---
title: "NIST 800-171 3.3.2 (AU.L2-3.3.2): User Accountability"
description: "NIST SP 800-171 3.3.2 User Accountability: 3 SPRS points, not allowed on a CMMC POA&M. The text, what assessors check and the evidence."
url: https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/audit-and-accountability/3.3.2
sealed: 2026-11-11
amended: 2026-11-11
register: nist-800-171/audit-and-accountability/3.3.2
records: 7
digest: sha3:751724bdb4b65b1cb08149e96124873ffa907c5d192e12d256139a7de3d3ee5e
---

# NIST 800-171 3.3.2 (AU.L2-3.3.2): User Accountability

NIST 800-171 / Audit and Accountability / 3.3.2

"Ensure that the actions of individual system users can be uniquely traced to those users, so they can be held accountable for their actions." ([NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2, requirement 3.3.2](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-171r2))

CMMC Level 2 practice AU.L2-3.3.2.

## What 3.3.2 means in practice

Every logged action has to trace back to one person. That rules out shared accounts for interactive work and requires log records that carry a unique user or service identity, so an investigation can say who did what.

## SPRS points and the CMMC POA&M

- **CMMC Level 2 practice**: AU.L2-3.3.2
- **SPRS points**: 3 points. When it is not met, the DoD Assessment Methodology subtracts 3 from the score of 110.
- **CMMC POA&M**: Not allowed. It is worth 3 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.

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 3.3.2

NIST SP 800-171A gives 2 determination statements for 3.3.2, each found satisfied or other than satisfied. Determine if:

- 3.3.2[a] the content of the audit records needed to support the ability to uniquely trace users to their actions is defined.
- 3.3.2[b] audit records, once created, contain the defined content.

[NIST SP 800-171A (June 2018), assessment objectives for 3.3.2](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-171A)

## Evidence that shows 3.3.2 is met

- Sample audit records showing a unique identity on each action.
- The policy prohibiting shared accounts, with any exceptions and their controls.
- Logging settings that capture user and service principal identities.

## How PolicyCortex gathers the evidence

PolicyCortex reads this evidence with the collectors below, read only, and grades 3.3.2 from it. Each line says what the product checks.

- **Azure Monitor: Diagnostic settings.** Checks that diagnostic settings capture user identities and service principal activity in the audit logs.
- **AWS: CloudTrail and CloudWatch.** Checks that CloudTrail, which records the identity behind each AWS API call, is on in every region.

## Related pages

- **Calculator**: [SPRS score calculator: mark 3.3.2 and the other 109 requirements and see the score.](https://policycortex.com/sprs-score-calculator#family-AU)
- **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 9 Audit and Accountability requirements (3.3).](https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/audit-and-accountability)
- **Previous**: [3.3.1: System Audit Logs](https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/audit-and-accountability/3.3.1)
- **Next**: [3.3.3: Review Logged Events](https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/audit-and-accountability/3.3.3)
- **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 | 12e8e24d58a6 | 98d2439a0f17 |
| REC 0001 | MEANING | c7797a5cbdb1 | 12e8e24d58a6 |
| REC 0002 | POINTS AND POA&M | a90a528bd08f | c7797a5cbdb1 |
| REC 0003 | ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES | cf0b415b08fe | a90a528bd08f |
| REC 0004 | EVIDENCE | b3560e455c0d | cf0b415b08fe |
| REC 0005 | COLLECTORS | c3fdbb417224 | b3560e455c0d |
| REC 0006 | RELATED | 751724bdb4b6 | c3fdbb417224 |

Head sha3:751724bdb4b65b1cb08149e96124873ffa907c5d192e12d256139a7de3d3ee5e. 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.