do the documented narrative, deployed configuration, operating process, and collected evidence agree?
- What event or threshold requires the implementation to be reviewed or changed?
Assessment objectives and methods
Show the assessment objective
- IA-13[01]identity providers are employed to manage user, device, and non-person entity (NPE) identities, attributes and access rights supporting authentication decisions in accordance with [Organization-defined: mechanisms] using [Organization-defined: mechanisms];
- IA-13[02]identity providers are employed to manage user, device, and non-person entity (NPE) identities, attributes and access rights supporting authorization decisions in accordance with [Organization-defined: mechanisms] using [Organization-defined: mechanisms];
- IA-13[03]authorization servers are employed to manage user, device, and non-person entity (NPE) identities, attributes and access rights supporting authentication decisions in accordance with [Organization-defined: mechanisms] using [Organization-defined: mechanisms];
- IA-13[04]authorization servers are employed to manage user, device, and non-person entity (NPE) identities, attributes and access rights supporting authorization decisions in accordance with [Organization-defined: mechanisms] using [Organization-defined: mechanisms];
Examine
- Identification and authentication policy;
- procedures addressing user and device identification and authentication;
- system security plan;
- system design documentation;
- system configuration settings and associated documentation;
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- Organizational personnel with system operations responsibilities;
- organizational personnel with information security responsibilities;
- system/network administrators;
- organizational personnel with account management responsibilities;
- system developers
Test
- Mechanisms supporting and/or implementing identification and authentication capabilities and access rights
Related controls
These relationships come from the official OSCAL catalog. They indicate useful dependencies or context, not automatic inheritance or equivalence.
Control enhancements
Enhancements add specificity, strength, or scope to the base control. Baseline badges show explicit selections in the official SP 800-53B OSCAL profiles.
IA-13(1) — Protection of Cryptographic Keys
Cryptographic keys that protect access tokens are generated, managed, and protected from disclosure and misuse.
Official discussion
Identity assertions and access tokens are typically digitally signed. The private keys used to sign these assertions and tokens are protected commensurate with the impact of the system and information resources that can be accessed.
Assessment objectives and methods
- IA-13(01)[01]cryptographic keys that protect access tokens are generated;
- IA-13(01)[02]cryptographic keys that protect access tokens are managed;
- IA-13(01)[03]cryptographic keys that protect access tokens are protected from disclosure; and
- IA-13(01)[04]cryptographic keys that protect access tokens are protected from disclosure and misuse
Examine
- Identification and authentication policy;
- procedures addressing cryptographic key establishment and management;
- system design documentation;
- cryptographic mechanisms;
- system configuration settings and associated documentation;
- system security plan;
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- System/network administrators;
- organizational personnel with information security responsibilities;
- organizational personnel with responsibilities for cryptographic key establishment and/or management
Test
- Organizational processes for cryptographic key management;
- cryptographic modules generating, storing, and using cryptographic keys
Related controls
IA-13(2) — Verification of Identity Assertions and Access Tokens
The source and integrity of identity assertions and access tokens are verified before granting access to system and information resources.
Official discussion
This includes verification of digital signatures protecting identity assertions and access tokens, as well as included metadata. Metadata includes information about the access request such as information unique to user, system or information resource being accessed, or the transaction itself such as time. Protected system and information resources could include connected networks, applications, and APIs.
Assessment objectives and methods
- IA-13(02)[01]the source of identity assertions is verified before granting access to system and information resources;
- IA-13(02)[02]the source of access tokens is verified before granting access to system and information resources;
- IA-13(02)[03]the integrity of identity assertions is verified before granting access to system and information resources;
- IA-13(02)[04]the integrity of access tokens is verified before granting access to system and information resources
Examine
- Identification and authentication policy;
- system security plan; system design documentation;
- system configuration settings and associated documentation;
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- Organizational personnel with system operations responsibilities;
- organizational personnel with information security responsibilities;
- system/ network administrators;
- organizational personnel with account management responsibilities;
- system developers
Test
- Identity provider mechanisms supporting and/or implementing identification and authentication capabilities and access rights
IA-13(3) — Token Management
In accordance with [Organization-defined: ia-13_odp.01], assertions and access tokens are:
- (a)generated;
- (b)issued;
- (c)refreshed;
- (d)revoked;
- (e)time-restricted; and
- (f)audience-restricted.
Official discussion
An access token is a piece of data that represents the authorization granted to a user or NPE to access specific systems or information resources. Access tokens enable controlled access to services and resources. Properly managing the lifecycle of access tokens, including their issuance, validation, and revocation, is crucial to maintaining confidentiality of data and systems. Restricting token validity to a specific audience, e.g., an application or security domain, and restricting token validity lifetimes are important practices. Access tokens are revoked or invalidated if they are compromised, lost, or are no longer needed to mitigate the risks associated with stolen or misused tokens.
Assessment objectives and methods
- IA-13(03)(a)[01]assertions are generated in accordance with [Organization-defined: ia-13_odp.01];
- IA-13(03)(a)[02]access tokens are generated in accordance with [Organization-defined: ia-13_odp.01];
- IA-13(03)(b)[01]assertions are issued in accordance with [Organization-defined: ia-13_odp.01];
- IA-13(03)(b)[02]access tokens are issued in accordance with [Organization-defined: ia-13_odp.01];
- IA-13(03)(c)[01]assertions are refreshed in accordance with [Organization-defined: ia-13_odp.01];
- IA-13(03)(c)[02]access tokens are refreshed in accordance with [Organization-defined: ia-13_odp.01];
- IA-13(03)(d)[01]assertions are revoked in accordance with [Organization-defined: ia-13_odp.01];
- IA-13(03)(d)[02]access tokens are revoked in accordance with [Organization-defined: ia-13_odp.01];
- IA-13(03)(e)[01]assertions are time-restricted in accordance with [Organization-defined: ia-13_odp.01];
- IA-13(03)(e)[02]access tokens are time-restricted in accordance with [Organization-defined: ia-13_odp.01];
- IA-13(03)(f)[01]assertions are audience-restricted in accordance with [Organization-defined: ia-13_odp.01];
- IA-13(03)(f)[02]access tokens are audience-restricted in accordance with [Organization-defined: ia-13_odp.01];
Examine
- Identification and authentication policy;
- access control policy;
- procedures for assertion and token management;
- system design documentation;
- system configuration settings and associated documentation;
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- Organizational personnel with system operations responsibilities;
- organizational personnel with information security responsibilities;
- system/ network administrators;
- organizational personnel with account management responsibilities;
- system developers
Test
- Mechanisms and software supporting and/or implementing token generation
Authoritative sources
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