---
title: "NIST 800-171 3.1.12 (AC.L2-3.1.12): Remote Access Control"
description: "NIST SP 800-171 3.1.12 Remote Access Control: 5 SPRS points, not allowed on a CMMC POA&M. The text, what assessors check and the evidence."
url: https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/access-control/3.1.12
sealed: 2026-11-11
amended: 2026-11-11
register: nist-800-171/access-control/3.1.12
records: 7
digest: sha3:0e461b416c37d1d567cb4bf171896ead5a2424da56c0652f01eedf32c96ea4c4
---

# NIST 800-171 3.1.12 (AC.L2-3.1.12): Remote Access Control

NIST 800-171 / Access Control / 3.1.12

"Monitor and control remote access sessions." ([NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2, requirement 3.1.12](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-171r2))

CMMC Level 2 practice AC.L2-3.1.12.

## What 3.1.12 means in practice

Decide which kinds of remote access you allow, such as VPN, a remote desktop gateway or cloud management consoles, and permit only those. Each remote session is controlled (who may connect, from which device and from where) and monitored, with logs that show who connected, when and from what address.

## SPRS points and the CMMC POA&M

- **CMMC Level 2 practice**: AC.L2-3.1.12
- **SPRS points**: 5 points. When it is not met, the DoD Assessment Methodology subtracts 5 from the score of 110.
- **CMMC POA&M**: Not allowed. It is worth 5 points, and 32 CFR 170.21(a)(2)(ii) admits only requirements worth 1 point, with one exception: 3.13.11 when encryption is used but not FIPS validated.
- **Scoring note**: If the system permits no remote access, mark Met: Annex A subtracts nothing. Keep a policy and procedure that stops it being turned on by accident: without one, a Medium assessment takes 1 point.

Sources: [NIST SP 800-171 DoD Assessment Methodology, version 1.2.1 (June 24, 2020), Annex A](https://www.acq.osd.mil/asda/dpc/cp/cyber/docs/safeguarding/NIST-SP-800-171-Assessment-Methodology-Version-1.2.1-6.24.2020.pdf); [32 CFR 170.21, Plan of Action and Milestones requirements](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-32/section-170.21).

## What an assessor checks for 3.1.12

NIST SP 800-171A gives 4 determination statements for 3.1.12, each found satisfied or other than satisfied. Determine if:

- 3.1.12[a] remote access sessions are permitted.
- 3.1.12[b] the types of permitted remote access are identified.
- 3.1.12[c] remote access sessions are controlled.
- 3.1.12[d] remote access sessions are monitored.

[NIST SP 800-171A (June 2018), assessment objectives for 3.1.12](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-171A)

## Evidence that shows 3.1.12 is met

- A list of the permitted remote access methods and who may use them.
- VPN or gateway configuration that limits remote access to those methods.
- Remote access logs for a recent period, with user, time and source address.
- Network rules that block remote administration ports from the internet.

## How PolicyCortex gathers the evidence

PolicyCortex reads this evidence with the collectors below, read only, and grades 3.1.12 from it. Each line says what the product checks.

- **Azure: Network security groups.** Checks that network security group rules open remote access ports (RDP and SSH) only to authorized sources.

## Related pages

- **Calculator**: [SPRS score calculator: mark 3.1.12 and the other 109 requirements and see the score.](https://policycortex.com/sprs-score-calculator#family-AC)
- **Sample package**: [Sample package: an SSP, a POA&M and an evidence chain the product generated from demonstration data.](https://policycortex.com/sample-package)
- **Family**: [All 22 Access Control requirements (3.1).](https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/access-control)
- **Previous**: [3.1.11: Session Termination](https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/access-control/3.1.11)
- **Next**: [3.1.13: Remote Access Encryption](https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/access-control/3.1.13)
- **All requirements**: [All 110 NIST SP 800-171 requirements, by family.](https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171)

Meet the requirement once. Keep the evidence current. [Request Access](https://app.policycortex.com/auth?mode=request-access) · [Book a call](https://policycortex.com/book)

## Register colophon

| Seq | Label | SHA3-256 | Prev |
|---|---|---|---|
| REC 0000 | REQUIREMENT | 8de30b362c65 | 717a8ea61027 |
| REC 0001 | MEANING | abff864bb8e7 | 8de30b362c65 |
| REC 0002 | POINTS AND POA&M | 2e46edb1dfe7 | abff864bb8e7 |
| REC 0003 | ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES | b8c5c9af9728 | 2e46edb1dfe7 |
| REC 0004 | EVIDENCE | 2d98f5024b3d | b8c5c9af9728 |
| REC 0005 | COLLECTORS | 63ca05355dfc | 2d98f5024b3d |
| REC 0006 | RELATED | 0e461b416c37 | 63ca05355dfc |

Head sha3:0e461b416c37d1d567cb4bf171896ead5a2424da56c0652f01eedf32c96ea4c4. Each digest is SHA3-256 over the previous digest, the register key, the record label, and the record copy; a second party can recompute it from this document.