---
title: "NIST 800-171 3.3.4 (AU.L2-3.3.4): Audit Failure Alerts"
description: "NIST SP 800-171 3.3.4 Audit Failure Alerts: 1 SPRS point, allowed on a CMMC POA&M. The text, what assessors check and the evidence."
url: https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/audit-and-accountability/3.3.4
sealed: 2026-11-11
amended: 2026-11-11
register: nist-800-171/audit-and-accountability/3.3.4
records: 7
digest: sha3:d7ec43480a655481543a7ab1b64e0bda169c706b90a447735fe4185ed3874690
---

# NIST 800-171 3.3.4 (AU.L2-3.3.4): Audit Failure Alerts

NIST 800-171 / Audit and Accountability / 3.3.4

"Alert in the event of an audit logging process failure." ([NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2, requirement 3.3.4](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-171r2))

CMMC Level 2 practice AU.L2-3.3.4.

## What 3.3.4 means in practice

If logging stops, someone must find out. Define which failures matter (an agent stops sending, storage fills up, a log source goes quiet) and who is alerted, then configure alerts that actually reach those people.

## SPRS points and the CMMC POA&M

- **CMMC Level 2 practice**: AU.L2-3.3.4
- **SPRS points**: 1 point. When it is not met, the DoD Assessment Methodology subtracts 1 from the score of 110.
- **CMMC POA&M**: Allowed. It is worth 1 point, and 32 CFR 170.21(a)(2)(ii) admits requirements worth 1 point. Conditional status also needs a score of at least 88, and the item must be closed within 180 days.

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 3.3.4

NIST SP 800-171A gives 3 determination statements for 3.3.4, each found satisfied or other than satisfied. Determine if:

- 3.3.4[a] personnel or roles to be alerted in the event of an audit logging process failure are identified.
- 3.3.4[b] types of audit logging process failures for which alert will be generated are defined.
- 3.3.4[c] identified personnel or roles are alerted in the event of an audit logging process failure.

[NIST SP 800-171A (June 2018), assessment objectives for 3.3.4](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-171A)

## Evidence that shows 3.3.4 is met

- The list of audit logging failures that raise an alert, and the roles alerted.
- Alert rule configuration in the logging or monitoring platform.
- A record of a test or real alert reaching the named people.

## How PolicyCortex gathers the evidence

PolicyCortex reads this evidence with the collectors below, read only, and grades 3.3.4 from it. Each line says what the product checks.

- **Azure Monitor: Alert rules.** Reads Azure Monitor alert rules and checks that alerts are set for audit logging process failures.

## Related pages

- **Calculator**: [SPRS score calculator: mark 3.3.4 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**: [3.3.3: Review Logged Events](https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/audit-and-accountability/3.3.3)
- **Next**: [3.3.5: Audit Correlation](https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/audit-and-accountability/3.3.5)
- **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 | bd75c25464da | dd61d5392753 |
| REC 0001 | MEANING | b6b7266f50d5 | bd75c25464da |
| REC 0002 | POINTS AND POA&M | b0c6e0a43a7d | b6b7266f50d5 |
| REC 0003 | ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES | 1d940fbf2572 | b0c6e0a43a7d |
| REC 0004 | EVIDENCE | c84d79de6a69 | 1d940fbf2572 |
| REC 0005 | COLLECTORS | a349befbebc6 | c84d79de6a69 |
| REC 0006 | RELATED | d7ec43480a65 | a349befbebc6 |

Head sha3:d7ec43480a655481543a7ab1b64e0bda169c706b90a447735fe4185ed3874690. 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.