Control statement
Control physical access to output from [Organization-defined: output devices] to prevent unauthorized individuals from obtaining the output.
Discussion
Controlling physical access to output devices includes placing output devices in locked rooms or other secured areas with keypad or card reader access controls and allowing access to authorized individuals only, placing output devices in locations that can be monitored by personnel, installing monitor or screen filters, and using headphones. Examples of output devices include monitors, printers, scanners, audio devices, facsimile machines, and copiers.
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 Access Control for Output Devices 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 physical access, facility protection, environmental safeguards, and visitor accountability.
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
- badge and visitor logs
- physical access reviews
- facility diagrams and sensor records
- environmental and power test results
Common failure patterns
- logical security assumptions invalidated by physical access
- tailgating and visitor exceptions normalized
- critical infrastructure not included in access reviews
- environmental alarms not integrated into response
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
physical access to output from [Organization-defined: output devices] is controlled to prevent unauthorized individuals from obtaining the output.
Examine
- Physical and environmental protection policy
- procedures addressing access control for display medium
- facility layout of system components
- actual displays from system components
- list of output devices and associated outputs requiring physical access controls
- physical access control logs or records for areas containing output devices and related outputs
- system security plan
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- Organizational personnel with physical access control responsibilities
- organizational personnel with information security responsibilities
Test
- Organizational processes for access control to output devices
- mechanisms supporting and/or implementing access control to output devices
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.
PE-5(1) — Access to Output by Authorized Individuals
This enhancement is marked withdrawn in the official OSCAL catalog. Related-control metadata below may identify where its intent was incorporated.
PE-5(2) — Link to Individual Identity
Link individual identity to receipt of output from output devices.
Official discussion
Methods for linking individual identity to the receipt of output from output devices include installing security functionality on facsimile machines, copiers, and printers. Such functionality allows organizations to implement authentication on output devices prior to the release of output to individuals.
Assessment objectives and methods
individual identity is linked to the receipt of output from output devices.
Examine
- Physical and environmental protection policy
- procedures addressing physical access control
- system design documentation
- system configuration settings and associated documentation
- list of output devices and associated outputs requiring physical access controls
- physical access control logs or records for areas containing output devices and related outputs
- system audit records
- system security plan
- privacy plan
- privacy impact assessment
- privacy risk assessment documentation
- other relevant documents or records
Interview
- Organizational personnel with physical access control responsibilities
- organizational personnel with information security and privacy responsibilities
- system/network administrators
- system developers
Test
- Organizational processes for access control to output devices
- mechanisms supporting and/or implementing access control to output devices
PE-5(3) — Marking Output Devices
This enhancement is marked withdrawn in the official OSCAL catalog. Related-control metadata below may identify where its intent was incorporated.
Authoritative sources
Bare Metal Cyber is an independent educational publisher and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NIST. Official control requirements and interpretations remain with NIST and the responsible authorizing organization.