NIST 800-171 - Application Partitioning (3.13.3)

Overview:
Separate user functionality from information system management functionality.

Action Items:
3.13.3[a]
Determine if: user functionality is identified.

3.13.3[b]
Determine if: system management functionality is identified.

3.13.3[c]
Determine if: user functionality is separated from system management functionality.

POTENTIAL ASSESSMENT METHODS AND OBJECTS

1
Examine: System and communications protection policy; procedures addressing application partitioning; system design documentation; system configuration settings and associated documentation; system security plan; system audit logs and records; other relevant documents or records].

2
Interview: System or network administrators; personnel with information security responsibilities; system developer].

3
Test: Separation of user functionality from system management functionality].

Related Documents (document name and content will vary by organization):
1) System and communications protection policy
2) procedures addressing application partitioning
3) system design documentation
4) system configuration settings and associated documentation
5) system security plan
6) system audit logs and records
7) other relevant documents or records

Additional Guidance:
System management functionality includes, for example, functions necessary to administer databases, network components, workstations, or servers, and typically requires privileged user access. The separation of user functionality from system management functionality is physical or logical. Organizations can implement separation of system management functionality from user functionality by using different computers, different central processing units, different instances of operating systems, or different network addresses; virtualization techniques; or combinations of these or other methods, as appropriate. This type of separation includes, for example, web administrative interfaces that use separate authentication methods for users of any other system resources. Separation of system and user functionality may include isolating administrative interfaces on different domains and with additional access controls.