---
title: "NIST 800-171 3.7.5 (MA.L2-3.7.5): Nonlocal Maintenance"
description: "NIST SP 800-171 3.7.5 Nonlocal Maintenance: 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/maintenance/3.7.5
sealed: 2026-11-11
amended: 2026-11-11
register: nist-800-171/maintenance/3.7.5
records: 7
digest: sha3:e97a98b2e84759f7d58e22ad000ac54b91fbeb8c944547dd08fb7adc0d0da063
---

# NIST 800-171 3.7.5 (MA.L2-3.7.5): Nonlocal Maintenance

NIST 800-171 / Maintenance / 3.7.5

"Require multifactor authentication to establish nonlocal maintenance sessions via external network connections and terminate such connections when nonlocal maintenance is complete." ([NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2, requirement 3.7.5](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-171r2))

CMMC Level 2 practice MA.L2-3.7.5.

## What 3.7.5 means in practice

Maintenance done over an outside network, such as a vendor or administrator connecting remotely, needs multifactor authentication to start, and the connection is closed when the work is done. Standing, always-on remote maintenance connections do not meet it.

## SPRS points and the CMMC POA&M

- **CMMC Level 2 practice**: MA.L2-3.7.5
- **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.

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 3.7.5

NIST SP 800-171A gives 2 determination statements for 3.7.5, each found satisfied or other than satisfied. Determine if:

- 3.7.5[a] multifactor authentication is used to establish nonlocal maintenance sessions via external network connections.
- 3.7.5[b] nonlocal maintenance sessions established via external network connections are terminated when nonlocal maintenance is complete.

[NIST SP 800-171A (June 2018), assessment objectives for 3.7.5](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-171A)

## Evidence that shows 3.7.5 is met

- Configuration requiring multifactor authentication on remote maintenance paths.
- Session logs showing the start and end of nonlocal maintenance sessions.
- The procedure for ending sessions and disabling vendor access afterward.

## How PolicyCortex gathers the evidence

PolicyCortex reads this evidence with the collectors below, read only, and grades 3.7.5 from it. Each line says what the product checks.

- **Microsoft Entra ID: Conditional Access.** Checks that Conditional Access requires multifactor authentication of everyone who signs in to Azure management.

## Related pages

- **Calculator**: [SPRS score calculator: mark 3.7.5 and the other 109 requirements and see the score.](https://policycortex.com/sprs-score-calculator#family-MA)
- **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 6 Maintenance requirements (3.7).](https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/maintenance)
- **Previous**: [3.7.4: Diagnostic Media Checks](https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/maintenance/3.7.4)
- **Next**: [3.7.6: Maintenance Personnel](https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/maintenance/3.7.6)
- **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 | 37e7e8cc8e0d | 20f2a8ecaa9a |
| REC 0001 | MEANING | d3531c60e8a1 | 37e7e8cc8e0d |
| REC 0002 | POINTS AND POA&M | d98e18e4b1ff | d3531c60e8a1 |
| REC 0003 | ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES | e95eac7ee22c | d98e18e4b1ff |
| REC 0004 | EVIDENCE | 023b79fe5d62 | e95eac7ee22c |
| REC 0005 | COLLECTORS | f0b4ba4eb328 | 023b79fe5d62 |
| REC 0006 | RELATED | e97a98b2e847 | f0b4ba4eb328 |

Head sha3:e97a98b2e84759f7d58e22ad000ac54b91fbeb8c944547dd08fb7adc0d0da063. 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.