What this requirement asks
Limit unsuccessful logon attempts.
This is a CMMC Level 2 requirement in the Access Control family, drawn from NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2. An assessor evaluates it objective by objective — every objective below must be supported by evidence, not just described in a policy.
Assessment objectives (2)
- 3.1.8[a] — the means of limiting unsuccessful logon attempts is defined
- 3.1.8[b] — the defined means of limiting unsuccessful logon attempts is implemented
What an assessor examines
Examine:
- Access control policy
- procedures addressing unsuccessful logon attempts
- system security plan
- system design documentation
- system configuration settings and associated documentation
- system audit logs and records
- other relevant documents or records
Interview:
- Personnel with information security responsibilities
- system developers
- system or network administrators
Test:
- Mechanisms implementing access control policy for unsuccessful logon attempts
Evidence that defends it
Show GPO/PAM settings; logs of lockout events
Check your readiness
Score this requirement against your own environment with the Level 2 self-assessment checklist, or estimate your SPRS score with the free CMMC compliance tool. Self-reported answers are planning signals only — they do not establish a verified or assessor-accepted result.