---
title: "NIST 800-171 3.12.3 (CA.L2-3.12.3): Ongoing Monitoring"
description: "NIST SP 800-171 3.12.3 Ongoing Monitoring: 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/security-assessment/3.12.3
sealed: 2026-11-11
amended: 2026-11-11
register: nist-800-171/security-assessment/3.12.3
records: 7
digest: sha3:34a1077b05a5d907f706349aff1635cdef495e0c1c67c6f9477a65f01dccfa64
---

# NIST 800-171 3.12.3 (CA.L2-3.12.3): Ongoing Monitoring

NIST 800-171 / Security Assessment / 3.12.3

"Monitor security controls on an ongoing basis to ensure the continued effectiveness of the controls." ([NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2, requirement 3.12.3](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-171r2))

CMMC Level 2 practice CA.L2-3.12.3.

## What 3.12.3 means in practice

Controls are watched continuously, or close to it, so you learn when one stops working instead of discovering it at the next assessment. That combines automated checks of configurations and logs with scheduled reviews of the controls that cannot be automated.

## SPRS points and the CMMC POA&M

- **CMMC Level 2 practice**: CA.L2-3.12.3
- **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 3.12.3

NIST SP 800-171A gives one determination statement for 3.12.3.

- Determine if security controls are monitored on an ongoing basis to ensure the continued effectiveness of those controls.

[NIST SP 800-171A (June 2018), assessment objectives for 3.12.3](https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-171A)

## Evidence that shows 3.12.3 is met

- The monitoring strategy: which controls are checked, how and how often.
- Dashboards or reports from automated control monitoring.
- Records of monitoring findings that led to fixes.

## How PolicyCortex gathers the evidence

No PolicyCortex collector reads the evidence for 3.12.3. Your team provides the evidence listed above.

## Related pages

- **Calculator**: [SPRS score calculator: mark 3.12.3 and the other 109 requirements and see the score.](https://policycortex.com/sprs-score-calculator#family-CA)
- **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 4 Security Assessment requirements (3.12).](https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/security-assessment)
- **Previous**: [3.12.2: Plans of Action](https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/security-assessment/3.12.2)
- **Next**: [3.12.4: System Security Plan](https://policycortex.com/nist-800-171/security-assessment/3.12.4)
- **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 | dad0eaf362d5 | 1032677328ac |
| REC 0001 | MEANING | 4ab91f48ea7d | dad0eaf362d5 |
| REC 0002 | POINTS AND POA&M | 38670ec0811f | 4ab91f48ea7d |
| REC 0003 | ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES | 94b8fdd1113b | 38670ec0811f |
| REC 0004 | EVIDENCE | 980c007b02b3 | 94b8fdd1113b |
| REC 0005 | COLLECTORS | 0267ec8df014 | 980c007b02b3 |
| REC 0006 | RELATED | 34a1077b05a5 | 0267ec8df014 |

Head sha3:34a1077b05a5d907f706349aff1635cdef495e0c1c67c6f9477a65f01dccfa64. 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.